Pinkerton boys basketball powers past Alvirne to pick up win (video)

HUDSON - For the first 14 minutes Wednesday night, it felt like the Pinkerton Academy boys basketball team was in control, despite having just a four-point lead over Alvirne.

And then, in just under five minutes of game time, the Astros seized things for real.

An 8-0 run by Pinkerton in the final two minutes of the first half gave it a 12-point lead at the break, and the Astros followed it up with an 8-0 run in the first 2:35 of the third quarter to go up 20. The Broncos fought back, but that stretch proved to be too much, as Pinkerton went on to win 71-55 in a Division I contest.

Wilson Youssef led all scorers with 22 points while Josh Phanor and Brady Sullivan each added 15 points, with all three scoring for the Astros (9-2) during that 16-0 run. The trio also combined for seven 3-pointers, including three of four in that stretch.

“They shot it well,” Pinkerton coach Mike Dunham said. “I think the most important five minutes of the game are the first five minutes of the third quarter. We come out on an 8-0 run. If they come out with energy and cut (the lead) to five or six, it might be a different ball game. We came out with energy, we made some shots.”

Alvirne (7-3) was able to cut into the lead, getting it down to eight points late in the third, and then seven points with 4:50 remaining.

Garrett Hall led the Broncos with 19 points and Angel Kangar was also in double figures with 11 points. Luke Norse added nine points on three 3-pointers, all in the second half.

“Thought we really shot ourselves in the foot,” Alvirne coach Sam Bonney-Liles said. “The first half was just stupid turnovers, and then when you’re down 12 at the half to a team like that, they’ll make you pay for it. It’s not a team you can dig yourself into a hole.”

The Broncos had eight turnovers in the first half, many of them coming off steals that set the Astros up for transition baskets. But despite that, a basket by Hall with 2:36 left in the first half made it 26-22 Pinkerton.

Alvirne's defense got a stop, but another turnover led to a breakaway dunk by Youssef, and 3s by Brady Spellman and Sullivan in the final minute of the half made it 34-22 at the break.

Phanor opened the second half with another 3, and after a putback by Adam Ajouz, the sophomore hit another 3 to make it 42-22 with 5:25 left in the third quarter.

“We have three top-15 scorers in the state right now with Josh, Wilson and Sully,” Dunham said. “We have three weapons. They played with pace, which, that’s what we talked about.”

Kangar finally broke the Broncos' scoreless drought with a basket, followed by layups from Sean Chipfunde and Hall, and Alvirne had quickly cut into the lead. A 3 by Norse with just over 30 seconds left in the quarter capped a 19-7 run by the Broncos, and after a Pinkerton turnover, they had a chance for more.

But Yousseff came up with a steal and then hit a 3 at the buzzer to give the Astros a 52-41 lead after three quarters.

The Broncos kept chipping away, and another 3 by Norse made it 58-51 Pinkerton with a little less than five minutes to play. But the Astros responded with another 8-0 run to go up 15 points and put the game away.