Ryan Emerson and the Milford High School boys basketball team couldn't quite hit enough shots to upset West on Tuesday. (Telegraph photo by TOM KING)

With the threat of the 3-point shot, the Milford High School boys basketball team is never out of a game.

The No. 3 Manchester Blue Knights found that out in Tuesday’s preliminary round game vs. the No. 14 Spartans, who rallied from an early 15-5 deficit to take a 19-18 first half lead.

But alas, the shots weren’t falling consistently enough and West advanced with a a 58-46 in Manchester, one of the few postseason games played with the poor weather conditions.

Still, it was better than the 71-42 score the first time these two played.

“We didn’t shoot well,” Spartans coach Ryan Emerson said, “but our defense was a bit better.”

West went on an 8-0 run late in the second quarter and took a 28-23 lead into the break. The Knights led 42-33 after three and it never got closer than seven the rest of the way.West’s Max Houle led all scorers with 21 points.

Ethan Szopa led Milford with 11 points while Ben Emerson had 10. Will Emerson and Tyler Constable added eight apiece.

West now awaits the winner of tonight’s rescheduled game between No. 11 Souhegan and No.6 Kingswood in Wolfeboro.

The 3-pointer was the Spartans’ chief weapon all season long, but they managed just six on the day. They had 16 twice this season.

“We lost by four 3’s,” Emerson said.

HOLIS BROOKLINE OPPONENT SET

The unbeaten HB boys hoop team now knows who it will host in Friday night’s quarterfinal as No. 8 Coe-Brown (12-7) ousted No. 9 Oyster River in the only other Division II prelim played, 62-53. There will be some intrigue in this one as the two teams did not play during the regular season.