Melrose Lady Raiders Basketball

The Lady Raiders have taken a different direction this summer, playing a series of tournaments instead of the usual summer league action. In the BC tourney, Melrose finished as runner-up, going 6-1.

Last weekend, the girls traveled to Franklin Pierce to play their second tournament. Once again, led by All-Scholastic Shey Peddy and returning All-Star Lynley DeAmato, Melrose played very well, going undefeated and winning the tournament at 7-0. With a mixture of varsity returnees, JV players, and four incoming freshman, the Lady Raiders dominated, beating some strong teams from New Hampshire and Fitchburg.

The Lady Raiders have two tournaments remaining, this weekend at Lowell, against some top area teams (Lowell, Masco, Arlington Catholic, Somerville and others) and some out-of-state powers like Mercy from Connecticut.

Melrose will later play in the Stonehill Tournament, with many of the South Shore powers, including Braintree, Oliver Ames, Spellman and others. The team should remain fun to watch and competitive as they work to remain one of the top teams in Eastern Massachusetts.

Coach Dave Brady informed his returning players yesterday that he was taking a new job in the Everett school system and unable to continue as Girls Head Basketball Coach in Melrose.

With Assistant Rob Ferrante at his side, Brady led the Lady Raiders to three Division II North titles, 7 consecutive Middlesex League titles, and 10 consecutive post-season tournaments. Brady helped coach to prominence All-Scholastics Quiana Copeland, Shannon Kirwan, and reigning Middlesex League MVP Sheylani Peddy. This season he reached the 200 win plateau at Melrose. Melrose Girls have achieved 157 wins against just 11 losses in the past 7 seasons, going 90 and 6 in the past four.

Brady's philosophy centered around aggressive man-to-man defense and the transition game, emphasized at all levels of the Melrose developmental program. He also has run a successful summer coaching clinic, "In the Zone", and inspired numerous young ladies in Melrose to pursue basketball as a passion.

Additional coverage is available in the Melrose Free Press.

Basketball players improve their skills during the off-season far greater than during the season. During the season, the focus is not only on maintaining fundamentals and conditioning, but implementation of offensive and defensive strategies and opponent-specific coaching.

Here are some drills and a sample practice schedule:

Conditioning:

Rope
Chase drill
10 by 60 seconds
"Suicides"
"The Hexagon"

Ballhandling:

Figure 8s
"Quick hands"
Between the Legs
Dribbling the lines
Dribble tag

Passing:

Medicine ball
Figure eights

Shooting:

Make 6
Mikan Drill
"Bill Bradley"

Intermediate skill drills:

Basic wing play - to be reviewed at practice
Basic post play - to be reviewed at practice

Sample Practice Schedule (individual - goal is to develop ballhandling, inside, intermediate, and midrange game.

Stretching (2 minutes)
Jump Rope (1 minute)

Make Six (shooting) - 2 minutes

Laps (2) (1 minute)
10 x 60 (1 minute)

Free throws (take 5 or more)

Ball-handling: Figure 8s with and without dribble
Full court dribble (2)
Dribble the lines (2)

Free throws (take 5 or more)

Jump shots (15) - emphasize quickness

Free throws (take 5 or more)

Bank shots (take 10 from each side)

Free throws (take 5 or more)

"Bill Bradley" - each basket you make counts 1, each miss counts 3 for Bill. Game to 11. Bill wins, you run.

Free throws (take 5 or more)

Post moves from each side (8)
Wing moves from each side (8)

Free throws (Championship)

Coaches (not on MHS staff) will be available at practice to explain the drills.

An enthusiastic group of rising sixth graders continues to work out at the Melrose Commons learning a variety of fundamental skills, while building conditioning as well. The ten to fifteen girls who regularly attend work extensively on developing ballhandling and passing skills, as well as fundamental defense, particularly footwork and team defense concepts.

A number of rising freshmen have also been attending, building their basketball resume in preparation for playing for the Lady Raiders.

Following the elementary school workouts, the prospective Lady Raiders at the high school level are also developing their game. In addition to intensive passing and ballhandling skill building, the high schoolers receive drilling on both intermediate and advanced individual concepts from both the wing and the post, and options off the pick and roll.

The Lady Raiders participated in the tournament held at Boston College recently, and fared well, losing in the championship game and going 6-1.

The team was limited with a number of returning players either at AAU or work commitments, and had two returning varsity players, Shey Peddy and Krista Limone. They were ably supported by players with JV experience and six entering freshmen, who played well in varsity action. Among the teams they defeated included Pelham, NH, Mansfield and Franklin.

Here's an excerpt from Coach Storm's basketball preview

Lowell lost Courtney Schermerhorn but returns the likes of Ashley Rivera, Meaghan Cavanaugh, Christine McCall, the Rogers sisters, and the 6’3” Wilson twins, Whitney and Brianna.

Arlington Catholic has superstar Elise Caira back along with their junior trees in 6’2” Maria Scocca, 6’1” Kellie Reardon, and 6’ Katie Farino. Then add in their tough point guard, Nicole McConaghy and last year’s precocious frosh Kelsey Robertson who kept burying 3’s at BC High last February and AC will be a D2 title contender.

The fourth club will feature the Harbormen from Hingham led by 6’ Abby Harris. Hingham returns 11 players from a club that went 12 and 7 last year including all 5 starters.

Yes, I know, only one team from the South but you can make an argument that the Top 5 or 6 teams next year will be from the North. In addition to the 3 North teams above, Masco, Andover, and Melrose will all be super next year.

The Eastern Mass Lightning led by Steve Kirwan is another hard working and talented group. The Lightning is primarily represented by Melrose and AC girls and they take a back seat to no team. His daughter Meghan should be a big factor next year and look for hard working and unselfish Lynley DeAmato to be much more of a scoring presence for the Red Raiders. DeAmato should have a strong senior year. Losing the Sen twins to graduation is a huge loss but after seeing 5’ 11” Emily Clark and incoming frosh Siena Mamayek also at 5’ 11” my sense is that Melrose will have a solid inside game by February. Coach Kirwan also has added to his arsenal Lexington’s 6’ 1” Jessie Igoe to team with AC’s hard working and athletic Katie Farino and Coach Kirwan has depth and skill inside. Finally there is AC’s super tough and always productive Nicole “Nic-Mac” McConaghy and Melrose’s roadrunner Lauren Murray running and diving all over the court and you can see that Kirwan has quietly put together an excellent club.

Lady Raider Notes: The MHS boosters note that 35 girls signed up for the school-sponsored 'Bigger, Faster, Stronger' program at Melrose High School. The school has State of the Art fitness and weight training equipment and the current and incoming high school players are taking full advantage. We also have spotted a number of players working hard on their game at local courts and the YMCA as the competition will be intense in 2006-2007.

The Division II North Championship Banner (also noting the undefeated Middlesex League crown) is in and awaiting its home at Melrose High School this fall.

Coach Dave Brady will be holding his annual basketball camp, this summer at Stoneham High School with Stoneham Coach Peter Killilea.