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# Pinkerton boys basketball wins title-game rematch with Bedford
- URL: https://www.nh-highschoolsports.com/pinkerton-boys-basketball-wins-title-game-rematch-with-bedford/
- Published: 2024-02-10T14:45:01.000Z
- Updated: 2024-02-10T14:45:01.000Z
- Description: DERRY – It has been nearly a year since the Bedford High School boys basketball team won its first Division I championship at the expense of Pinkerton Academy and the teams have seemingly been on a collision course for a title-game rematch ever since. While that game may lie on the horizon next mont
- Author: Dan Doyon
- Tags: Division I, Bedford, boys basketball, Pinkerton, slider, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-08-18 04:44

DERRY – It has been nearly a year since the Bedford High School boys basketball team won its first Division I championship at the expense of Pinkerton Academy and the teams have seemingly been on a collision course for a title-game rematch ever since.

While that game may lie on the horizon next month, the highly-anticipated regular-season clash between the powers occurred in front of a packed Hackler Gymnasium on Friday night, and it was the Astros that didn’t leave their raucous home crowd disappointed.

Pinkerton fed standout senior center Jackson Marshall for 35 points and used solid contributions from the rest of their rotation on its way to knocking defending-champion Bedford from the ranks of the unbeaten with a 91-79 victory.

“This was a great win for us, it was electric and I loved every second of it,” Pinkerton senior Charlie Ludden said. “They put up a lot of points on the board, but we put more up and we played together and everyone was part of the game (Friday). Everything was awesome.”

Ludden added a season-high 21 points for Pinkerton (14-1), and was part of last year’s team that dropped a 66-56 decision to Bedford (14-1) in last year’s Division I title game. The Astros have won four straight games since a 74-58 upset loss to Dover.

“We really guarded (Friday), I know they scored 79 points but they’re so good, " Pinkerton coach MIke Dunham said. “We defended and we had other players step up. Drew Brander was awesome and Charlie Ludden was the glue like he always is and Christian Brander hits some big shots for us. It was a total team effort.”

After rolling his ankle and missing a couple of games early in the season, Brander still isn’t a hundred percent but he scored 15 points on Friday in what he dubbed his best game of the season. Brander made an impact at Pinkerton as a freshman before playing the past two years at Bradford Christian Academy.

“It definitely was a big game, we took that loss to Dover and everyone counted us out, but we came in with intensity, we knew we had a chance and we proved it,” Brander said. “We felt it. We’ve been practicing hard and we knew they were going to come with energy, but we were just going to hit them right back.”

Pinkerton extended its 39-36 halftime lead with a 6-0 run to begin the third quarter before the Bulldogs fought back and closed to within 47-46 lead following a 3-pointer from Luke Soden (25 points).

With the game tied at 51-51, Brander and Ludden sparked an 11-0 run when Brander drained a 3-pointer and Ludden followed with a drive and a 3-pointer. Marshall capped off the run inside as the Astros carried a 62-55 lead into the fourth quarter.

“It was a great environment, it was fun and a good night, but they hit a ton of shots in the second half,” Bedford coach Frank Moreno. “We made a few runs and they hit some big shots. It was a great game for them.”

Pinkerton’s 75-65 cushion was trimmed in the fourth quarter following back-to-back 3-pointers from Niko Badoian and Brady O’Connell. That’s when Brander halted further damage by picking up a steal and raced down the floor for a layup to give Pinkerton a 77-71 lead with three minutes remaining.

“I keep telling Drew to be aggressive and he was (Friday),” Dunham said. “He got in the flow and I don’t know if he was waiting for two thousand people to watch? I love Drew, he’s a great kid and I’m proud of him.”

Ludden followed with a hoop and Marshall unofficially sealed the win after his emphatic block directly led to a layup by Parker Bienvenue-Cernuda for a 81-71 Pinkerton cushion.

“I don't know if anybody can beat us if we’re hitting shots like that,” Ludden said. “It’s going to be pretty hard to stop us.”