By Jeff Kiesling
Community Contributor
The Dover Sherborn boys varsity basketball team defeated the Bellingham Black Hawks at
home on February 7 by the score of 71-51.
The Black Hawks dropped three quick baskets to start the scoring, but DS answered with a pair
of three-pointers to even the score at 6-6 midway through the first quarter. Luke Spellman
followed with another three and a transition layup by Mason Melchionda gave the Raiders an
11-6 lead that they would not relinquish. Bellingham struggled on offense but converted an
inbounds pass into a bucket from inside the paint at the buzzer to cut DS’ lead to 19-10 at the
end of one.
Rinaldi stayed hot in the second, dropping four more three-pointers and the Raiders led 47-24 at
the half.
The two squads struggled to score in the third until Rinaldi again heated up with a couple of
threes, and then a lay-up by Spellman with 3:00 remaining in the quarter extended the home
lead to 55-31. A deep three by Max Glick from the left corner put DS up, 60-35, at the end of
three. The Raiders bench kept up the scoring in the fourth quarter as Glick hit another shot from
beyond the arc and Chris Kiesling dropped a three-pointer of his own in the closing minutes to
seal the win. The Raiders were led in scoring by Luke Rinaldi (28), Mason Melchionda (10) and
Luke Spellman (10).
DS played at home against league foe Norton High School on Friday night, February 10. With
the win, DS clinched a share of the Tri-Valley League title. The Lancers played DS evenly in the
first quarter and threatened a run to begin the second on successive three-pointers. Halfway
through the second, DS regained control of the matter when Brian Olson picked a ball-handler
and scored in transition, and Charles Fang buried a three to even the score. Rinaldi and
Spellman each added a three-pointer inside the final two minutes of the half, giving DS a 40-32
lead at the break.
The Lancers made a quick run in the third to claw back to within one score of DS with a
breakaway basket at the 3:45 mark. The teams traded buckets for the rest of the frame and the
score was knotted at 49 at the end of three.
Spellman opened the fourth with a three-pointer which ignited a scoring burst by the Raiders.
Soon after, Melchionda scored from the lane, Olson scored on back-to-back possessions and
Spellman converted a three-point play. Melchionda followed with a runner in the lane, Rinaldi
dropped a dart and Jono Wendle let fly from the right corner for three. By the time Norton called
its final timeout with 2:35 remaining, DS was up by 15 points. The Raiders cruised the rest of
the way, winning by the final score of 76-59. On the night, Dover Sherborn was led in scoring by
Luke Rinaldi (25), Brian Olson (16), and Luke Spellman (15).
DS (15-3) looks to finish on a strong note in its final two scheduled games of the season before
conference play begins.
