The Pinkerton Academy boys’ basketball squad won’t soon forget the individual performance of Pelham High hoop star Keith Brown in the Lowell (Mass.) Christmas Tournament contest played between PA and Pelham at Lowell Catholic High School on Tuesday night, Dec. 29.
The Pythons’ standout scored 41 points with a handful of three-pointers and stellar, 14-for-15 proficiency at the free-throw line in helping his Division III squad to a 65-62 edging of the D-I Astros.
Pelham grasped relatively slim leads of 18-15 after one quarter and 38-29 at the half, but the Pythons’ advantage was down to five at 51-46 heading into the fourth period.
Nobody on the Pelham roster scored in double digits but Brown, while the academy crew had Matt Rizzo net 18, Brennan Morris throw down 16, and Tommy Romick collect 14 on a losing night. Morris and Romick also each sank a pair of treys for PA.
The locals then picked themselves up and dusted themselves off and claimed a 14-point win over the Haverhill (Mass.) High Hillies in tourney play the next night.
In the 64-50 besting of the Bay State opponent, the Astros raced out to a 17-8 lead in the first quarter and held a modest 30-24 advantage at halftime.
The locals outscored their opponent by a big, 22-4 margin in quarter three and ended up winning by double digits.
Morris paced the potent Pinkerton attack with his big 23 points, and Rizzo contributed 13 of his own on an evening during which the victors received scoring from nine different sources.
