Looney's Three Point Parade Not Enough As Warriors Fall In Overtime

seemed to have learned from its late collapse against Reading earlier this week, as they tied things up with less than a minute to go in their contest against visiting Melrose on Monday night. However, the comeback wasn’t enough as they fell in overtime to the Red Raiders, 58-51.

Melrose got off to a quick 15-7 start in the first, but the Warriors were able to bring it back within one by halftime on the shoulders of captain Daniel Looney’s trio of three pointers, accounting for 9 of his 11 points in the second quarter.

The Red Raiders held on tenaciously to their one point lead left at the end of the third, and seemed to have an opportunity to put things away late in the game, but a bucket from senior Edward Caron with 28 seconds left tied things up at 45 and gave the Warriors what seemed like insurmountable momentum heading into the extra frame.

Despite two more threes from Looney, Melrose was able to put the game out of reach thanks largely to 6”8 senior center Andrew Scocca scored six in the overtime period, followed by freshman guard Jalen Adams, who added four points and two key rebounds.

“We can’t quite get over the hump,” said Wakefield head coach Brad Simpson. “I told the kids I was pleased with the way they played, they never quit.”

For Simpson, defense was just as key as the huge quarter from Looney or the key shot from Caron to putting the Warriors within seconds of ending their now six game losing streak, but in the end the sheer size of Scocca proved too much to overcome.

“We’ve played good defense during this losing streak, it hasn’t been our defense that’s been our problem,” said the coach, whose squad also came back from 12 behind in the Reading game. “It was hard to get an answer for Scocca, the big kid. I just told Eddie Caron he played a great game (guarding Scocca),  and I know Scocca got his points, but we were giving away six inches and probably about 80 pounds , (so) I think we did a good job.”

While Wakefield hasn't yet found a way to turn their season around, the game marked an upswing after a rough start for the Red Warriors, who have now won two in a row following their victory against Lexington last week.

“We’re not satisfied, we’re just scratching the surface of what we can be as a team,” said Melrose head coach Mike Kasprzak. “We’re a work in progress, it was a total team effort tonight.”

Scocca was just a few steals short of a triple-double as he led all Melrose scorers with 24 points and 14 rebounds while Looney set the pace for Wakefield with 20.

The Warriors now look to end their slide at home on Jan. 21 against Stoneham, which is currently in last place in the Middlesex League.