HS HOOPS: Ugh! It's now 25 years without a league title: Hart 57, Saugus 53

Saugus High came up short again.

Agonizingly short.

Seeking its first boys’ basketball league championship in 25 years, all the Centurions needed to do Friday was defeat fourth-place Hart to finish in first place for the first time since 1983.

Instead, visiting Saugus lost 57-53 to fall into second behind Valencia, ending another season in tears instead of cheers.

Hart did the same thing to Saugus three years ago, defeating the Centurions in the finale in 2004-2005 to play spoiler.

Back then, the drought was 22 years, and Hart’s Marcus Moloznik was a freshman reserve. On Friday, with Hart (19-8, 5-5) protecting a one-point lead with 20 seconds remaining, his 3-pointer from 22 feet proved decisive.

“The shot clock was winding down, and I knew I had to shoot it,” Moloznik said. “We’ve played in a lot of close games, so I wasn’t nervous.”

The victory was Hart’s second in a row after a wobbly stretch in which the Indians lost 4 of 7 games since top player Michael Montgomery was dismissed from the team Jan. 11.

Saugus was down by as many as 19 and twice cut the advantage to one point but was never ahead. It figures to take some time for Saugus (21-5, 7-3) to get over this one. The Centurions have a week to regroup before the Southern Section playoffs begin.

“The first quarter, we just didn’t play our game. We were out of it,” Saugus’ Mike Cassio said. “I think we were more into the hype than into the game. It’s a heartbreak loss.”

Hart’s Levi Wenrick scored 18, Molozik added nine and Chris Gill scored eight. Mario Wright led Saugus with 17 points.

gerry.gittelson@dailynews.com