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Londonderry's season ends in quarters -- again

Friday, March, 11 By Jeff Hamrick
Staff writer

MANCHESTER — It appeared the Londonderry boys were on the verge of snapping their state quarterfinal jinx last night.

Second-seeded Trinity, however, ended the seventh-seeded Lancers’ upset bid with a fourth-quarter rally en route to a 49-43 victory before a packed house in the Pioneers’ matchbox gym in the Division 1 playoffs.

The Lancers (13-10), who have suffered quarterfinal defeats each of the past seven years, led by as many as 17 late in the first half and took a 36-29 into the final period. But turnovers and Trinity’s size caught up with Londonderry.

The Pioneers (17-3) needed less than 2 minutes to tie. They took their first lead of the game, 38-36, on a jumper by 6-foot-7 Andrew Lauderdale with 5:23 remaining.

“I think we got away from pushing the ball in transition, and letting them set up their defense,” said Londonderry coach Jeff Gustavson, who doesn’t have a player taller than 6-foot-3. “We made a conscious effort to do that in the first half. Obviously their length can get you into trouble.”

Trinity, which started a pair of 6-foot-7 players in Lauderdale and Mabor Gabriel and quickly brought in 6-foot-10 Silvere Aluko, was forced to go zone on the Lancers (13-10) early in the game.

Londonderry ran off to a 13-1 lead and held the Pioneers without a field goal until 11 seconds remained in the first quarter.

With Ian McMullen leading the way, the Lancers took their biggest lead of the game when Tyler Ball’s baseline jumper capped a 10-2 run, making it 23-6 advantage three minutes into the second quarter. The 6-2 McMullen finished with only five points, but his work inside frustrated Trinity’s big men and he finished with eight rebounds and five assists.

Londonderry, which lost by 16 to Trinity in the regular season, had only seven turnovers through three quarters, but committed three early in the fourth while the Pioneers were converting four of their first five field goals in the period.

After falling behind by five, Londonderry mounted a rally to tie the score at 43 with 1:19 left when a behind-the-back pass by McMullen led to a lay-up by Nick Martinez (team-high 14 points).

From there, however, Trinity used a jumper and four free throws to secure the victory while Londonderry turned over the ball one final time and missed a pair of 3’s.

“I think we let them get away with too much in the paint,” Gustavson said. “Not that we weren’t fighting, it’s just that it wears on you to have to fight those big guys down there. And there were too many offensive possessions where we didn’t get good looks — or any looks.”

The victory sends Trinity into Tuesday’s 6 p.m. semifinals against No. 11 Alvirne at UNH.
 
Height makes right

Trinity boasts 6-7 Andrew Lauderdale, 6-7 Mabor Gabriel, 6-7 Wol Majong and 6-10 Silvere Aluko. Londonderry’s tallest player is 6-3 Troy Mansfield.