Season Recap: Red Raiders Battle Back to Make Playoffs

Despite making the MIAA tournament for the first time in 10 years, the 2010-2011 season was by no means an easy ride for the boys basketball team. 

The Red Raiders would ultimately lose, 55-50, to North Andover in the first round of the Div. 2 North sectional, but the road to get to the postseason was full off twists and turns that made even the possibility of a winning season seem iffy. 

The season got off to a rocky start with a, , followed by losses to  and .

That streak was finally snapped with a thanks to 24 points and 16 rebounds from senior center Andrew Scocca.

But the high of that win was short-lived, as the Red Raiders fell three days later to .

Melrose recovered however, with a 68-54 win over Lexington, followed by a , where Scocca once again had a big night with 24 points. 

After a on Jan. 26, Melrose went on a nice little three-game winning streak sparked by a  and won by one point over Stoneham. 

Melrose finally was able to even its record at 6-6 after the streak, but then

The Red Raiders pulled to .500 once again following a, , led by 22 points from Scocca and 15 from freshman Jalen Adams. 

Melrose would finish 4-2 down the stretch with big wins over Wakefield and Reading before once again in the final game of the regular season. 

At 11-9 overall, Melrose finally found themselves in the postseason as the 14th seed in the Div. 2 North sectional. But ran into a tough North Andover team that to bounce Melrose from the tournament. Matt and Ryan Sherlock combined for 24 points on the night, but Scocca was held to just eight points. 

There's no question that this past season was a successful one for Melrose. It's no easy task to make the MIAA tournament, let alone after a 10-year drought. But while the season came to an end earlier than any Melrose fan would have liked, there is still plenty to look forward to in 2011.