RallyNorth.net

Fri, Mar 11, 2011 TBA @ Manchester Central

Team	1	2	3	4	OT	Final
Salem	17	3	7	10	18	55
Manchester Central	6	7	13	11	20	57

Gritty Salem falls in triple OT

Friday, March, 11 By Dave Dyer
Staff writer

MANCHESTER, N.H. — The sting of defeat was painful for the Salem boys basketball team last night in the Division 1 quarterfinals.

Yet, if the Blue Devils (14-6) step back to reflect on their 57-55 triple overtime loss to Manchester Central, they shouldn’t hurt for too long.

With their two “big” players, Joe Gallant and Michael Lorenz, on the bench with five fouls before the first overtime, Salem took a taller Central squad to the limit in an exciting game for the ages and even had a last-gasp chance to win it in the closing seconds.

“They’re hurting now but, like I told them, this is a game they’ll remember 20 years from now,” said Salem coach Rob McLaughlin. “To lose Michael and Joe so early and then extend it like we did is a tribute to everyone on the team and is a tribute to what kind of kids are on this team.”

Although there were contributions from everyone, perhaps no one will remember this one as much as senior Jeff Meisser. He drilled six 3-pointers, led all scorers with 23 points and despite being triple teamed, got an off-balanced 3-point try at the buzzer.

“I always have confidence in my shot, but I wasn’t set and they had me covered pretty good,” said Meisser. “That was definitely the craziest game I’ve ever been involved in.

“Right now, I feel like an avalanche just hit, but I think we left it all out on the court. I’m just really proud of everyone.”

The Blue Devils certainly played their hearts out, particularly in a near-flawless first quarter, which put them ahead 17-6.

While playing excellent defense and forcing the Little Green into five turnovers, Salem put on a clinic of how to run a deliberate offense.

Meisser led the way with two 3-pointers form six points, but Lorenz and Gallant got loose for four points each, Klecan drilled a 3-pointer for the first points of the game and the Blue Devils shot 7 for 11 while making only one turnover.

But, after taking a 20-6 lead to start the second quarter, Gallant went to the bench with his second foul and Central started to claw back. Thanks largely to 6-foot-6 John Wickey, the Little Green scored the last seven points of the second quarter and the first eight of the third quarter, taking their first lead at 21-20.

The rest of the game and overtime was back and forth, with 10 lead changes and no team moving ahead by more than four points.

Salem had the ball at the end of regulation and all three overtimes, but effective defense by Central prevented a high percentage shot every time.

Complementing Wickey for the Little Green was junior Gabe Lacount. Taking advantage of the absence inside of Lorenz and Gallant, he drove inside repeatedly in overtime, scoring 11 of his 19 points.

The victory advances the Little Green into Tuesday’s semifinals against No. 1 seed Bishop Guertin, but Central coach David Wheeler wasn’t ready to start looking ahead. Not after what he had just gone through.

“That was a war and I’m just so pleased to get out of this game with a victory,” said Wheeler. “They’re so disciplined and their guards are so good, it’s hard to play them. I give them a lot of credit.”

TOURNEY NOTES: Senior Matt Cannone, who quarterbacked the Salem football team, doesn’t shoot much, but he wasn’t afraid to take — and make — a 3-pointer that tied the game at 50-50 and helped send the game into a third overtime. He had only taken one shot in regulation but, out of necessity, he took four in overtime including three from behind the arc.

“I was fine with that,” said McLaughlin. “He makes those in practice all the time.” ...

Salem graduates four starters and five of its top seven players, but McLaughlin isn’t expecting a huge dropoff next year.

“We had some guys get great experience in the tournament and we have some good young talent,” he said. ...

During the three overtimes, Salem alternated sophomore Andrew Ruffen (eight points) on offense along with junior Joe Dube on defense. The 6-2 Dube is a better rebounder and defender inside while Ruffen is one of the best shooters on the team. Ruffen and point guard Jonathan Klecan will be the top returnees next year followed by Dube.