Bishop Guertin's Meghan Stack gets mauled by Pinkerton's Allison Ingalls (14) as Astros Abby Marasco (13) and Kristina Packowski (24) try to help out during the Cards' 52-37 win Thursday in Derry. (Telegraph photo by TOM KING)

DERRY – The Bishop Guertin High School girls basketball team grew up a little on Thursday.

That’s what Cardinals coach Brad Kreick wanted to see. He wasn’t too thrilled with a couple of recent games, but yesterday’s 52-37 win over previously unbeaten Pinkerton Academy was just what the doctor ordered for his young sophomore-based team.

“I think today was a really good growth experience for us,” said Kreick, whose 12-0 Cards led the entire way. “We’re still young, you can see that from time to time. But our kids played their butts off.”

And Kreick knows he faced a strong Astro team in their own wide open gym.

“That’s a very good basketball team,” Kreick said. “They’re physical, they’re a bunch of upper classmen, and we’re on the road, this is a tough place to play. And we get out of here with a 15-point win? I’ll take that seven days a week and twice on Sunday.”

And why not? The Cards, as young as they are, showed no fear at the Hackler Gymnasium, jumping out to an 8-3 lead, with quarter break advantages of 17-10, 30-19, and 41-28. At one point the Astros had closed to within 35-26 in the third quarter, but a quick time out solved that. Meghan Stack led BG with 19 points, while Catelyn Wheeler and Liv Murray added 12 apiece.

Mainly, it was the Cardinal defense that did the trick, although had the Astros been able to convert on several first half inside opportunities, it might have been a tighter game.

“That’s what I just told my girls,” Astros coach Lani Buskey said. “Not to take away anything from BG, because BG is BG and they’re damn good. But if we make some of our own shots ….I think we hang with any team.

“Don’t get me wrong, BG’s defense does a lot, not to take away from it, but we missed uncontested layups.”

Guertin used Wheeler’s outside game in the first half with a couple of key 3-pointers, and then when things got tight and they needed a big basket, Stack was the go-to with 11 second half points with some tough inside work.

“She’s just an anchor kid down there,” Kreick said. “She’s very steady down there, makes good decisions on a regular basis. You’ve seen us in some of our competitive games, she gets a lot of touches down there, and when she does, good things usually happen.”

Buskey, whose team is now 5-1 after having a chunk of games cancelled, was led by Kristina Packowski’s 12 points.

“You can’t give BG second opportunities,” Buskey said. “I think in the second half my girls were winded, they gave BG second opportunities, and it was game over.”

“It’s high school basketball,” Kreick said. “Layups, free throws, and taking care of the ball.”

And now the Cards will forge ahead, with a rematch with Merrimack tonight (weather permitting), and then a city week vs. Nashua South and North next week before tourney time. Games like Thursday’s should get them ready.

“I thought our kids did a nice job today,” Kreick said. “All things considered they competed, just a good grinding high school basketball game, and I think they learned a lot.

“Pretty pleased, actually.”

BG boys also top Pinkerton, 41-30, see HS Roundup