Hector Longo photo -- Merrimack's Jack Tarleton tries to muscle past Alvirne's Anthony Ferullo for two of his game-high 22 points in the Tomahawks opening-night win.

HUDSON – We are two weeks from Christmas, opening night here on Granite State hardwood.

The students returned, the stars came out to play and the Merrimack High School boys basketball team drew first blood Friday in the 2021-22 season, nipping host Alvirne, 49-48.

The victory kicked off Season No. 2 in style Tomahawks’ coach Auston Denton and spoiled the Broncos’ debut for new boss, Leo Gershgorin.

“I love that everyone is back in the gym, and that crowd was like that,” said Denton. “That was like the old days. It was an awesome game.

“We play five games before Christmas. … They mean a lot. To get the first one is awesome,” he added after the wild final seconds saw Alvirne grab a 1-point lead on an Anthony Ferullo free throw with 8.7 seconds only to be outdone by Tomahawk senior Jack Tarleton’s 10-foot, buzzer-beating runner for the win.

“Jack was awesome all night. I think he played every minute. He was the toughest kid on our team,” said Denton.

Tarleton and Alvirne High senior Brendan Graham hooked up in 32-minute heavyweight slugfest. They pounded each other in the paint. Tarleton slashed his way to a game-high 22 points, while Graham crashed for a team-best 18 to go along with 14 boards and five blocks.

“They’re a great team, and Brendan Graham is one hell of a player,” said Tarleton. “He’s a great player. I’ve played against him since third grade, and he just keeps getting better and better.

“I always look for difficult matchups, and like I said, he’s one hell of a player.”

This one was in doubt into the final moments, a game that saw neither team lead by more than eight points.

“I told them just hang in there, keep grinding it out,” Denton said.

Alvirne led 13-11 after one quarter and 29-21 at the half where something clicked for Tarleton.

The 6-foot-1 forward delivered nine points in the third where Merrimack climbed back in it. His leaner in the waning seconds of the third made it 37-36 Broncos, heading for the fourth.

And from there, it was anyone’s game.

Cameron Kruger drained a baseline jumper and then a 3 for Alvirne, knotting things a 45-45, but he would foul out with just over three minutes left, and that hurt.

Kobe Pimentel netted two clutch free throws, and Bronco Ryan Haley responded off the dribble, evening things for the last time at 47-47 with 1:45 left.

A wild sequence ensued with each team getting chances before Ferullo was hacked at the 8.7-second mark.

He made one and with Denton letting his kids play – no timeout – Pimentel raced up the floor.

“I started screaming timeout, and then Kobe got the ball, and got going,” said Denton. “Kobe is one of our best offensive players. I said, let’s see what happens. Let’s let him make a play. He ended up making the play – drove, draw two, got it to Jack and we ended up winning the game.”

Tarleton added, “Kobe made a fantastic pass, and I was just lucky enough to finish it off.”

Pimentel finished with a dozen points, the only other Tomahawk in double figures. David Roy added six. Eric Allard had 13 for Alvirne, and Ferullo clicked for eight on the night.