RallyNorth.net

Thu, Feb 07, 2008 07:00 PM @ Salem

Team	1	2	3	4	Final
Pinkerton	16	12	10	12	50
Salem	9	14	14	10	47

Pinkerton defense stymies Salem

Friday, February, 08 By Peter A. Martin
Staff writer

Pinkerton Academy edged Salem 50-47 last night in a scrappy game to earn an important late-season win in the race for Class L playoff position.

"We've played the same kind of game all year," said coach John Barry, whose Astros are now 10-4 in Class L. "I call it ugly ball. We have turnovers, we throw the ball all over the place, we just try to create as much pressure as humanly possible on the other team and you could see the effects tonight."

The effects of Pinkerton's near constant press and defensive pressure were most evident after junior Jill Johnson scored with 3:42 remaining to put the Astros up 48-47. Salem, which could have moved into a first-place tie with a win, was held scoreless in its last four trips down the floor.

"We didn't come down and organize well," said Salem coach Liz Briggs, whose Blue Devils fell to 11-2 in Class L. "I didn't like how we handled ourselves at the end of the game. We have a lot of offenses and we run them well, but we just didn't organize well and that's what I didn't like. We had our opportunities."

The Astros run a defense that wears down opposing teams with full court pressure and many double teams, but Briggs felt her team should have been ready for it.

"We knew there was going to be pressure," said Briggs. "We knew they shoot the three, but we gave up five offensive rebounds in one series late in the game so this one is on us. Not to say (we) weren't physically giving it (our) best, but I think we are just mentally tired."

Salem was playing catch-up in the first half after a 16-point first quarter propelled the Astros to a 28-23 halftime lead. But the Blue Devils came out in the second half and shot the lights out, hitting five of their eight 3-pointers in the third quarter, including two from senior Jessica Sexton. Despite that red-hot shooting, Salem only led once in the second half, 35-33, with six minutes to play in the third quarter.

Pinkerton, however, always had an answer. It may have been a back-breaking 3-pointer from Brittni Wilson or A.J. Guidi or a loud block by Jill Johnson or the stifling Astro defense.

"Brittni Wilson did a great job for us," said Barry. "She was a little sparkplug. She gets a ton of steals, she has 70 now and the school record for a season is 76. She is one of the big reasons we are able to play the high pressure style of defense that we do."

Amanda Saab was a bright spot for the Blue Devils, as the junior scored 19 points and pulled down 12 rebounds to lead her team in both categories. Sexton backed her with nine points, hitting her only three shots, all 3-pointers.

Johnson led the way for the Astros, scoring 11 points and grabbing five rebounds off the bench. Guidi and Wilson added 10 points apiece.

With just two weeks left to play in the regular season, both teams are starting to feel the pressure of battling for playoff position.

"We looked fatigued out there," said Briggs. "We have to take a break for and re-evaluate as we head into the end of the season. I keep asking them to turn it up, but maybe it's been too much."