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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. | A tough day from the floor and three key players fouling out is a recipe for disaster.

It was just such a fate that befell fifth-seeded Pinkerton in its 37-33 loss to No. 4 Merrimack before 246 fans at Southern New Hampshire University in the quarterfinals of the Class L tournament yesterday.

The concept of playoff basketball is purely Darwinian, and Pinkerton was only slightly fitter than Nashua North Wednesday night.

The No. 8 Astros weathered sloppy first and third quarters to squeak by the 12th-seeded Titans with a 46-45 nail-biter before about 400 fans at Hackler Gym.

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."

Sophomore guard A.J. Guidi dropped in a game-high 18 points, and teammate Jill Johnston added 11 to power Pinkerton past Nashua North 53-42.

Minutes after picking up her trophy, as people emptied out of the Klimas Memorial Field House, Brittni Wilson revealed the secret to her team's brilliant run.

"We don't want anyone confident going in playing against us," she said. "We want to make everyone worry a little bit."

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.

Pinkerton coach John Barry managed a smile while opening a package of Christmas cookies.

"I don't have much to tell you," he said.

His Astros had no trouble with Lawrence, cruising to a 59-20 victory. The tenacious club stifled the Lancers and scored at will by continuously cutting to the hoop for layups.

Despite its outstanding first-half performance, Pinkerton coach John Barry knew his team was unsure of itself.

The Astros led Timberlane by nine points at the half and played dominant defense in both the first and second quarter, but given the way they'd play in the first two games, he knew his girls were slightly unsure of themselves. However, Pinkerton barely weathered a 27-point second half from Timberlane and edged the Owls 53-49 in overtime to earn its first win of the year.