Wilson’s Boys Basketball’ Aidan Melograna looks to build on summer league success this winter

When Wilson’s 2021-22 men’s basketball season ended in a loss in the Class 6A District 3 seventh-place game, Aidan Melograna left the court with a bitter taste in his mouth and a simple goal: improve as much as possible. before the next season.

Melograna immediately started working and returned to the field this summer with West Reading teammates Ron Krick Memoria High School League, where the Bulldogs, playing as Marella Financial, finished second after falling 46-45 in overtime against Berks Packing (Berks Catholic) in the championship game on Thursday night.

Melograna, a rising senior, was named the league’s All-Star Player and won the Woozy Smith Award, which is given to the league’s most improved player.

“It means a lot to me,” Melograna said of winning the award. “I said to myself at the end of the season (in high school) that I was going to be a much better player. I was a little frustrated with how last season went for me and the success of our team. .

A versatile player and sharpshooter from beyond the arc, Melograna averaged 4.9 points per game last season and led Wilson to 3 points with 30. Since last season, Melograna said he worked tirelessly on every aspect of his game and even added about 10 pounds of muscle to his 6-3 frame to help him be more efficient in the paint.

“It’s good to see improvements in all aspects of my game,” Melograna said. “My self-confidence has skyrocketed this year. It’s improved a lot just by working hard.

In his second summer league season, Melograna helped guide Marella Financial to the championship game, where Melograna scored seven points.

“Our starting five, we’re very good,” Melograna said. “It’s about playing as a team. We are going to be a very good team this winter if we keep working and playing hard.

Although he and his team did not win the league title, Melograna said playing in the summer league for two years provided him with a great opportunity to assess his strengths and weaknesses.

“It helps me a lot,” he said. “It helps me see where my game is at and what I need to work on through the fall to be a better player in the winter.”

And while he was grateful to have won the Most Improved Player award this summer, Melograna is solely focused on helping Wilson win championships this winter.

“I want to win a county championship and I want to win a district championship,” Melograna said. “It means nothing compared to this trophy.”