RallyNorth.net

SALEM, N.H. — Instant offense is always welcome, but it’s especially appreciated by the Salem boys basketball team. Thanks to a stellar defense, the Blue Devils entered last night’s Division 1 opener against Nashua North with a 13-5 record, but they had been averaging only 49 points a game. With two minutes left in the first quarter, those dynamics were both at work as North had scored six straight points to tie the game, 6-6. Salem coach Rob McLaughlin called time out and inserted reserves Matt Loguidice and Andrew Ruffen. As a result, the Salem offense found some life and the Devils ended up rolling to a 58-40 victory, sending them into Friday’s quarterfinals at Manchester Central. Loguidice scored seven straight points in a span of four minutes and Ruffen, a 6-foot-1 sophomore, hit three straight 3-pointers early in the second quarter on his way to five straight trifectas and a team-high 15 points. Ahead 33-22 at halftime, Salem turned up the defensive pressure in the third quarter and took a 46-24 lead into a garbage-time fourth quarter. “That was definitely the key, when Matt Loguidice and Andrew Ruffen came off the bench and gave us a lift,” said McLaughlin. “Andrew has kind of found his niche the second half of the season and really helped us with his stroke. “I didn’t think our defense played that well in the first half, but we came on in the third quarter and put them away. “We go into every game thinking if we get into the high 40s or the 50s, because of our defense, we’ve got a shot, so this was high (offensively) for us.” Jeff Meisser, after a slow start, drilled three 3-pointers of his own to chip in with 11 points while forwards Michael Lorenz and Joe Gallant scoring eight apiece. Lorenz was also immense underneath with 12 rebounds in only about three quarters of action. All 13 players got into the game for Salem, which shot — after its slow start — an impressive 24 of 41 from the floor for the game — a 58-percent clip that any coach would love.

After an 11-day layoff, it took Londonderry just one quarter to shake off the rust and shut down Nashua North, 61-48. Zach Champa and Troy Mansfield helmed a Lancer defense that shackled North to just 24 points over the final 24 minutes.

 SALEM — "The shooter," a philosophy by Jeff Meisser.

"I think that someone has got to to put the ball in the hoop. It might as well be me."