After press time:
Wakefield defeats Melrose 55-48 (Jan. 31)
By JENNIFER GENTILE
MELROSE— The Melrose High boys’ basketball team picked up a key win last Friday evening against Woburn, 55-32, in a well-attended game at home, which snapped a five-game losing streak. The win improves Melrose’s record to 7-7 after a loss to Watertown on Tuesday.
With six games left in the regular season, Melrose will need to secure 3 victories to return to playoffs, which they’ve reached in several consecutive years.
“It was a great defensive effort,” said Melrose head coach Dan Burns after the win. “We have had a lot of close games that we lost recently that came down to the last shot (Wilmington and Stoneham). So, getting the Woburn win was very satisfying. The hard work is paying off. Woburn has been competing, and we came out and defend with a balanced scoring attack.”
It was a complete team effort against the Tanners with it raining threes behind the work of John Arens, who led in scoring with 17 points, three of them treys, and John Lamas, who had a workmanlike performance with 16 points while helping fuel Melrose to a runaway lead in the second half.
Defensively, Melrose benefitted from work from Lamas, Owen Mujalli, who had several rebounds, blocks and steals, and Nolan Natale, who helped fuel an important third quarter run that flipped a 22-20 Melrose edge to a 36-22 lead entering the fourth.
Connor Smith and John Arens kicked things off for Melrose with buckets and a well-timed three (Smith) to lift Melrose to an early 10-6 lead to end the first. In the second, John Lamas stripped the ball from to Tanners to feed Nolan Natale for a three. Owen Mujalli had a basket and Jack Casey was smooth on the foul line to keep Melrose ahead, 19-14 as halftime approached. Following a block and steal by Lamas, Melrose took a 22-14 lead after a foul shot by Arens.
Woburn came as close as they would all night in the third, narrowing the gap 20-22 but an explosive third started by Natale and Arens helped stretch the lead. Arens hit the first of his treys to extend the lead and was clean at the foul line to make it 29-22.
Owen Mujalli was defensively strong in the period, stripping the ball from Woburn to feed Natale for a basket to end the third with Melrose up, 36-22. The Tanners ran out of air after that. Arens pulled Melrose away for good with two, three-pointers and Lamas became unstoppable in the fourth with three consecutive baskets, including a trey, to give Melrose a big lead of 46-24.
Lamas and Owen Mujalli ran away with the game in the final minutes with a series of baskets and assists and Melrose took the win, 55-32.
After the game, coach Burns spoke about the importance of finishing strong this year in order to make a playoff run. “We have our work cut out for us and need to win 50% of our games. We can definitely can do it, but it won’t be easy. The kids have had great attitudes and even during our tough stretch (5 game losing streak) they stuck together which is the most important thing.”
On Tuesday, they fell to a tougher than advertised Watertown team (8-5), and had to contend with 6’9 center Will Carty in a 54-41 loss. Leading in scoring for Melrose were Lamas, Arens and Mujalli.
From here, every game is going to count for Melrose, who has two critical games ahead. They will travel to Wakefield to take on the Warriors this Friday evening at 7:00 p.m. They previously beat the Warriors 52-49 on Dec. 19. On Tuesday they have a rematch against Burlington at home at 7:00 p.m. Says Burns, “The league is as good as I’ve ever seen it, and anyone can beat anyone. This year the freedom division has become the stronger of the two divisions, which usually isn’t the case.”
Power Rankings has Melrose right outside the bubble at 35, with plenty of time for advancement.