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Pinkerton upsets Andover to capture title

Monday, December, 31 By Alan Siegel
Staff writer

Minutes after picking up her trophy, as people emptied out of the Klimas Memorial Field House, Brittni Wilson revealed the secret to her team's brilliant run.

"We don't want anyone confident going in playing against us," she said. "We want to make everyone worry a little bit."

Pinkerton's roster, without a single player taller than 5-foot-9, isn't built to intimidate. But what the Astros lack in height, they make up for in determination and relentlessness.

Merrimack Valley girls basketball fans were witnesses last night, as Pinkerton defeated Andover 49-35 to win is first Greater Lawrence Girls Christmas Tournament title.

"It was a good one to have," said Wilson, the tournament MVP. "No one really expected us to do well."

The senior guard averaged 14.0 points per game during Pinkerton's three tourney games, including 20 in a semifinal win over Methuen.

Afterward, coach John Barry, whose team knocked off the fifth-ranked team in Eastern Massachusetts, finally exhaled. "Why wouldn't I be happy?" he said with a smile. "We played a great team, and we played them tough. We were out there, in their face the whole game."

Unfortunately for the Golden Warriors, the injury bug hit hard.

Senior guard Meghan Thomann left the game in the first quarter with an apparent knee injury. Classmate Ilana Cohen suffered a painful finger fracture soon after. Neither player returned.

Still, Pinkerton's win was impressive. The Astros sprinted out of the gates, building an 8-0 lead in the first quarter. Their lead never dipped below six points after halftime. Andover (5-1) struggled with two starters out, committing 21 turnovers. The Astros took advantage, playing suffocating defense.

"That's what we are," Barry said. "It's a difficult thing to coach. I'm used to controlling things a lot. Sometimes, this (style) you can't control. It's a chaotic thing, but it's also tough to play against."

Sophomore guard A.J. Guidi led all scorers with 25 points. But, she said, "Our defense kind of pulled us through." Pinkerton, now 5-2, will take a renewed sense of confidence into its Class L schedule.

"We know we're a really good team now," Guidi said. "We know we can beat pretty much anybody when we come out on the court."

No matter how "vertically impaired" | as Barry likes to joke | the Astros are, they'll likely be a force as the season progresses.

"We give (teams) chaos," Wilson said. "We're going to get after it."