Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Winnacunnet Cuts Down Melrose 72-55
Melrose brought high hopes into the Tanner City finals, facing the twice defending NH State Titlist. But Winnacunnet cut the Lady Raiders down with exceptional speed and quickness, fundamental excellence including devastating perimeter offense, and won handily 72-55.
Winnacunnet went out quickly 13-3, with Melrose narrowing the gap to eight at the stanza break. But the Warriors, behind their outstanding guards Tiffany Ruffin and Lindsey Mahoney swarmed to a 37-22 half-time lead using their quickness and fast break attack to generate easy buckets. Hannah Brickley and Siena Mamayek each had six at the half.
Winnacunett maintained its lead after three 59-44 with Siena firing in nine points for the Lady Raiders.
Melrose cut the lead to thirteen midway through the fourth, when a Winnacunnet surge brought the lead back to twenty before settling into the final.
Siena (17) and Hannah (10) led Melrose and both were named to the All-Tournament team. Niki Devereaux received a Sportsmanship Award. Ruffin was the tournament MVP and her teammate Mahoney was also selected for the All-Tournament team.
Winnacunnett had superior height and had exceptional quickness to the ball defensively. They also showed excellent diagnostic skills defensively, anticipating where Melrose's plays were headed, sometimes as quickly as Melrose was running them. They also capitalized on their height advantage with double digit blocked shots, denying Melrose around the basket.
Amanda Peters had a pair of threes in limited action for another Lady Raider highlight. The Lady Raiders went 10 for 15 from the charity stripe.
Lady Raider Notes. Melrose travels to Reading Friday for the first of their pair of Middlesex League showdowns. Reading is looking to break Melrose's stranglehold on the Middlesex League title, and has potent ammunition with their MVP candidate Jackie Lyons and sharpshooter Cat Carey who gunned down Melrose last season with seven threes. Melrose will need a total team effort and a shutdown defensive effort to pull off a critical road victory.
Winnacunnet went out quickly 13-3, with Melrose narrowing the gap to eight at the stanza break. But the Warriors, behind their outstanding guards Tiffany Ruffin and Lindsey Mahoney swarmed to a 37-22 half-time lead using their quickness and fast break attack to generate easy buckets. Hannah Brickley and Siena Mamayek each had six at the half.
Winnacunett maintained its lead after three 59-44 with Siena firing in nine points for the Lady Raiders.
Melrose cut the lead to thirteen midway through the fourth, when a Winnacunnet surge brought the lead back to twenty before settling into the final.
Siena (17) and Hannah (10) led Melrose and both were named to the All-Tournament team. Niki Devereaux received a Sportsmanship Award. Ruffin was the tournament MVP and her teammate Mahoney was also selected for the All-Tournament team.
Winnacunnett had superior height and had exceptional quickness to the ball defensively. They also showed excellent diagnostic skills defensively, anticipating where Melrose's plays were headed, sometimes as quickly as Melrose was running them. They also capitalized on their height advantage with double digit blocked shots, denying Melrose around the basket.
Amanda Peters had a pair of threes in limited action for another Lady Raider highlight. The Lady Raiders went 10 for 15 from the charity stripe.
Lady Raider Notes. Melrose travels to Reading Friday for the first of their pair of Middlesex League showdowns. Reading is looking to break Melrose's stranglehold on the Middlesex League title, and has potent ammunition with their MVP candidate Jackie Lyons and sharpshooter Cat Carey who gunned down Melrose last season with seven threes. Melrose will need a total team effort and a shutdown defensive effort to pull off a critical road victory.
// posted by Ron Sen, MD, FCCP @ 9:26 PM 
