Pinkerton boys basketball continues to roll with win over Exeter

EXETER – Just like every other Division I coach, Exeter High School’s Jeff Holmes knows it’s an impossibility to stop Pinkerton Academy standout center Jackson Marshall.

The only hope is to slow him down a bit.

The doomsday challenge to defeat the Astros multiplies when Marshall plays like his dominant self, and the rest of the team seemingly doesn’t miss.

Exeter experienced that first hand on Friday night, Pinkerton buried 16 3-pointers and Marshall finished with a game-high 28 points during a 98-76 Division I victory over the Blue Hawks.

Pinkerton junior Christian Brander drained seven of those 3-pointers and finished with 23 points.

“We wanted to make it tough for Marshall, you’re not going to stop him but you want to limit his buckets inside,” Holmes said. “They’re shooters killed us. They didn’t miss; they shot lights out.”

Pinkerton (4-0) has now scored 90-plus points in three-straight games following its 68-30 season-opening victory. The Astros were coming off wins of 90-70 over Alvirne and 94-60 over Concord.

“We didn’t play great defensively, but having Jackson Marshall is having Jackson Marshall. He’s pretty nice to have,” first-year Pinkerton coach Mike Dunham said. “When we play with tempo, when we play with pace, it really helps us. Jackson does such a nice job running down the floor and getting into position and getting him in transition.”

Marshall scored 12 of his points in an opening quarter that quickly spiraled out of control for Exeter (2-2). The teams were tied 7-7 early when a 3-pointer by Brander sparked a 13-0 run to help Pinkerton take a 29-14 lead into the second quarter.

The 6-foot-8 senior averaged 22.4 points and 10.4 rebounds per game during Pinkerton’s run towards last year’s Division I championship that ended with a 66-56 loss to Bedford. Marshall recently committed to play baseball at Southern New Hampshire University.

“We played great coming out and Christian made pretty every shot,” Marshall said. “He’s shooting with confidence. It’s opening me up inside spreading and nobody can guard everyone with all the depth we have and with him making every shot.”

Brander emerged from being a swing player between JV and varsity last season and had added responsibilities because his older brother and fellow starter, Drew, missed the game with a sprained ankle. Drew Brander transferred from Bradford Christian Academy after providing an impact for the Astros as a freshman.

Christian Brander netted three 3-pointers in the second quarter to help give Pinkerton a 54-28 halftime lead. Brander and Marshall were helped in the scoring by Charlie Ludden (19 points) and James Wallace (13), who connected for three 3-pointers apiece

“It was just hard work over the summer, we lost a few kids, I stepped up, we got a new coach and he believed in me,” Brander said. “Honestly it’s just our coaches telling us to shoot it with confidence. You get it, you’re open and you shoot it.”

Dunham was an assistant under former coach Dave Chase last season and witnessed Brander’s potential that has bloomed this year.

“He’s not afraid and I love that about Christian,” Dunham said. “I kind of let him go and if he’s open, shoot it. His first option is to shoot, so if he’s open he’s going to shoot it.”

Pinkerton will now have four days off before practice begins in preparation for next week’s Lowell (Mass.) Holiday tournament. The Astros resume Division I play on Jan. 2 at Spaulding (1-3).

“The practices have been pretty good, they've been loose and we’re still trying to get better,” Dunham said. “We’ve got to get better defensively. That’s what’s going to win at UNH.”