In the frustrating spirit of the legendary Murphy’s Law, it only figures that the Pinkerton Academy boys’ basketball squad would face three of its toughest Division I opponents directly in the wake of losing its top offensive player to a long-term illness.
Not only was the evening of Tuesday, Feb. 4, not memorable for the Pinkerton cagers, but coach Peter Rosinski and his charges will doubtless work hard to forget all about the 84-42 thumping they took at the hands of the undefeated Manchester Central juggernaut in the Queen City that night.
The Astros who were still reeling from the absence of sophomore standout Luke Rosinski due to mononucleosis hung with the Central crew in the first period and trailed by a modest tally of seven points (20-13) at the conclusion of that stanza.
But the host Little Green had its lead up to 15 points at 37-22 by halftime, and it outscored its guest by the big margin of 47-20 in the second half to win going away.
Jeremy Dietzel (13 points), David Faulks (11), and Drew Green (10) all scored in double figures for the local crew.
The academy crew had been thumped by the rival Londonderry High Lancers in their first game without Luke Rosinski a few nights earlier.
Things got a tad easier but not a whole bunch three nights after the Central contest when coach Rosinski’s roster took the bus ride to Merrimack to take on the 9-1 Merrimack High Tomahawks. The final result there was a 60-41 defeat for the locals.
The hosts tore their way out to an 18-6 lead in the first quarter and were up 35-20 by halftime. And being outscored by the Tomahawks 11-5 in the third period left the Astros trailing by a 46-25 margin rolling into the final eight minutes of play. Faulks led the locals with nine points on the night.
It was the 10-1 Merrimack side’s third straight victory and Pinkerton’s third straight defeat. The Astros had a six-game winning streak rolling before the loss of Luke Rosinski.
