Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Raiders Put Up a W, Top Lexington 50-45
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.
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.
// posted by Ron Sen, MD, FCCP @ 11:24 PM 
