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HAVERHILL | The Pentucket girls basketball team may need to adopt a new motto.

"The bigger the game, the better we play."

Similar to its run in the Division 3 state tournament last season, that again seemed to be the case last night in the championship game of the Haverhill Coca-Cola Christmas Hoop Classic as the Sachems smothered previously unbeaten Swampscott, 51-35.

For three quarters, the Gloucester girls basketball team played evenly with Dover-Sherborn in the Mustang Classic Holiday Tournament Final at Marian. The teams were tied 40-40 heading into the fourth quarter, but foul trouble caught up with the Fishermen in the final frame as the Raiders eventually prevailed, 66-47.

Tara Nimkar collected 22 points and 12 rebounds and Allie Beaulieu contributed 10 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists to power the Big Blue (8-0). The unsung heroin for Swampscott was Jennifer Mazzaffero, who played the best game of her high school career according to Coach Jack Hughes, netting 9 points and 6 rebounds, and covering down low against some big opponents. The Big Blue jumped to an 8-0 led and never relinquished the lead.

Call it redemption. The Salem High girls basketball team suffered a one-point loss at the buzzer in Waltham Thursday night, but reloaded behind Ashley White (22 points, three 3s), Louie Rijo and Karly Henderson (15 each) to handle the Hawks, 66-46, on Salem's home floor last night.

Timberlane began the day with an easy 57-28 victory over Pelham in the first of two consolation games.

Ahead 16-6 after the first quarter, the Owls (2-4) put the game away with a 26-point second quarter. Sam Wheeler led all scorers with 19 points in limited action and sophomore Tianna Parolisi added 10 points. Shannon Rose and Katie Mattatall had six points apiece.

For the Hillies (2-4), who had an impressive 18-point second quarter, Christia Ouellette hustled for 12 points and Michelle Stanley added 10, six coming on a pair of 3-pointers.

"We had our moments, and we're scrapping," said Haverhill assistant Mike Woelfel. "It's not from a lack of trying."

METHUEN | With her team trailing Pinkerton Academy by eight points late in the fourth quarter, Methuen coach Karen McLaughlin tuned her voice as high as it could go.

She doesn't remember much of what she said during the timeout, except that she ordered her players not to sulk like former Patriots quarterback Drew Bledsoe used to.

METHUEN | Meghan Thomann knows it won't be this easy again. But hey, it was fun while it lasted.

The Bentley College-bound senior guard scored 24 points | including 18 in the second half | to lead Andover over Eastern Massachusetts No. 1 Lowell, 59-45, in the Greater Lawrence Christmas Tournament semifinals last night at Klimas Memorial Field House.

IPSWICH | Ipswich High forward Amber Smith was eight points shy of 1,000 for her career heading into last night's game against Triton, but a personal milestone was hardly her priority.

"We've never won our own (Christmas) tourney," explained Smith. "There were more important things than (scoring 1,000)."

HAVERHILL | One shot in the third quarter of yesterday's Pentucket-Cambridge semifinal matchup in the Haverhill Christmas Tournament by sophomore standout Ashley Viselli just might have a domino effect.