Article Written By – Slim from “The Sports Machine” | March 8, 2024
The New Hampshire High School Basketball season is almost over. And guess what? Pinkerton Academy is still standing in both the Boys AND Girls Division 1 contests! The State Championship Games will be held this weekend at UNH and both of Pinkerton’s teams will be up against it.
The Girls will have a tremendous challenge in front of them as they square off against an undefeated Bedford squad on Sunday at 7pm. It’s not JUST that Bedford is undefeated – It is HOW they are undefeated. They are 23-0 and their average margin of victory is well over 30 points a game. An unfortunate, but good, example of Bedford’s dominance is the score of 91-54. That’s the final score of the February 9th game when Bedford and Pinkerton squared off against each other earlier this season. YIKES!
The Pinkerton Girls do have hope, however. I went to their Semifinal game on Tuesday night at Exeter High School and watched them beat a talented Londonderry squad by the score of 78-54. Pinkerton has some serious athleticism on their squad – and a competitive motor. The team seems to be very together and there is just something extra when it comes to the motivational level of an underdog. Let’s go Girls!
The Pinkerton Boys team takes on a very dangerous Nashua North (17-4) team on Sunday at 4pm at UNH. I watched the Semifinals games for both teams on Wednesday night. Nashua North beat up on a very good Bedford Bulldogs basketball team that had a record of 20-1 heading into the game. Nashua North has a lightning fast backcourt that can penetrate to the rack and also can knock down some threes. Don’t leave these kids open! NN also has a solid big dude in the middle. He looks thin, but he competes and has a high motor. Nashua North will look to get up and down the court in this one.
Pinkerton (19-1) will be waiting for them. Pinkerton took care of Trinity on Wednesday night by a score of 82-71. For those of you who don’t know, the Astros have a big man in the middle who leads the way: Jackson Marshall is averaging an outrageous 37 points per game this season. He is absolutely dominating the inside of games this season. But he will need to have his best outing of the year in order for Pinkerton to come out on top in this one. Nashua North hits the glass as a team, and the entire Pinkerton squad had better be ready to do their fair share of boxing out. Hit the boards! Knock down some threes! And slide those puppies on D! Let’s Go Pinkerton!!!
