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# Pinkerton boys basketball survives to beat Nashua South (video)
- URL: https://www.nh-highschoolsports.com/pinkerton-boys-basketball-survives-to-beat-nashua-south/
- Published: 2015-12-19T17:08:27.000Z
- Updated: 2015-12-19T17:08:27.000Z
- Description: Pinkerton survives to win season opener against Nashua South.
- Author: Joe Marchilena
- Tags: Division I, boys basketball, Nashua South, Pinkerton, slider, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-08-18 04:44

NASHUA - There wasn't much for Nate Mazerolle to not like about his Nashua High School South basketball team's final possession Friday night against Pinkerton Academy.

Down one with 16.1 seconds left, the Panthers moved the ball well and got the shot they wanted. There was even a second opportunity for a buzzer beater, but like the first try, the ball just didn't go in the basket, and Pinkerton held on for a 54-53 win.

![Nashua South's DJ Frechette brings the ball down the court during Friday's game.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/bc/58/bc5866d0-9fd9-4113-b959-670d6f16471d/content/images/www-nh-highschoolsports-com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/jmpansbball121815-s12-2.jpg)

Nashua South's DJ Frechette brings the ball down the court during Friday's game.

"I told them, in a one-point game, get the best shot that you can," Mazerolle said. "That's a shot DJ (Frechette) makes more often than not. I liked the shot we got. That's a good shot. He was going to the basket. You might get fouled. We had an opportunity to pick up the ball. It wasn't a bad final possession, it just didn't go in."

The final seconds didn't look like they'd be that close moments early, when Pinkerton (1-0) got a layup from Brennan Morris to complete an 11-0 run and take a 50-42 lead with 2:52 to play.

But South (0-1) was able to get back into it thanks to its 3-point shooting, making three in the final 2:30\. The Panthers finished the game with 11 of their 18 field goals coming from behind the arc.

"Three-point shooting teams, you never feel comfortable," Pinkerton coach Peter Rosinski said. "I never feel comfortable up 20 with two minutes left against a team like this.

"We shot ourselves in the foot, but the thing I give the kids credit for, and I told them, if you make a bad play, suck it up and work hard. They didn't hang their heads even though they made mistakes."

\[*[Click here to view photos from this game.](https://nh-highschoolsports.smugmug.com/Winter-Sports/Basketball/Boys-Basketball/?ref=nh-highschoolsports.com)*\]

None greater than after a 3-pointer by Frechette made it a one-point game with 30 seconds to play. The Astros then threw the ball way trying to get to halfcourt, giving South its final opportunity.

"We had to fight," Rosinski said. "I told them, if we had to win ugly, that's a good sign, and that's what we had to do. I mean, we almost threw the game away. We had too many turnovers, we didn't execute well, we had breakdowns defensively and offensively at times. I give (South) credit. Those kids can shoot."

Frechette led the way for the Panthers, scoring 21 points, including five 3-pointers. Zavier Williams added 11 points, with three 3s, and Kevin Genao was also in double figures with 10 points, including two 3s, one that made it a 50-45 game late in the fourth.

Pinkerton got 15 points from Thomas Romick while Morris and Matt Rizzo each added 11 points, with Morris scoring the final seven points of the Astros' 11-0 run in the fourth quarter.

![Pinkerton's Brennan Morris takes a shot over Nashua South's Zavier Williams. For more photos, go to the Photo Album.](https://storage.ghost.io/c/bc/58/bc5866d0-9fd9-4113-b959-670d6f16471d/content/images/www-nh-highschoolsports-com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/jmpansbball121815-p33s34-1.jpg)

Pinkerton's Brennan Morris takes a shot over Nashua South's Zavier Williams. For more photos, go to the Photo Album.

That run came after South had taken a 42-39 lead on a layup by Frechette late in the third quarter. Down five points at halftime, that basket capped a 12-4 run for the Panthers that gave them their first lead since early in the second quarter.

But like earlier in the game, South couldn't hold the lead for long.

"We got complacent and we wanted to be patient but we still have to score," Mazerolle said. "We were a little too patient and then it ended up either being a bad shot or a turnover. You have a fourth-quarter lead in your own gym, you can't make those kind of mistakes that end up in a loss."

Genao's 3-pointer with 2:30 left made it a five-point game, but Rizzo scored at the other end to push Pinkerton’s lead to seven. Frechette answered with a 3, then stole the ball and went coast-to-coast to make it 52-50 Astros with 1:05 left.

South looked like it might make a stop, but Ben Olson, who sat most of the second half in foul trouble, scored on a putback with 34 seconds left to push Pinkerton’s lead to 54-50\. After a timeout, Frechette made another 3 to cut the lead to on and the Astros turned the ball over.

The Panthers passed the ball around on the final possession until Frechette ended up with it at the top of the key. The junior started to drive the lane, but pulled up for a shot that was off the mark, and no one could grab the rebound before the final buzzer.

"That was a great effort and I like to think my teams are always like that," Mazerolle said. "They come out and scrap and we don't pack it in. They didn't. It's just the mental errors that a team of this much experience shouldn't make in the fourth quarter."