Tuesday, February 05, 2008
Victory Train Derailed by Reading Rockets
Melrose had never lost to Reading in the Kim Penney era. Nobody we talked to had witnessed a Melrose defeat to Reading, but it happened at the Middle School Gym, with a 50-47 loss reminiscent of the Division II North title defeat to Gloucester several years ago.
Melrose jumped off to a 16-7 lead, then went ice cold, forsaking an inside game to launch threes at the open end of the gym. Reading's patience paid off, and although Melrose took a 20-19 lead into the half, the lead didn't feel safe.
For Melrose, the Lady Raiders struggled with a modified box-and-one, as Reading contained Melrose MVP candidate Meg Kirwan, who ultimately finished with 17 points. Emily Clark did yeoman work at both ends, with 15 points and some key blocks, in her best game as a Lady Raider.
But Melrose had no answers for Reading junior Jaclyn Lyons who drove through and around Melrose defenders, and scored inside and outside to lead Reading.
Meg Kirwan hit Melrose's lone three late in the game, and Melrose took a 47-43 lead late in the game. However, Lyons broke free from defensive coverage and pounded in a three with under a minute to close the lead to one.
Melrose had possession and a one point lead with 28.5 seconds remaining, with clock management paramount. Melrose initially managed to burn clock, but a Reading steal with about 14 seconds remaining led to a Rocket hoop with about 7 seconds remaining, quickly followed by yet another Melrose turnover with 2.8 seconds remaining. Lyons added a pair of free throws with 0.9 seconds remaining, and Melrose's 21 game winning streak against Reading was history.
The Back Row Gang Energizer Award went unanimously to Emily Clark for her outstanding effort.
Game Analysis bullet points:
Melrose jumped off to a 16-7 lead, then went ice cold, forsaking an inside game to launch threes at the open end of the gym. Reading's patience paid off, and although Melrose took a 20-19 lead into the half, the lead didn't feel safe.
For Melrose, the Lady Raiders struggled with a modified box-and-one, as Reading contained Melrose MVP candidate Meg Kirwan, who ultimately finished with 17 points. Emily Clark did yeoman work at both ends, with 15 points and some key blocks, in her best game as a Lady Raider.
But Melrose had no answers for Reading junior Jaclyn Lyons who drove through and around Melrose defenders, and scored inside and outside to lead Reading.
Meg Kirwan hit Melrose's lone three late in the game, and Melrose took a 47-43 lead late in the game. However, Lyons broke free from defensive coverage and pounded in a three with under a minute to close the lead to one.
Melrose had possession and a one point lead with 28.5 seconds remaining, with clock management paramount. Melrose initially managed to burn clock, but a Reading steal with about 14 seconds remaining led to a Rocket hoop with about 7 seconds remaining, quickly followed by yet another Melrose turnover with 2.8 seconds remaining. Lyons added a pair of free throws with 0.9 seconds remaining, and Melrose's 21 game winning streak against Reading was history.
The Back Row Gang Energizer Award went unanimously to Emily Clark for her outstanding effort.
Game Analysis bullet points:
- Melrose couldn't contain Reading point guard Lyons who was outstanding
- "The ball is gold." Eighteen first half turnovers kept Melrose from generating quality shots.
- "You're as cold as ice." Melrose continues to struggle from three-point land, connecting on only one of about a dozen shots from beyond the arc.
- Melrose showed inconsistent defense of Reading's drives from the foul line, after cutters passed through.
- Both teams played with a high intensity level making for quality entertainment. Particularly notable were players scrapping and diving on the floor, notably Sophomore forward Hannah Brickley.
// posted by Ron Sen, MD, FCCP @ 11:22 PM 
Comments:
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Game Analysis
Why was Emily Clark on the bench with the game on the line and having the game of her career?
Kim Penney's spends her summers perfecting her coaching style with hall of fame coaches like Barbara Stevens and ran the Bentley offense last night.
The Melrose offense fails because this system is a failure. Why run this Princeton offense and step child Harvard for nine years straight. It doesnt work. He doesnt teach it right and it is meant for the worst team in the league not the best. Why would you run this offense when it is meant to kill the clock. Why would you run this offense that is only helping the other team stay in the game by keeping the score low. Why would you run an offense that limits shot opportunties. Why would you run an offense that ignores two of the best post players in the league and never lines up the post. How can you go an entire game without ever running a pick and roll play. How can you never isolate your best player for one on one opportunties.
Why would you run an offense whose sole purpose is to keep the score low?? Why dont you see every team is packing it in the paint because they know what you are doing. The offense is meant to be run by four players outside the 3 line but we have four players starting below the foul line.This is why you constantly see players bumping into each other and running out of room when the cut to the basket. It's flawed and broken and its not the kids fault.
Why do you have a system that punishes kids for fouls to the point they stop playing defense. Why is the coach yelling out Harvard in the middle of a 2 on 1 or 3 on 2 and stop your own fast break. Why is he yelling out Princeton in the middle of someone's outside shot..see how many shots you can hit with you coach yelling Princeton in your ear. Your never going to get a quality shot from Prineton and Harvard so the blame is not with the team. If your struggling from behind the arc what is the answer-Princeton? Give me a break. I rather see a missed three with a chance for a put back than 3 players smashing into each other in the paint in this ridiculous system.I rather see kids fail with the uptempo game than watching them fail in a play set that is obviously flawed. You do the math and tell me the next game how many points come off Princeton and Harvard-? How many finish with no shot at all and how many turnovers? The team has inconsistent defense because they don't play team defense, it is not taught or encouraged and the kids are so worried about picking up their 2nd or 3rd foul their is no help defense.
The entire game management was awful and their was no plan whatsoever with 28 seconds left. I am tired of these close losses getting pinned on the kids for 9 years.
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Why was Emily Clark on the bench with the game on the line and having the game of her career?
Kim Penney's spends her summers perfecting her coaching style with hall of fame coaches like Barbara Stevens and ran the Bentley offense last night.
The Melrose offense fails because this system is a failure. Why run this Princeton offense and step child Harvard for nine years straight. It doesnt work. He doesnt teach it right and it is meant for the worst team in the league not the best. Why would you run this offense when it is meant to kill the clock. Why would you run this offense that is only helping the other team stay in the game by keeping the score low. Why would you run an offense that limits shot opportunties. Why would you run an offense that ignores two of the best post players in the league and never lines up the post. How can you go an entire game without ever running a pick and roll play. How can you never isolate your best player for one on one opportunties.
Why would you run an offense whose sole purpose is to keep the score low?? Why dont you see every team is packing it in the paint because they know what you are doing. The offense is meant to be run by four players outside the 3 line but we have four players starting below the foul line.This is why you constantly see players bumping into each other and running out of room when the cut to the basket. It's flawed and broken and its not the kids fault.
Why do you have a system that punishes kids for fouls to the point they stop playing defense. Why is the coach yelling out Harvard in the middle of a 2 on 1 or 3 on 2 and stop your own fast break. Why is he yelling out Princeton in the middle of someone's outside shot..see how many shots you can hit with you coach yelling Princeton in your ear. Your never going to get a quality shot from Prineton and Harvard so the blame is not with the team. If your struggling from behind the arc what is the answer-Princeton? Give me a break. I rather see a missed three with a chance for a put back than 3 players smashing into each other in the paint in this ridiculous system.I rather see kids fail with the uptempo game than watching them fail in a play set that is obviously flawed. You do the math and tell me the next game how many points come off Princeton and Harvard-? How many finish with no shot at all and how many turnovers? The team has inconsistent defense because they don't play team defense, it is not taught or encouraged and the kids are so worried about picking up their 2nd or 3rd foul their is no help defense.
The entire game management was awful and their was no plan whatsoever with 28 seconds left. I am tired of these close losses getting pinned on the kids for 9 years.
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