Published January 11, 2019

By BEN PAINCHAUD

MELROSE—If Friday night’s game at Melrose High showed anything, it’s that the Melrose-Wakefield rivalry is still very much alive and well. Wakefield got the best of the Red Raiders, 51-40, in what made for an electric atmosphere with no shortage of chippy play and intense moments.

Not many teams can match the size and skill of Melrose’s Holden Symonds and Luka Vlajkovic, but Wakefield proved on Friday that it’s one of them. Wakefield senior Billy O’Keefe was a force inside and out for the Warriors, tallying 17 points on the night and leading Wakefield emotionally.

“He just took it to us, took it to the entire team,” said Melrose head coach Mike Kasprzak of O’Keefe’s big night.

Fueled by their boisterous student section, Wakefield stormed out of the opening gate and was up 18-5 by the end of the first quarter. Melrose had its hands full all night trying to contain the Warriors’ speedy guards, who in the first quarter hassled Melrose on the defensive glass and seemingly came up with most of the loose balls.

A shot clock violation on Wakefield and a Jay Tucci and-one layup helped spark a second quarter comeback for the Red Raiders, who trailed going into the half, 24-15. Melrose struggled mightily to involve Symonds and Vlajkovic in the first half. Perhaps surprised by the size, physicality and athleticism of Wakefield, the pair combined for a mere 5 points through the first two quarters.

CAPT. JAY Tucci takes to the air during Melrose’s 51-40 loss to Wakefield last Friday night. (Donna Larsson photo)

In the third quarter, Melrose began pressing and trapping Wakefield from three-quarters court, which shook the Warriors at first and forced them to call timeout less than two minutes into the quarter, up 27-21. Melrose failed to capitalize on their momentum, with the Warriors playing much more cohesively out of the timeout.

Vlajkovic ran into foul trouble towards the end of the quarter and eventually fouled-out, leaving the Red Raiders without arguably their most crucial player going down the stretch. The forward took a beating over the night, sustaining a poked eye and also landing hard on his back while going up for a layup in the first half. Wakefield closed out the half up, 39-28.

By the fourth quarter, Wakefield’s quick guards adapted to Melrose’s press, which seemingly created more open looks than turnovers for the Warriors in the early going of the last quarter. A string of technical fouls brought the pace of play to a standstill, and the game getting increasingly heated.

“I liked our fight, getting back in the game. I liked our composure…things got chippy, our kids stuck together, were respectful to the refs,” said Kasprzak.

In the final three minutes, Melrose never relented and was able to force some turnovers and scrap their way to occasional single-digit deficits, but missing Vlajkovic hurt Melrose late. Marino Preziosa asserted himself in the fourth, earning three trips to the line and scoring 7 points in the quarter, but it wasn’t enough, and Melrose lost, 51-40.

Melrose falls to Belmont, 74-51

Just days later on Tuesday, Jan. 8, Melrose fell at home to one of the state’s quickest and most fast-paced teams in Belmont, 74-51.

The Red Raiders struggled all night with the Marauders’ trap defense, which clamped down to create numerous steals, deflections, and transition opportunities for Belmont. Guards Marino Preziosa, Jay Tucci, Luke Pashoian, and Charlie Borstel all did their part in maneuvering Melrose past the stifling press, but Belmont’s pestiness prevented Melrose from being able to truly establish its half-court offense.

To Melrose head coach Mike Kasprzak, missed opportunities on offense doomed the team. “What you’re seeing is a missed layup leading into the best transition team in the state, so if you make those layups the whole next possession is a completely different play.”

Melrose kept it close in the beginning of the game despite the initial stun of Belmont’s speed and quickness, with the score being 15-11 in favor of the Marauders going into the second quarter. Melrose forward Luka Vlajkovic made the highlight of the first half when he dropped a Belmont defender to the hardwood on a right-to-left crossover, and then fired a pass to Holden Symonds for a reverse layup.

Belmont’s ever-converging, ever-poking-and-swiping trap defense troubled Melrose in the second quarter. That, along with Belmont’s run-and-gun style on offense, seemingly never allowed Melrose to catch its breath. Belmont guard Mac Annus went on a hot streak, giving the Melrose defense 12 points in the second quarter alone, and Belmont led 36-19 at half.

“As good as they are, our transition defense was just lousy. Anybody could’ve scored on us tonight. So as good as they are…we just didn’t get back on defense, just simple basketball. It starts with just getting back and it was all of us,” said head coach Mike Kasprzak of Melrose’s difficulty in containing Belmont’s speed.

Holden Symonds gave Melrose some life early in the third when he drove baseline and threw down a two-hand jam, then hung around for a while afterward. The freshman led Melrose in points in the quarter with 6. However, Belmont continued to run and press Melrose, not letting the Red Raider gain any momentum, and after three they still were up big, 53-35.

In the fourth, Melrose just couldn’t string together enough quick-hitting opportunities to get back into the game, with the Marauders’ defense being so disruptive. In the final three minutes, Kasprzak inserted his starters in an attempt to make one last push, but it was too late, and Belmont hung on, 74-51.

Now on a two-game skid, Melrose will look to return to form tonight when they host Burlington at 7 pm.