DERRY, N.H. — Bedford High hit I-93 North Friday night around 8:30 p.m., with one thought: The only one that really matters is in Durham next month.
Try telling that to the 1,500 or so Pinkerton Academy hoop fans jammed into the packed house here at the Hackler Gym.
In the end Friday night, it was too much Jackson Marshall and too much Astros explosiveness in an impressive 91-79 Pinkerton win.
The victory knocks Bedford from the ranks of the unbeaten and propels Pinkerton, now 14-1 in New Hampshire, into the top spot in Division I.
“It’s great, beating the No. 1 team in the state will definitely bring some life to us,” said Marshall about defending state champ Bedford, which hadn’t lost in New Hampshire since the 2022 playoffs. “I’m definitely excited to see what we do from here on out. It should be great.
“We’ll switch some stuff up in the playoffs, and in the championship we’ll probably see them again, but it’s great to beat them in the regular season. Now, we know we can beat them.”
For the 6-foot-9 Marshall, it was the strangest of nights. He couldn’t throw it in from deep, going just 1 of 9 from outside the arc. The senior didn’t miss from inside, knocking down all 16 of his two-point attempts on the way to a 35-point performance.
“I will keep shooting for a minute, but after that I just went inside,” said Marshall, who was literally unstoppable every time he touched it on the block. “That’s when I started to get some real help from Chuck (Ludden) and Drew (Brander). That was so helpful. I don’t think I’ve seen Chuck play that well all season, and that helps us win 100 percent.”
Amazingly, despite a pair of Bulldogs clenched to each shoulder every time he touched the ball on the block, Marshall did not attempt a free throw.
The fellas in stripes were going to make the big fella earn it on this night.
He did get plenty of help from his teammates. The only way to describe guards Drew Brander and Charlie Ludden on this night was fearless.
“When they play like that, there’s nobody beating us. No one,” said Marshall.
Ludden finished with 21 huge points, Drew had 15 and his brother Cristian added 13.
“They’ve been working so hard. Drew is getting back from that ankle injury. It’s taken a little bit. He’s been phenomenal,” said Pinkerton coach Mike Dunham. “He was unbelievable tonight, definitely an X factor. He’s playing so hard, and so is Charlie Ludden. Charlie’s been great.
When those guys play well, it frees up Jackson, too.”
Pinkerton led 39-36 at the half, pushed that margin to 11 then watched it evaporate when Bedford pulled even at 47-47.
The visitors never saw the lead in the second half, and Pinkerton showed plenty of poise, taking charge. The Astros 62-55 lead through three was never challenged.
When things got the least bit dicey in the fourth, Pinkerton had every answer, whether it was a Drew Brander jumper, a Ludden leaner or a Parker Bienvenue-Cernuda spinning scoop in the lane.
Of course, it was Marshall with the grandest of closing flurries, sweeping into the lane for a pair of buckets, pounding an obnoxiously loud block and then bringing the faithful to their feet one final time by taking his second charge of the night.
Challenge accepted. Mission accomplished … for now.
“As of right now, we’d be the one seed if the tournament started tomorrow. Great win by the guys. It was a hard-fought win, and we needed it,” said Dunham.
“We still have a lot of work to do. We still have to play Trinity, we have to play Goffstown. We have to play a lot of good teams. We’re not looking too far ahead, that’s for sure.”