By Roger Brown
MaxPreps.com
The Salem High School boys basketball team used a familiar blueprint to win this year's Class L championship.
Salem posted 10 come-from-behind victories during the regular season, and had to come from behind again during its 54-51, triumph over Trinity at the University of New Hampshire's Lundholm Gym on Saturday.
Salem guard Stephen Savage made the last shot of his high school career a memorable one. Following a Salem timeout, he made a buzzer-beating three-pointer that proved to be the difference.
"In the huddle we actually talked about getting the ball to me down low," Savage told the Nashua Telegraph. "When I came out the coaches yelled at me to come outside and get the ball for the last shot. I just wanted to make sure there was no time left if I missed."
Savage, the Class L Player of the Year, missed 14 of his 18 shots from the floor, but finished the game with 14 points, six rebounds and two assists.
Top-seeded Salem finished the season with a 21-1 record and won its first state title since 1995. Third-seeded Trinity, which reached the title game for the first time since 1985, completed its season with a 17-5 record.
The game was the final athletic event of the winter sports season.
Trinity led by 11 at halftime and raised the lead to 13 in the third quarter, but some poor perimeter shooting - Trinity was 4-for-21 from behind the three-point line - allowed Salem to whittle away at the lead.
Salem received 14 points from senior center Brian White, and junior Kevin Sledge came off the Salem bench to score all of his 10 points in the second half. White made two free throws that tied the game, 51-51, with 1:20 to play.
Jordan Laguerre, a 5-foot-10 freshman guard, led the Trinity offense with 14 points. He also had a game-high 11 rebounds.
The Pioneers, who had one senior in their starting lineup, received nine points from both Steve Rice and Ryan Bourgeois.
The Pioneers closed the first half with a 15-2 run to take a 30-19 lead at halftime.
"At halftime I told them we've been here before," Salem coach E.J. Perry told the Manchester Union Leader. We've even been further behind. "I told them not to worry about Trinity being on a high roll. Just muster up some courage, play some defense and go out and do the job."
Salem used an 18-4 spurt to take a one-point lead with 9.6 seconds left in the third quarter.
Trinity's Dan Hartford missed two free throws with just over a minute to play and the game tied, 51-51, then Savage made the most of his final opportunity.
NHCA Awards: Veteran Coaches Honored
The New Hampshire Coaches Association added 22 members to its Hall of Fame on Sunday during its annual Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.
Each of the 22 individuals who were inducted have coached at the high school level for at least 25 years. The latest inductees are: Jeri Blair (Belmont), Andrea Bourn (Concord), Chuck Broomhall (Kennett), Bill Callahan (Exeter), Art Connolly (Trinity), Dick Dodds (Hanover), Bill Goodrich (Gorham), Jon Judge (Kennett), Bernie Livingston (Kennett), Kevin McQueen (Exeter), Bryon Murphy (Pinkerton), Dave Nichols (Oyster River), Gary Noyes Sr. (Prospect Mountain), Bill Ranauro (Fall Mountain), Bob Rhoades (Salem), Denise Rioux (Pinkerton), Mim Ryan (Timberlane), Skip Swiezynski (Exeter), Tom Sawyer (Londonderry), Les Shepard (Winnacunnet), Doug Smith (Monadnock) and Mike Veilleux (Kennett).
