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DURHAM, N.H. — Four quarters of Zach Mathieu weren’t quite enough for Pinkerton yesterday afternoon, but two overtimes did the trick.

Thanks to Mathieu’s record-setting 37 points, the Astros knocked off Winnacunnet to win their first Class L title since 1990, 61-59 in double overtime before 2,400 fans at Lundholm Gym at the University of New Hampshire.

DURHAM, N.H. – Alex Burt made the mistake of showing Ben Proulx the basketball.

The Pinkerton Academy strongman simply ripped the rock away from New Hampshire’s Mr. Basketball, sealing the 61-57 Class L semifinal thriller with a free throw as 2.9 seconds remained, powering the Astros into Saturday’s state championship.

DERRY, N.H. —  Pinkerton senior Zach Mathieu doubled his pleasure last night in the Class L quarterfinals.
Before the season, the 6-foot-7 center didn’t think either would happen, but he scored his 1,000th point while pacing the Astros past Manchester West, 63-58, and into Wednesday’s semifinals at UNH.
Pinkerton (16-4 in Class L), which will be making its first semifinal appearance since 1994, will face Dover at 6 p.m. Wednesday. Dover defeated Exeter, 63-60, last night.
“Early in the year, we didn’t think this was possible,” said Mathieu. “But we’ve become real close, everyone knows their role and the chemistry has been really good.
“The 1,000 points was a complete surprise. I didn’t even know I was close. I thought I had around 600.”
 Mathieu’s 1,000th point, which came deep in the fourth quarter, was certainly needed, and it came at the most opportune time.
After the Astros had taken a commanding 36-20 halftime lead, West roared back in the third quarter with a 20-1 run to take a brief lead and had the score tied, 52-52 ,with less than three minutes remaining to play in the game.
But Mathieu scored his 1,000th point on an offensive rebound put-back to make it 54-52 and, on the next time down the floor, put back another rebound off the glass to make it 57-52 with 1:41 remaining. From that point, the Astros used perfect foul shooting to seal the victory.
With junior guard Chad Park (11 points) leading the way with four free throws, the Astros were a perfect 10 for 10 from the line in the fourth quarter.
“I don’t know if we’ve been a good free throw shooting team during the year, but we are now,” quipped Pinkerton coach Peter Rosinski, whose club was 14 of 15 from the line overall. “We’ve worked hard at it.”
Prior to that point, it was largely the inside strength of the Astros, and in particular of Mathieu, that made the difference. He led all scorers with 23 points while hauling down 13 rebounds and blocking six shots, which gives him over 70 blocks for the season, according to Rosinski.
“Zach has just had a tremendous year and he keeps getting better the longer we play,” said Rosinski of the four-year mainstay. “We knew they’d come back, especially since we were in foul trouble.”
Indeed, 6-4 sophomore Alex Patrikis spent most of the second and third quarters on the bench and, when he came back in the fourth quarter to join Mathieu and 6-4 Ben Proulx (12 points, nine rebounds), Pinkerton was much more effective.
Patrikis scored five of his seven points in the final frame.
“We’re a different team with Alex out there,” said Rosinski.
And the Astros are now different from the previous 15 Pinkerton teams, including last year when it had a pair of fine guards in Colby Verge and Beau Cassidy.
“Our defensive intensity is better this year and we’re deeper,” said Rosinski, whose club was shocked in the first round last winter.
Also, as he is likely playing the last basketball of his career, Mathieu — who will be focusing on baseball at Franklin Pierce next year — is becoming a man among boys at just the right time.                                                                 

Pinkerton 53, Manchester West 58
Class L Quarterfinals
Manchester West (58): Martin 3-5-11. Abdalla 5-1-12, Valentin 6-3-17, Gonzalez 1-3-5, Asselin 3-4-11, Ilic 1-0-2. Totals 19-16-58
Pinkerton (63): Park 2-6-11, Colbert 2-2-6, Williams 2-0-4, Light 0-0-0, Curry 0-0-0, Patrikis 3-1-7, Proulx 6-0-12, Mathieu 9-5-23. Totals 24-14-63
3-pointers: MW — Abdalla, Valentin 2, Asselin; P — Park
Manchester West (13-7 Class L):    14  6 24 14 — 58
Pinkerton (16-4 Class L):    15 21  7 20 — 63

DERRY, N.H. - Losing track of Alex Patrikis might have been the fatal error that sealed Spaulding's fate.

The 6-foot-4 Pinkerton Academy junior shook loose for a career-high 18 points with a dozen rebounds in the Astros 59-45 Class L tourney-opening win over the Red Raiders.

Pinkerton's boys basketball team charged to a 28-16 halftime lead but barely held on, edging Dover 49-47. Zach Mathieu led the Astros (9-3) with 17 points.

Zach Mathieu's command of the backboards and dunk at the end of the game punctuated a night where Pinkerton's height advantage prevailed over Nashua North's quickness, 77-70.

Pinkerton  shot just 25 percent from the floor but still beat Manchester Central 43-42.

"We won this game by hustle and determination by diving for balls," Pinkerton coach Peter Rosinski said.

Chad Park scored 14 points and Ben Proulx and Zach Mathieu each netted 13 points as Pinkerton rolled to a 64-50 victory over Manchester West. Pinkerton was ahead by just one point at halftime but the Astros outscored Manchester West by nine points in the third quarter to build an 10 point lead. The two squads are now tied in the Class L standings with identical 5-2 records.

Zach Mathieu dominated the paint for a career-high 31 points, pulling down 11 rebounds in a 72-45 Pinkerton win over Goffstown. Long-range marksman Ben Proulx delivered four threes in a 16-point Astro night.

Pinkerton tied the game with 23 seconds left but Winnacunnet drained a 3-pointer and held on for a 58-55 victory. Turnovers and foul trouble unraveled a strong Astro defense that held the Warriors 10 points below their season scoring average. Ben Proulx (17 points and 14 rebounds) and Zach Mathieu (16 points and 9 boards) kept Pinkerton (2-2) in the hunt.