Late run is enough for Alvrine girls basketball in victory over Pinkerton

DERRY – A late 13-0 run led the Alvrine High School girls basketball team over Pinkerton Academy 43-36. This battle of two 6-0 teams took a spotlight on Friday night in this physical matchup.

The game started with Pinkerton having and early edge in the first quarter led by junior Amanda Lemire, who scored an early four point to lead the Astros to an 11-8 first quarter lead.

The Astros were trying to establish an inside-out game anchored by sophomore forward, and budding force in New Hampshire girls basketball, Brooke Kane. Kane finished the game with eight points down low, but the outside part of that game was defended well by Alvrine.

“They did a really good job preventing us from getting our outside shot,” Pinkerton coach Lani Buskey said. “It was good defense by them.”

This defense kept Pinkerton from getting into rhythm on offense, but Buskey believes it was the Astros lack of awareness with situational basketball that led to defeat.

With about 35 seconds remaining in the third quarter, Buskey called for a situation in which Pinkerton would hold the ball for the final shot of the quarter, holding or expanding on a 27-22 lead. But Pinkerton’s girls took a rushed shot which gave Alvrine enough time for a made basket and another opportunity for two foul shots entering the fourth quarter. These four points at the end of the third led to that difference-making 13-0 run.

“I kept telling my girls not understanding the situation of the game will cost a game and that happened for the first time tonight,” Buskey said. “This team is in search of a leader. At the end of the game they were looking for the next girl to take a shot as opposed to them actually taking the shot.”

Alvrine had a leader Friday and that was senior guard Kathryn Bellomo who led the way with 16 points.

“We have had five or six different leading scorers this year that has been huge with someone else stepping up each game,” Alvirne coach Scott Szuksta said.

Alvrine standout Amanda Wentmore was held to just two points on offense but Szuksta complemented her defense, leadership, and all-around team contribution that steady the Broncos to the victory.

“We seemed to have a second wind. I called a time out with late in the third quarter and settled my team down and just told them to keep moving and execute,” Szuksta said of the game-winning run. This execution and movement led to the run that sealed the victory.

Pinkerton will try to bounce back against next Friday against Manchester Central while Alvrine looks to remain undefeated on Thursday against Spaulding.