Spaulding boys basketball picks up first win by beating Salem in overtime (video)

SALEM - There are no must-win basketball games in the first week of January, but the Spaulding High School boys basketball team sure needed one Friday night.

After losing two close games in December to open the season, the Red Raiders didn't play well according to coach Tim Cronin in a loss to Nashua South on Tuesday, and after a fast start against Salem, they found themselves in a track meet.

Spaulding led by as many as eight points, and trailed by nine in the third quarter, had a few chances to win in regulation and had to hold its breath on a last-second 3-point attempt by the Blue Devils. But the Red Raiders jumped in front at the start of overtime and held off Salem for a 77-75 overtime victory Friday in Division I action.

The game also featured 12 lead changes and 11 ties, as most of the second half and overtime were played at frenzied back-and-forth pace.

"I don’t think the defense was all that good, to be honest," Cronin said. "We didn’t really stop them, so I wasn’t really pleased with that. The offense, in stretches, was good.

"I think it’s a big mental boost, a big mental lift, for us, because we’re starting to question ourselves already. I know we’re only three games into the season, but you start to question yourself. I think it’s a big boost for us, (but) where do we go from that."

Isaiah Rose came off the bench to score 27 points for Spaulding (1-3), including a couple of key baskets in the first half when the Red Raiders were trying to keep pace with Salem. Arie Breakfield added 20 points, despite missing a big chunk of the third quarter after getting hit in the face, and Dante McKenney also had 20 points, including two free throws with 5.8 seconds left in overtime that proved to be the difference.

"A lot easier because it’s easier to get open shots when more than one guy gets hot," Rose said of having a couple of guys scoring points. "Our teammates did a good job passing balls out and whoever was open made shots."

Salem (3-2) made plenty of shots, too, with Trevor DeMinico leading the way with 31 points, including four 3-pointers, and Kyle Poulin was also in double figures with 19 points.

"I was happy with the way our guys fought," Salem coach Rob McLaughlin said. "I was happy with how hard we played. We’re continuing to concentrate on those things all the way through. We talked about a little bit of execution down the stretch, the second-chance points. It’s been a thing we’re all over in practice. I thought we played well defensively, but if we could end the possession on that first rebound instead of giving them two or three shots, that would make it 10 times better."

Spaulding jumped out to an 8-0 lead early and was up 16-8 at the end of the first quarter, but Salem opened the second with a 9-0 run to take a 17-16 lead. From there, neither team led by four for the rest of the half, as the lead changed hands six times in the final six minutes of the half.

The teams traded baskets for the first two-plus minutes of the second half, until a layup by Poulin put Salem out in front 37-35. Breakfield came out of the game not long after that, as did Spaulding's Keagan Calero, who picked up his fourth foul with 5:28 left in the third.

Salem took advantage, going on an 13-2 run to take a 46-37 lead with 3:08 left in the third. Cronin took a timeout and Breakfield returned to the floor, and Spaulding's offense got going.

A three-point play by Rose got the Red Raiders started on an 18-4 run that stretched into the fourth quarter, and included a buzzer-beating 3 by Breakfield to end the third and tie the game at 50. Another basket by Rose and a 3 from McKenney put Spaulding up 55-50 just 55 seconds into the fourth.

But Salem came back, tying the game at 55 on a three-point play by DeMinico and going ahead on two free throws by Poulin. A 3 by Cade Connelly gave Spaulding a 58-57 lead, but DeMinico answered with a 3 of his own to put Salem up 60-58.

The Blue Devils stretched the lead to 63-59 on another 3 by DeMinico, but the Red Raiders answered with a 6-0 run to go in front 65-63 with 2:27 to play. Salem missed the front end of two one-and-ones down the stretch, but DeMinico tied the game at 65 with two free throws with 1:05 left.

Neither team could hit a shot before the end of regulation, as attempts by Calero and Rose were off the mark and DeMinico's 3-point attempt at the buzzer bounced off the rim.

Spaulding won the tip to start overtime and needed just 15 seconds for Rose to score for a 67-65 lead. A turnover by Salem led to a basket by Breakfield, and after the Blue Devils scored, Calero grabbed an offensive rebound and scored to make it 71-67 with 2:30 left in overtime.

"One of the keys in overtime is trying to get that early lead," Cronin said. "That early lead is key in overtime games."

Spaulding went 6 for 6 at the free throw line in overtime to keep it a two-possession game, McKenney's two in the final seconds making it 77-72. DeMinico hit a 3 at the buzzer to make it a two-point final.