Sunday, May 31, 2009
The 2009-2010 Season
Melrose will return a veteran team as the Lady Raiders seek to return to the top of the Middlesex League. They will also have four co-captains including Hannah Brickley, Colleen Hanscom, Laura Irwin, and Siena Mamayek.
The team will have plenty of opportunity to prepare for the upcoming season among AAU, summer league, and several summer tournaments.
The team will have plenty of fight looking to recapture the ML title.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
League Expansion
Although with no immediate impact for the Lady Raiders, the Middlesex League has expanded, adding Arlington and Wilmington.
Will the league go into a pair of divisions solely based upon enrollment, disrupting traditional rivalries, or adopt a possible tiering based on records over an arbitrary period?
Local girls sports fans certainly want to continue twice a season rivalries with Lexington and Reading for example, that could reduce to one and done depending upon enrollment.
Will the league go into a pair of divisions solely based upon enrollment, disrupting traditional rivalries, or adopt a possible tiering based on records over an arbitrary period?
Local girls sports fans certainly want to continue twice a season rivalries with Lexington and Reading for example, that could reduce to one and done depending upon enrollment.
Monday, May 25, 2009
Be the Power
- One defensive stop
- One screen and roll
- One rebound
- One loose ball
- One pass
Monday, February 23, 2009
Lincoln-Sudbury Ousts Melrose 55-53
The deadly 5-12 matchup resulted in a heartbreaking 55-53 defeat for the Lady Raiders, knocked out in the first round by the Lincoln-Sudbury Warriors. In addition to adjusting to playoff pressure, both teams needed to adjust to the third official added for post-season play.
Melrose went out quickly to a 16-7 lead sparked by a trio of Colleen Hanscom treys, but L-S ran off ten consecutive points to lead after one.
Melrose regained the momentum in period two, with Hannah Brickley turning it on, and Melrose held a 32-27 lead after the half. Colleen had 11 first half points, Hannah 10, and Siena Mamayek had 7. Despite fourteen first half turnovers, Melrose shot the lights out, shooting 12-22 including 5 for 9 on threes.
Melrose again extended the lead to eight in period three, but L-S kept battling back, slicing through a Melrose zone trap, to tie the score at 44 headed into the fourth.
The fourth period was a donnybrook with a number of lead changes, including a late L-S lead at 53-51 before Niki Devereaux hit a short jumper from the left baseline to tie the score with about twenty-three seconds left. Melrose played in foul trouble down the stretch with both Siena and Laura Irwin with four fouls.
L-S set up a play to enable the point guard to slash to the basket with about 6.8 seconds left, and Melrose got the ball to halfcourt with 2.6 seconds left. Melrose got a clean look near the buzzer from the left baseline but the shot rimmed out and L-S survived and advanced.
Unofficially, Hannah Brickley led Melrose scorers with 21 points, and Colleen Hanscom had fourteen points and six assists. Laura Irwin had ten rebounds doing yeoman work on the glass.
Melrose finishes another successful season 16-5 and returns four starters for next season.
Melrose went out quickly to a 16-7 lead sparked by a trio of Colleen Hanscom treys, but L-S ran off ten consecutive points to lead after one.
Melrose regained the momentum in period two, with Hannah Brickley turning it on, and Melrose held a 32-27 lead after the half. Colleen had 11 first half points, Hannah 10, and Siena Mamayek had 7. Despite fourteen first half turnovers, Melrose shot the lights out, shooting 12-22 including 5 for 9 on threes.
Melrose again extended the lead to eight in period three, but L-S kept battling back, slicing through a Melrose zone trap, to tie the score at 44 headed into the fourth.
The fourth period was a donnybrook with a number of lead changes, including a late L-S lead at 53-51 before Niki Devereaux hit a short jumper from the left baseline to tie the score with about twenty-three seconds left. Melrose played in foul trouble down the stretch with both Siena and Laura Irwin with four fouls.
L-S set up a play to enable the point guard to slash to the basket with about 6.8 seconds left, and Melrose got the ball to halfcourt with 2.6 seconds left. Melrose got a clean look near the buzzer from the left baseline but the shot rimmed out and L-S survived and advanced.
Unofficially, Hannah Brickley led Melrose scorers with 21 points, and Colleen Hanscom had fourteen points and six assists. Laura Irwin had ten rebounds doing yeoman work on the glass.
Melrose finishes another successful season 16-5 and returns four starters for next season.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Latest Playoff Projections
Sunday, February 15, 2009
The second season comes right around the corner and the possibilities are extensive.
The King Philip boys basketball site gives us some data to ponder. Reading is in the Acton-Boxboro tournament with AC, AB, and Lowell. It's easy to imagine Reading dropping to either a three or four seed under those conditions. The one seed (presumably AC) gets a bye, and the other fourteen teams play for the 2-8 seeds into the quarterfinals.
Melrose is likely to remain a five seed meaning a 5-12 pairing, but of course, that could mean a number of possible pairings as the 11-14 positions appear fungible. Projecting how the city teams do (e.g. Brighton) isn't so easy.
The site also gives one projected initial bracket pairing...but again the rankings can change radically and the AB tournament may determine whether Melrose faces Reading for a third time in an early round.
The King Philip boys basketball site gives us some data to ponder. Reading is in the Acton-Boxboro tournament with AC, AB, and Lowell. It's easy to imagine Reading dropping to either a three or four seed under those conditions. The one seed (presumably AC) gets a bye, and the other fourteen teams play for the 2-8 seeds into the quarterfinals.Melrose is likely to remain a five seed meaning a 5-12 pairing, but of course, that could mean a number of possible pairings as the 11-14 positions appear fungible. Projecting how the city teams do (e.g. Brighton) isn't so easy.
The site also gives one projected initial bracket pairing...but again the rankings can change radically and the AB tournament may determine whether Melrose faces Reading for a third time in an early round.Friday, February 13, 2009
Senior Night Win, 56-34
Melrose completed the regular season with a 56-34 victory over Wakefield on Senior Night. The victory saw Melrose complete the season at 16-4, 15-3 in the Middlesex League, tied with Stoneham for second, as Reading crushed Stoneham 68-33 to capture the ML title.
Melrose's lone senior, Niki Devereaux, was recognized for her contribution.
Melrose took a quick 15-7 lead after one with Devereaux scoring five points. The lead extended to 31-19 at the half, with Niki leading the Lady Raiders with 10 points and Hannah Brickley adding eight.
Melrose continued their domination in the third, more than doubling Wakefield at 45-22 with a 14-3 run, before closing out the game.
Devereaux's fourteen points led Melrose, followed by Siena Mamayek with thirteen and Hannah added a dozen.
Melrose finished 2 for 8 from three-point land, and was 14 for 24 from the stripe.
The seedings will be established soon for the post-season.
Here are standings from a useful site.
Melrose's lone senior, Niki Devereaux, was recognized for her contribution.
Melrose took a quick 15-7 lead after one with Devereaux scoring five points. The lead extended to 31-19 at the half, with Niki leading the Lady Raiders with 10 points and Hannah Brickley adding eight.
Melrose continued their domination in the third, more than doubling Wakefield at 45-22 with a 14-3 run, before closing out the game.
Devereaux's fourteen points led Melrose, followed by Siena Mamayek with thirteen and Hannah added a dozen.
Melrose finished 2 for 8 from three-point land, and was 14 for 24 from the stripe.
The seedings will be established soon for the post-season.
Here are standings from a useful site.