One word — Alvirne — is enough to make even the most iron-stomached Pinkerton Academy boys hoop backer double over in anguish.
Alvirne High, which was just 8-10, walked into Hackler Gym seeded 12th one year ago in the Class L playoffs and dusted the No. 5 Astros by 26 points.
A year later, Ben Proulx still hasn't turned the page on that beating.
"It might be the worst loss I've ever been a part of, in any sport, at any time," said the Pinkerton co-captain. "I planned on winning a state championship last year, and I think most of the guys on that team did. I mean we beat them by 19 a week before."
Starting tonight, Proulx, fellow senior terror Zach Mathieu and the Astros have the opportunity erase all that anger, all those bad memories and all those questions.
The team chemistry has been much better than late last year, leading to a sharp 14-4 Class L record. The Astros, the No. 2 seed, open the playoffs with tonight's (7 p.m.) home first-rounder against Spaulding High of Rochester.
"If anything, we hope that we learned from what happened last year," said Proulx. "Zach and I have talked a lot with the whole team, and we're going into this one, just like we have every other game this season, trying to blow the other team out early."
For Proulx, who will play football at Division 1-AA Sacred Heart next fall, this is the last time he'll wear a Pinkerton uniform.
It's also the end to serious hoop as Sacred Heart's offseason weight regimen begins on March 15, a couple games before the Class L hoop title game.
Mathieu can look forward to the spring and baseball, his lead sport, but for Proulx each game could be his last.
"I'm done with basketball, a game I've played for so long," said Proulx. "And I don't want to go out with a loss."
Proulx, at 14.0 points a game, and Mathieu, the 6-foot-7 center averaging 18.2 points, have anchored one of the surprise teams in Class L.
"Honestly, our team last year was more talented. If you told me before this year that we would go 14-4 and grab the No. 2 seed I wouldn't have believed it," said Proulx. "But every guy on this team knows his role and accepts it. We've played well together."
Still, Pinkerton is going to need its best in this four-game sprint of a postseason.
The Astros, who haven't made the Class L semis since 1994, enjoyed their best regular season since 1994-95 (15-3).
Salem, Londonderry play road warriors
Also tonight, Salem, the No. 9 seed, travels to No. 8 Memorial, a place where the Blue Devils fell in the regular season, 51-46.
Nobody is shooting the ball better than Salem senior Alex LaRosa, which enters the playoffs as the hottest team in Class L with 11 wins in the last 12 games.
LaRosa is up to 21.1 points a game, and the big fella in the middle, Joe Gallant, chips in a double-double just about every night.
No. 13 Londonderry looks to play the spoiler role, headed to No. 4 Merrimack tonight.
The Lancers have lost in the quarterfinals each of the last five seasons.
Class L Boys Basketball Playoffs
No. 2 Pinkerton
Record: 15-6 overall, 14-4 Class L
Opener: Today, 7 p.m., hosts No. 15 Spaulding (6-12 Class L)
Top guns: Zach Mathieu, 18.2 ppg; Ben Proulx, 14.0 ppg
Tourney talk: After the most disappointing of openers last year, the Astros have a chance to redeem themselves. Tonight is the first step. Nobody in Class L can match the frontcourt play of Mathieu and Proulx. If the Astros can get enough out of the guards, led by dynamic Chad Park on the point, they could be a legitimate threat to take it all.
No. 9 Salem
Record: 13-8 overall, 12-6 Class L
Opener: Today, 7 p.m., at No. 8 Memorial (12-6 Class L)
Top guns: Alex LaRosa, 21.1 ppg; Joe Gallant, 13.1 ppg
Tourney Talk: With a pair of state titles, Coach E.J. Perry's crew has become a perennial team to watch in March. The 2010 version, once thought of as in trouble to even make the tournament, has become a dominant force, ripping off 11 of the last 12. Teams have swarmed LaRosa lately to no avail as he's torched all comers. But a third option could be the difference between Salem making noise or just being happy to be there.
No. 13 Londonderry
Record: 9-12 overall, 8-10 Class L
Opener: Today, 7 p.m., at No. 4 Merrimack (14-4 Class L)
Top guns: Michael Colby, 13.9 ppg; C.J. Flanders, 8.6 ppg
Tourney Talk: The late-season addition to the roster of Matt Sanborn has to be giving the Merrimack coaching staff fits. These teams met a week ago with the Tomahawks prevailing 46-37.
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