Melrose Lady Raiders Basketball

After several days off for the holiday vacation, the Lady Raiders have resumed practice in preparation for a big week next week. On Tuesday, Melrose travels to the new Woburn High School to face the Lady Tanners. And on Friday, they host the always tough Lady Rockets of Reading, with their own D1 recruit, Mary Silvia, who has signed to play with Hartford.

Krista Limone is one of the seniors on this year's team. Krista plays with a certain calmness breaking the press and has always been able to put the ball in the hoop. Here Krista lines up a free throw during warmups.

Lady Raiders Notes: Many local schools avail themselves of tournament play during holiday vacations, just as Melrose once played in the Newburyport Tournament. Tomorrow night, two teams that Melrose vanquished in the 2006 playoffs will square off in the Masconomet Holiday Tournament. Masco host Arlington Catholic at 7:30 P.M. Friday, both favorites to compete with Melrose, Lincoln-Sudbury, Westford, and Reading in the uber-tough Division II North section. Masco is led by Junior center Caroline Stewart and AC counters with Bentley recruit Elise Caira from Wakefield.

Melrose has become a regular contender for the Division II North Title in addition to having won seven consecutive Middlesex League Titles. The Lady Raiders have registered three undefeated regular seasons in the past four years. How does that happen?

• Community support - through the Boosters Club and community support of the Lady Raiders, Melrose Basketball has become important to the community.


• Consistent TEAM philosophy. "Not everyone can be a great player, but everyone can be a great teammate." It helps a lot when your best player is also concerned more about winning than statistics. "It's about the name on the front of the uniform, not on the back."


• Basketball fundamentals. Melrose emphasizes defense, playing tight, man-to-man defense almost exclusively. Good technique, combined with athleticism and experience give you a chance to win every night.

Here co-captain Lynley DeAmato tries to force a turnover in a recent contest.

• Commitment. Many of the players have elected to play off-season AAU basketball, work out on their own at the YMCA, and played in summer tournaments against good competition.


• Star Power. Melrose has been fortunate to have several All-Scholastic players like Quiana Copeland, Shannon Kirwan, and Sheylani Peddy leading the team against tough league and post-season competition.


• Complementary players. Having a star isn't enough to win. Strong teams require at least two ballhandlers, two scorers, and two rebounders to get the job done. The more terrific complementary players you have the better.


• Coaching. Current Coach Rob Ferrante and former coach Dave Brady emphasized fundamentals and the transition game.


• Recognition. The Lady Raiders are often featured in the local newspapers, The Melrose Free Press and The Melrose Weekly. MMTV, the local television station, videotapes all the home games and playoff games which then appear on local cable TV.


• Developmental programs. Melrose frequently has two, and sometimes three travel teams, including the YMCA team. These programs allow young players to receive fundamental instruction and game experience. For example, the sixth grade team this year has a thirty-seven game schedule against area competition and the River Valley 'A' League.
  

One of the ingredients for long-term success of a high school basketball program is support from the community. The Lady Raiders Boosters sponsor Alumni Night each year, keeping the continuity between former and current players. Last week Melrose hosted Burlington, and the Boosters hosted a terrific evening where about twenty former Lady Raiders renewed their ties with Melrose basketball.


Junior Emily Clark (left) and Freshman Siena Mamayek are expected to handle some of the heavy work on the boards this season.
_____________________________________________Sheylani Peddy, averaging 18 points per game, is closing in on Melrose's all-time scoring record.
_____________________________________________Basketball isn't a contact sport, it's a collision sport, as a Burlington Lady Devil finds out trying to drive on Siena and Sharon Porcaro.
_____________________________________________Coach Rob Ferrante has the full attention of his players.
____________________________________________ The Lady Raiders attract a loyal following, home or away.
_____________________________________________ Former Lady Raiders Karen and Paula Sen were in the house.
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So were Quiana Copeland, Oyin Aderibigbe, Ashley Needham, Jamie Pearson, and Amy Porcaro _____________________________________________And former Coach Dave Brady was on hand to greet former players and maintains close ties with friend and coach Rob Ferrante.
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Photographs courtesy of Don Norris.

Melrose (4-0) remained unbeaten handling Burlington confidently 58-45 in Middlesex League action.

The Lady Raiders came out slowly, leading 6-4 after the first four minutes, but expanded their lead to 25-12 by halftime. Lynley DeAmato played sparingly with illness, and Sheylani Peddy had 10 first half points.

Melrose widened its advantage to 36-20 with twelve minutes to go, and from there on, Melrose usually had three of its four freshmen, Siena Mamayek, Hannah Brickley, Laura Irwin, and Colleen Hanscom on the floor.

Burlington closed to within 49-38 at the 4 minute mark, but a pair of Peddy layins sent the Lady Red Devils home empty-handed.

Once again all thirteen players on the roster participated. Ten Lady Raiders scored tonight, led by Shey with 16 and Siena with 8 points. Emily Clark did a very creditable job containing Burlington's center Lauren Hennessey in the low post. Senior Taylor Pearson also added four points on a pair of pullup floaters in her most extended minutes of the season. Hannah had a couple of stylish putbacks as she develops under the tutelage of the extended coaching staff.

Lady Raider Notes: Melrose had a good crowd on hand tonight for Alumni Night, including former coach Dave Brady and twenty former players including one from Coach Brady's inaugural season. Kevin Erb was master of ceremonies where each of the former Lady Raiders was called down and introduced to the crowd, including Quiana Copeland, who was home from England and the European professional league. Quiana is enjoying life in Europe and planning several tryouts for the WNBA.

After the game, the Boosters Club held a pizza reception in the cafeteria, and presented Coach Brady with a Melrose game jersey autographed by former and current players, with a plaque inscribed, To Our Coach: 206 Wins and 49 Losses.

The Boosters Club also distributed the annual basketball "Book" with fantastic support by Melrose and other area businesses, fans, parents, and relatives. The "Book" is filled with player photographs and biographies, schedules and directions to Middlesex League venues, and well wishes from the community.

The Lexington Minuteman says this about the Lexington-Melrose game:

"While the entire LHS squad banded together to claw their way into a game that at one point they had been on the verge of being blown out of, none was more spectacular than senior Allie Needham.

The starting center scored 15 of her 20 points in the second half (she also had 12 rebounds) to help Lexington back into the game.

“We knew that they were going to be tough because they have some good size down low,” Melrose head coach Rob Ferrante said.

“They take up a lot of space and we had a hard time with that. We knew they were going to give us trouble.”

It was the size, skill and heart of Needham that ignited the comeback."

Undefeated Melrose hosts Burlington tomorrow night at 5:30 at Stoneham on Alumni Night. A Melrose-Burlington rivalry has developed amidst physical play and hard feelings about last season's action. A number of Burlington fans felt that they were approaching parity with Melrose when they lost at Burlington by seven last season, as Paula Sen fired in twenty-four points. In the rematch, Melrose, led by Sheylani Peddy, scoring her 1000th point amidst 22 first half Peddy points, overwhelmed Burlington, leaving no doubt.

Melrose (3-0) traveled to Belmont for their first road contest of the season and overcame early foul trouble to upend the Lady Marauders 66-44.

Melrose led 33-22 at the half, despite some early sluggishness and foul trouble for Meg Kirwan. The Lady Raiders broke the game open as Sheylani Peddy fired in seven of her nine first half points in the last minute to give Melrose the edge.

Belmont never closed within eleven during the second half, despite having the height advantage and playing a tough, physical game at home.

Lynley DeAmato led Melrose with 16 points and Shey Peddy added 15 for Melrose. The Lady Raiders were 16 of 19 from the free throw line.

Once again, everyone had an opportunity to play, and six players scored at least six points. It was a mathematical curiosity that Melrose outscored Belmont 33-22 in each half.

Scoresheet and commentary courtesy of the "Back Row Gang".

Lady Raider Notes: Friday Melrose hosts Burlington in their annual Alumni Night. Lady Raider alumni are invited to come to Stoneham High School at 5:30 to enjoy the Melrose-Burlington game. Come and be recognized for your participation and enjoy some holiday festivities.

Melrose defeated the Watertown Lady Red Raiders 76-22 in Game 2 of the 2006-2007 campaign. Melrose begins the season 2-0.

Looking for their 3rd consecutive undefeated regular season, Melrose hosted Watertown at Stoneham Friday night. Watertown had come off a tough and close loss to Winchester Tuesday night.

There was nothing tough or close about Friday's game, as Melrose raced out to a 14-2 lead in the first two and a half minutes spearheaded by a trio of threes by Meg Kirwan, Lynley DeAmato, and Sheylani Peddy. After that, it was literally garbage time, as Melrose led 51-12 at the half, with all thirteen Lady Raiders playing in both halves.

Melrose took off the press early, and Coach Rob Ferrante instructed the players not to fast break, including fast breaking off steals or turnovers. The second half allowed extended playing time for a lot of the Melrose reserves.

Shey Peddy led Melrose with fifteen points in light duty, Lynley added eleven, and Meg Kirwan had nine. Melrose had eleven players with at least four points, with Sharon Porcaro and Krista Limone each with career highs of six points. Melrose's four freshmen, Siena Mamayek, Laura Irwin, Colleen Hanscom, and Hannah Brickley combined for eighteen points.

Lady Raider Notes: Next Friday's game hosting Burlington is the Annual Alumni night, where former Lady Raiders are invited to return to remember the great tradition of Melrose Basketball.

Tom Hellen's preseason poll looks at EMASS hoops.

With talented players, occasional mismatches, a 30-second shot clock, and playing the whole roster, Melrose put up seventy-six points despite playing slowdown basketball. A spirited debate rages at MassLive about running up the score.

New team, mixed cast, some old and some new. Coach Rob Ferrante's troops came away with a 50-45 win at Stoneham over a tenacious Lexington squad Tuesday night.

After Lexington won the opening tap and Melrose got the ball back, Sheylani Peddy went one-on-one with the Lexington point guard, promptly blowing by her for a pair of her first half nine points. Abetted by freshman center Siena Mamayek, who put up eight points in the opening stanza, Melrose took a 29-20 halftime lead. Lexington's key power forward Jess Igoe had early foul trouble in the first half as well.

The Lady Raiders and Minutewomen exchanged hoops early in period two, before Melrose opened up a 41-29 lead, which gradually eroded, as Melrose had a prolonged offensive drought, not scoring a point for about six minutes, before a Sharon Porcaro putback broke the string.

Lexington never gave up, as Igoe and Allie Needham heated up, eventually closing to within a point at 46-45 in the final minute. Lexington opted to foul Peddy, who calmly drained a pair at the stripe, before a final Peddy steal and layup sealed the win in the final eight seconds.

Melrose showed strong guard play at times with Peddy, Meg Kirwan, and Lynley DeAmato, the latter saddled with fouls, showed toughness and the ability to get to the basket. Mamayek showed skill and confidence in the post against oversized opponents. At other times, Melrose labored to get good opportunities, as Lexington forced the play inside with their superior height.

Melrose showed its usual good coaching and tenacious defense, with the potential to improve its blocking out, and denying the cut in the paint. But in the end, as so often has been the case in the past four seasons, it was too much Shey Peddy for the opposition to withstand.

Coach Ferrante and his team deserve patience and more practice to refine their considerable skills. It will take time for the blend of the youth and veterans to achieve their best basketball. Tradition never graduates.

Hours until Melrose opens the season at Stoneham High School against the Lexington Minutewomen.

With five new players on the squad and a new head coach, Melrose has a formidable task to defend its Division II North title (above), while seeking its eighth consecutive Middlesex League crown.

When we spoke with Coach Rob Ferrante last week, he mentioned how the transition has involved more teaching than previous seasons. He also mentioned how much he enjoys coaching and how much he appreciates the community support. He also mentioned that the Lady Raiders were a little 'nicked up', but that they'd be ready Tuesday.

The Lexington Minuteman previews the Lexington team, also noting injury to a key Lexington starter, Allie Needham. Lexington Coach Paul McManus has tried to slow the tempo in the past against Melrose, combining his squad's big frontline with judicious timeouts to disrupt Melrose's transition game.

Lady Raider Notes: Julian Benbow profiles the local hoop scene in today's Globe North. Coach Rob Ferrante hasn't announced a starting lineup, but projected starters will include Captains Shey Peddy and Lynley DeAmato at guard, Meg Kirwan at small forward, Siena Mamayek at center, and either Emily Clark or Sharon Porcaro at the power forward.

Melrose hosted Lowell from the prestigious Merrimack Valley League in a scrimmage today. According to informed sources, the Lady Raiders more than held their own. Lowell. last year's Division I North champion returns plenty of firepower and major height with the 6' 2" Wilson twins.

Lowell held the advantage in the first half, while Melrose dominated the second, according to fans.

In addition to the usual strong efforts by Sheylani Peddy, Lynley DeAmato, and Meg Kirwan, we are told that Melrose's four freshmen more than held their own against the taller and more experienced Lowell club. In particular, Siena Mamayek showed rebounding skills and an inside presence that Melrose will need starting next week when the regular season begins.

Lady Raider Notes: Sheylani Peddy was ranked 131 in the prestigious Blue Star rankings of National Prepsters.

The Melrose Lady Raiders begin their title defense with one of the most anticipated games of 2006 as they host the Lexington Minutewomen at Stoneham High School on December 12th, 2006.

The past two seasons Melrose has finished 23-1, 2005 ending with a 52-51 loss to Gloucester at Tsongas Arena, and 2006 concluding with a 52-49 loss to Oliver Ames at Boston Garden in the Eastern Massachusetts finals.

Melrose looks to win its eighth consecutive Middlesex League title and reach the postseason for the eleventh consecutive year. With three undefeated regular seasons in the past four, and stiff ML competition it won't be easy, as many teams (Lexington, Reading, Burlington, Wakefield) returntheir lineups virtually intact.

Last week's tryouts brought some surprises to the team, as five new underclassmen bring their skills to the Lady Raiders.