RallyNorth.net

DURHAM, N.H. | Salem High point guard Josh Frederico won't say he has the "green light" to shoot from coach E.J. Perry. The top-seeded Blue Devils can be thankful that the gritty senior blew through a flashing yellow yesterday in the Class L quarterfinals against Pinkerton.

DURHAM, N.H. | Salem sharpshooter Josh Jones wasn't expecting a cakewalk yesterday afternoon and Pinkerton made sure the Blue Devils didn't get one.

The No. 1-seed Blue Devils (22-1, 20-0 in Class L) struggled until the final two minutes before pulling away for a 56-47 victory over the stubborn No. 8-seed Astros. They'll face No. 4 Manchester Central in the Class L semifinals at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at UNH's Lundholm Gym.

HOOKSETT, N.H. | Minutes after collapsing on the court last night, Londonderry girls basketball coach John Fagula was cracking jokes.

The situation, however, was no laughing matter.

At 7:15 p.m., with 1:16 remaining in his team's 37-35 Class L quarterfinal win over Salem, the 60-year-old Fagula crumpled face-first in front of the Lancer bench. He lie motionless for less than a minute as emergency personnel attended to him, but he quickly sat up and appeared to be alert.

If there were any nerves in the Salem locker room before its first-round Class L tourney game with Alvirne, they were extinguished right after tip-off.

The Blue Devils (14-5 Class L) showed Alvirne the door, 54-40. Starting the game on a 12-0 run, Salem sent a strong message to the rest of Class L. Salem limited the Broncos to just two points in the first period.

Amanda Saab's visits to her grandfather always began with the same question.

"How's basketball?"

Even in his 80s, Bill Winn was sharp. He constantly talked hoops.

"He always said, 'Stick with it,'" Saab said. "I'll never forget that."

Pinkerton Academy edged Salem 50-47 last night in a scrappy game to earn an important late-season win in the race for Class L playoff position.

"We've played the same kind of game all year," said coach John Barry, whose Astros are now 10-4 in Class L. "I call it ugly ball. We have turnovers, we throw the ball all over the place, we just try to create as much pressure as humanly possible on the other team and you could see the effects tonight."

SALEM | As the ball bounced around the rim, Courtney Morissette held her breath.

"I was begging it would go in," she said. "I prayed." Her shot, a soft jumper from the elbow of the lane, dropped in at the buzzer, giving Londonderry a 59-58 win over Salem last night.

Salem opened some eyes with a 59-45 victory over Central Catholic in the fifth-place game.

Senior guard Danielle Stoodley led all scorers with 16 points and junior guard Caitlin Peters (8 points) was immense on defense for the Blue Devils (5-1).

Salem gave undefeated Lowell its best shot in the Greater Lawrence Christmas Tournament | but for only a little more than a quarter in a 60-43 Red Raiders win.

The Blue Devils, behind senior guard Danielle Stoodley (team-high 15 points) and junior forward Amanda Saab (14 points, 16 rebounds) led 8-7 after a drive down the lane for a basket by sophomore forward Olivia Connors. That came just moments after talented Lowell center Whitney Wilson went down with an ankle injury and left the game for good.

Amanda Saab erupted for a team-high 17 points and Salem turned on the defensive heat, dousing Alvirne, 50-34.

Michaela Galvin and Danielle Stoodley chipped in 11 apiece for the Blue Devils.