The Bishop Guertin bench had a lot to cheer about in the first half of the Cards' 45-20 Division I prelim win over Portsmouth on Monday night at the Colligadome. (Telegraph photo by TOM KING)

NASHUA – Seeing is definitely believing, and the Portsmouth High School girls basketball team likely didn’t exactly believe how the Bishop Guertin Cardinals could take over a game until they experienced it in person.

What the Clippers saw Monday night from the Cards, whom they did not face during the regular season, was a dominant second quarter that gave Guertin a 32-8 halftime lead en route to a 45-20 thrashing in the Division I preliminary round at the Colligadome.

“We were just a little shell shocked from what we saw in the 16 minutes,” Portsmouth coach Tim Hopley said. “I watched 16 of their 18 games on film, but until you’re faced with it, it doesn’t matter what I know.”

As a result, the No. 5 Cards (15-4) will head north to face No. 4 Concord Christian (15-4, a 55-42 prelim winner over Keene) on Thursday in the quarterfinals. The Clippers’ season ends at 9-10.

It was a much better first round than a year ago for the Cards, who lost to Salem on the road with a team that had no varsity experience, a far cry from the dynasty days. But this year, Guertin didn’t lose to an in-state team from mid-January on.

“I’m super proud of the growth these girls have had,” Orlando said. “Honestly I wish I could take the credit, but it’s them. It’s these girls. They’re a year older, a year used to that physicality and the pace of this level. The teams that we’re playing against, they’re executing the heck out of their sets and have really embraced that defensive identity that we have worked on building, and they’ve done a stellar job.”

They certainly did Monday night. The Clippers were held to four points in each of the first two quarters, and were led overall by senior Bridget Emery. Conversely, the Cards hit for seven 3-pointers in the first half, it was basically over. Their only senior, Ayla Regan, led the way with 11 points, while Holly Dufoe had 10 and Laura Marino nine.

Regan scored all 11 in the second quarter, and was the spark in the Cards running away with it in her final home game with three 3 pointers.

“It’s been incredible playing with these girls the last two years,” she said. “I was hoping, I was on the bench, had my hands together, I was ready to go in. I let the ball fly. That’s my job, I let the ball fly.”

“That really has been the epitomy of her season,” Orlando said of Regan. “She has been the difference maker in terms of leadership, posititivity and her talent on the court. She comes in and does all the little things you want every player to do … She just comes in, gets stuff done….A player I’ve been super proud of this season.”

Guertin wasn’t quite as explosive in the second half, choosing instead to run its sets and take time off the clock, leading 38-16 after three.

“The first 16 minutes and second 16 minutes were two different games,” Hopley said. “The way we play defense, if teams are going to beat us, they have to make shots from the perimeter. And that’s what happened tonight.”

Bishop Guertin’s Holly Dufoe puts up a shot along the baseline past Portsmouth’s Audrea Ingram during Monday night’s Division I prelim at BG. (Telegraph photo by TOM KING)

Bishop Guertin’s Holly Dufoe puts up a shot along the baseline past Portsmouth’s Audrea Ingram during Monday night’s Division I prelim at BG. (Telegraph photo by TOM KING)

Orlando said the second half more deliberate offensive style was by design, even though it produced just 13 points.

“I think that’s one of the biggest areas we’ve been working on this year,” Orlando said. “Half court basketball is challenging and incredibly difficult, especially at the high school level. To be able to run our plays, run our sets, they’ve been doing a much better job of that.”

Hopley could see the improvement in the Cards after the holidays, trending to the style they had when they ruled Division I.

“We kind of saw after their first three games of the year, then they got to the Christmas break, and something kind of clicked in there,” he said. “I think that’s the direction they’re heading back into. Obviously they’re tremendously skilled, young, they play with a tremendous amount of poise. A year ago when they were freshmen and sophomores, hadn’t quite grasped that Bishop Guertin girls basketball culture.”