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DERRY — After trading baskets during the first three quarters, which featured 11 lead changes, Pinkerton took control in the final period last night to earn the program's first semifinal berth since winning the 2010 Division 1 state title.

The third-seeded Astros picked up the pace on defense and nailed their free throws down the stretch, running away with a 57-50 victory over sixth-seeded Pembroke. Pinkerton (19-3) will take a seven-game winning streak into Tuesday's 6 p.m. semifinal against 15th-seeded Nashua North at the University of New Hampshire.

Pembroke (11-7) committed just five first-half turnovers, but a more concerted defensive effort after intermission forced the Spartans into coughing up the ball 10 times.

"That's what we wanted to do against them," said Geo Baker-Occeus, who had three of Pinkerton's six fourth-quarter steals. "We knew they didn't have a real point guard, so we wanted to get out and pressure them a lot more."

With the defense setting the pace, Pinkerton took the 34-30 advantage it took into the fourth and quickly opened it a game-best nine with 5:03 left when Baker-Occeus' two free throws provided a 44-37 lead.

"We were a lot more aggressive on the ball," said Pinkerton assistant coach Glenn Neagle, who subbed for head coach Peter Rosinski in the post-game interviews. "We started trapping, and forced them to give up the ball quicker so we could get some deflections and steals."

Pembroke, however, didn't go quietly as Dominic Timbas scored 14 of his game-high 31 in the fourth to keep the Spartans within shouting distance.

But the Astros salted away the victory by making 11 of 12 free throws in one stretch and 13 of 17 overall in the fourth.

"You work on it all year, and you tell the kids that 60 percent is not going to do it for you," Neagle said. "And we shoot and shoot free throw in practice and it really paid off tonight."

Baker-Occeus, who finished with 18, was the only Astro in double digits.

Both Pinkerton and Pembroke struggled the first half from the floor — especially from distance. The teams combined to make only 13 of 48 shots, including six of 27 from three-point range.

"We like to drive to the hoop," said Neagle, whose squad finished eight of 27 from three. "We like to go inside-out basketball. We were settling in the first half and not shooting the ball very well, but defensively we held our own because we held them to 18 points at halftime."

Last night marked the 13th time this season, the Astros held an opponent to 50 or fewer. One of those was their semifinal opponent.

In a Jan. 30 game against Nashua North, Pinkerton held the Titans to 25 points while scoring 74, one of six games in which the Astros tallied 70 or more. Nashua North, however, knocked off second-seeded and defending champion Manchester Central 74-71 before eking out a one-point quarterfinal win over 10th-seeded Trinity last night.

"Our confidence is great," Baker-Occeus said. "I think we're playing real well right now. We're playing as a team, and everyone in the locker room is great picking each other up. We can go as high as we want."

Trailing by 12 early in the third, Salem turned to Jared Gott (27 points, 6 3's) and Kenny Calabrese (9 points, 6 assists) and they delivered in a 64-57 win over Pembroke.