The Pinkerton Academy girls’ basketball squad has had a strong 2013-14 campaign for first-year varsity coach Lani Buskey. But the Lady Astros’ Division I record underwent a bit of a slide recently, despite the fact that Buskey’s bunch was still putting forth strong efforts.
The academy crew lost three out of four recent games and saw its divisional record drop to a still respectable 12-4. The Lady Astros split their two contests last week, with a fine besting of a streaking Bishop Guertin squad, followed by the slimmest of losses to the undefeated Bedford High Lady Bulldogs.
In the 63-50 defeat of the BG bunch from Nashua in Derry on Wednesday, Feb. 19, Pinkerton ended a six-game winning streak the 12-4 Lady Cardinals had rolling.
The hosts won every quarter but the third, sliding out to a 17-10 lead in the first period and grasping a 32-23 advantage when the squads adjourned for halftime.
Guertin came bounding back in quarter three to slice its deficit down to four points (42-38) by the close of that stanza, but the Lady Astros outscored their guests by a tally of 21-12 in the fourth quarter to win going away.
Brandi Bonneau led the potent PA offense with 14 points and Val Martin contributed 12.
“Team defense was key to this victory,” said Buskey.
Two evenings later, right back in Pinkerton’s Hackler Gymnasium, the Lady Astros put the tough Bedford bunch uncomfortably close to its first divisional loss of the campaign. But in the end the Lady Bulldogs slipped away with a 49-48 nail-biting win.
The hosts led by four points (10-6) at the end of one stanza, but Bedford was up by a point (21-20) at the half after outscoring its host by a 15-10 margin in quarter two.
Both sides tallied 12 points in the third quarter, and both claimed 16 in the fourth.
Senior court general Kayla Stacy led all Pinkerton scorers with 12 points, and Bonneau and Martin each chipped in with nine of their own.
