MVMMS 6TH grade girls’ hoop team is a dominating force thanks to these players. Back row from the left: Frankie Talieri, Ella Beshel, Cailin Razi-Thomas, Elise Marchais, Maddie Koerber and Gen Overlan. Front row from the left: Lily Buono, Morgan Good, Griffin McDonald, Sadie Smith, Zoe Breay and Ella DiCalogero. (courtesy photo)
Future is bright with this squad
MELROSE—The Melrose High Class of 2028 is going to be packed with basketball prowess. For now, the current 6th grade Melrose Memorial Middle School girls basketball team is making a big impact in the River Valley League and at local tournaments, as well as on the regional AAU circuit. Heading into the final weekend of the regular season, they have already garnered 25 wins this winter including several over D1 teams. Also noteworthy, they have won tournaments and are playing for the Division 2 regular season league championship on March 5 and 6. Wins over league foes Newburyport and Nashua would secure first place. The following weekend they are likely to be moved up to Division One for playoffs.
The 6th grade team, led by leading scorer Ella Beshel, stands out in many categories. Their press, fast break, teamwork, great court vision and sharp shooting put opponents on their heels from the get go. Beshel’s scoring and defense are outstanding, making her a prospect for any select team. Guards Zoe Breay and Ella DiCalogero add a solid scoring punch. Forward Cailin Razi-Thomas and center Gen Overlan round out the starting 5 bringing solid defense, high basketball IQ and strong inside finishes to the team. Lily Buono’s passing and game sense allow her to run the team with efficiency and confidence at point guard. Morgan Good’s intensity and hustle frustrate opponents weekly. An inside force, Maddie Koerber adds height and depth off the bench. Teammates the ever-hustling and upbeat speedy backcourt of Griffin McDonald and Sadie Smith, sharp-shooting Frankie Talieri and much-improved Elise Marchais round out a deep, strong team.
This team has come into greatness after months and months of hard work and team building. In the fall of 2020, 5th grade girls from Melrose could be found masked up at an outdoor basketball court in Winchester, playing for EVOLUTION Basketball under the tutelage of Melrose mother and coach Andrea Razi-Thomas, who also coaches the current MVMMS squad. Razi-Thomas, a former standout guard at Princeton University, hoped to share her passion for basketball with the girls, despite pandemic restrictions. The girls joined players from area towns and competed in AAU tournaments through 2020 and 2021, in the hopes of learning the game and bringing their skills back to their towns when travel basketball resumed.
When things opened up and games started there were losses and bumps in the road but as skills developed, gradually the team started to win some games. In the summer of 2021, Razi-Thomas started an all Melrose travel program called the Melrose All-Stars. This entering 6th grade crew of gals represented the first team to don the All-Stars uniforms, and went ahead to win their summer league with an undefeated record! Come November 2022, twelve of these EVO and Melrose All-Stars were selected to represent Melrose Veterans Memorial Middle School.
These girls have grand basketball knowledge and aspire to play alongside the best. They play whenever they can and are chomping at the bit for more games and better competition, nearly all of them playing year round. They run plays with efficiency, share the ball well, and work harder on defense than most their age. They are eager to learn and excel at the game they love. The future looks bright for this group! Watch out for this team in the months and years to come. As you drive around Melrose you may very well see many of them working on their games in their driveways and at local outdoor courts.