Hopedale used the pinpoint shooting of junior forward Barett Dziok and a dominant second-half rebounding effort to rolle to a Dual Valley Conference win over Whitinsville Christian.

Dziok hit five 3-pointers to finish with a game-high 23 points, while classmate Justin Lewis added 20 points for the Blue Raiders (18-1, 14-0 DVC).

The Crusaders (12-6, 9-4 DVC) opened strong as sophomore center Alex Vander Baan scored 12 of his 19 points before the break and the game was tied 31-31 at the half before Hopedale raced away.

Hopedale breezed to a Dual Valley Conference victory behind 12 points from Kevin Nee. The Blue Devils stayed unbeaten in league play at 13-0 and moved to 17-1 overall.

Craig Gannon had seven points and nine rebounds as Hopedale was able to rest its starters for the second half. Scott Fletcher and Steve Dorsey put in eight apiece.

HOPEDALE

Craig Gannon 3-1-7, Neal Tennenholtz 1-0-2, Scott Fletcher 4-0-8, Steve Dorsey 4-0-8, Kevin Nee 5-2-12, Matt Stevens 3-1-7, Dan Villanni 3-1-7, Artie Posch 2-0-4. Totals 25-5-55.

ST. MARY'S

Bailegeron 7-1-15, Joyce 1-1-3, Korman 5-0-10, McCauliffe 2-0-4, Hernandez 1-0-2. Totals 16-2-34.

3-point goals: None. Halftime: Hopedale, 38-15.

SUTTON-- Hopedale's do-it-with-defense, pound-the-glass approach paid off during last night's Dual Valley Conference boys' basketball matchup with Sutton.

The Blue Raiders, sparked by the passing and slashing of forward Justin Lewis (20 points), and a solid defensive effort, overcame a slow start to post a harder-than-it-looked 59-51 victory at the Sammies' gym.

Hopedale, which won its 13th straight game, is 16-1 (12-0). Bellingham is the only team to defeat the Blue Raiders this season. Sutton, which lost its third straight, slipped to 9-6 (6-6).

Hopedale downed the Sammies earlier this season, 58-47.

The game featured a classic contrast in offensive styles.

Sutton finished with 10 3-pointers, knocking down five in each half. Eight players sank at least one 3-pointer. The Sammies hit just eight two-point field goals.

The Blue Raiders, sporting a taller frontcourt, scored most of their points in the paint. Hopedale tallied eight points on offensive put-backs in the first half.

“Rebounding was a big factor for us in this game,” Hopedale coach Tony Cordani said. “We usually have an advantage on the boards and we rely on that. In the first half, we weren't very patient on offense and we weren't very disciplined. In the second half, we were more patient and disciplined, so our scoring picked up a bit. Defense and rebounding were the two areas we tried to emphasize in this game.”

The Blue Raiders used a 14-5 run midway through the second half to grab their largest lead to that point, 48-36, with 6:35 to go. Barett Dziok kicked off the spurt with a drive and Lewis capped it with a baseline jumper. Lewis added a layup and two free throws in the run.

Sutton refused to wilt, though, getting a conventional three-point play off a drive by Ryan Fattman and a long trey from Evan Dufault in a span of 47 seconds to close to 48-42.

Moments later, a baseline drive by Dziok, a put-back by Mat Stevens and a conventional three-point play by Kevin Nee upped the Blue Raider lead to 55-42 with 1:57 to go.

The hosts went down shooting, outscoring Hopedale, 9-4, over the final 1:26. Sophomore Pat Belniak drained two driving layups, while sophomore Jamie Dahrooge canned a long 3-pointer.

“I thought we played a good game against a quality opponent,” Sutton coach Steve Romasco said. “If we could have hit a few more shots, we would have won. Hopedale has a great team. They rebound well, they're physical and they're very strong. But this was one of our better games of the year.”

The Sammies scored the first five points of the game on a jumper and a trey by Fattman. Hopedale answered with an 8-0 run, keyed by Dan VIllani's two buckets in the paint. Sutton tied the score on a 3-pointer by Tony Winn. This was the first of five ties in the first half. The Blue Raiders held a 27-25 lead at the break.

“Sutton has excellent shooters and you have to be on them all the time,” Cordani said. 'A couple of times we missed defensive assignments and they hit some shots. Even when we played good defense on them, they hit some shots. And Sutton doesn't go away either. They just keep coming and coming. They have a great program and they're very well coached, so you know they'll keep coming at you.”

Fattman topped Sutton with 20 points. He hit three 3-pointers and several drives in traffic. Fattman was the only Sammie to reach double figures. For Hopedale, Stevens added 12 points and Nee 10.

HOPEDALE (59)

Justin Lewis 9 2 20, Mat Stevens 4 4 12, Barett Dziok 3 2 8, Dan Villani 2 0 4, Kevin Binney 2 0 5, Kevin Nee 3 4 10, Craig Gannon 0. Totals: 23 12 59.

SUTTON (51) Deryk Largesse 2 0 5, Ryan Fattman 7 3 20, Evan Dufault 1 2 5, Jamie Dahrooge 1 0 3, Dan Donahue 1 0 3, Pat Belniak 3 0 7, Tim Winn 1 0 3, Brian Sampson 1 0 2, Mike Balderelli 1 0 3. Totals: 18 5 51.

Halftime: Hopedale 27-25. 3-point goals: Fattman 3, Largesse, Dufault, Dahrooge, Donahue, Belniak, Winn, Balderelli, Binney. Records: Hopedale 16-1 (12-0), Sutton 9-6 (6-6). JV: Sutton, 44-34.

Kevin Nee was strong all-around, recording 15 points, nine rebounds and seven assists for Hopedale, which clinched at least a share of the Dual Valley Conference title by knocking off visiting Blackstone-Millville, 77-56.

Justin Lewis led the Blue Raiders (15-1, 11-0) with 22 points, 18 coming in the first half when Hopedale built a 45-26 lead. Barett Dziok chipped in with 18, burying four of the team's five 3-pointers, and Matt Stevens added 10.

Dan Villani ripped down nine boards, and point guard Kevin Binney posted eight assists.

With three games remaining, Hopedale is three games ahead of Nipmuc and Whitinsville Christian in the standings. Having swept the Warriors, the Blue Raiders can clinch the title outright with a win Friday at Sutton.

"Right now, we're playing pretty good basketball," Hopedale coach Tony Cordani said. "We're passing well on offense, we're playing pretty good defense. Time will tell. I still think we're getting a little better."

The Chargers (3-11, 3-8) were fueled by Ron Powers, who dropped in a game-high 23 points. Alex Curry chimed in with 15, but BMR couldn't stay with the unbeaten hosts.

HOPEDALE (77)

Craig Gannon 2 0 4, Justin Lewis 10 2 22, Kevin Nee 6 3 15, Matt Stevens 3 4 10, Barrett Dziok 5 4 18, Dan Villani 1 0 2, Kevin Binney 2 1 6. Totals: 29 14 77.

BLACKSTONE-MILLVILLE (56)

Alex Curry 3 9 15, Kevin Kenney 3 0 6, Matt Marcoux 1 0 2, Doug Meade 2 0 4, Rob Patterson 1 0 2, Derek Pennie 2 0 5, Ron Powers 11 1 23. Totals: 22 11 56.

Halftime: H, 45-26. 3-point goals: Dziok 4, Pennie, Binney. Records: BMR 3-9 (3-7 DVC), H 15-1 (10-0). JV: BMR.

Finally, a team might just need that one addition to put it over the top. Take the Hopedale boys hoop squad, which was bolstered with the return of power forward Kevin Nee, who joined the ranks of league all-stars Justin Lewis and Barret Dziok. After two down years, the Blue Raiders are 14-1 after their huge win Thursday night over archrival Nipmuc.

HOPEDALE -- A sellout crowd of close to 500 created the feeling of being boxed in the Hopedale-Nipmuc hoops game last night. Hopedale's ability to box out allowed the Blue Devils to stay unbeaten in Dual Valley Conference play with a 59-51 victory.

With forwards Justin Lewis and Kevin Nee cleaning the boards on either end of the floor, Hopedale (14-1, 10-0 DVC) took control of a loud, physical contest. The duo combined for 30 points and 20 rebounds, including 12 offensive boards.

After the burly Nee (18 points, 11 rebounds) set the tone with 12 points in the first half to give his team a 27-25 edge at the break, Lewis dominated with his leaping ability and tenacity. In the first 3:50 of the second half, he scored seven points and grabbed four rebounds, three offensive, during a 10-0 Hopedale run.

"Coach told us to keep playing hard, and that was the difference in the game," said Lewis, who finished with 23 points and nine rebounds. "We won the battle of the boards."

Forward Brian Wood got Nipmuc back in the game with six points during a 10-3 spurt that closed the gap to 53-51. The home team responded to the run with a pair of Lewis putbacks sandwiched around a Nee floater. Back up by eight, Hopedale held Nipmuc without a basket for the final three minutes.

Hopedale got 12 points from Barett Dziok, who hit three 3-pointers, and five assists from Kevin Binney, but it was clear who decided the outcome. After the teams shook hands, Nipmuc coach Jim Grant pulled Nee and Lewis aside and praised them for controlling the game.

"They are two tremendous rebounders, and they got the job done," said Grant, whose team fell to 9-3 overall, and 6-3 in the league. "We couldn't get extra shots, and they were getting two and three chances. That game was won inside on the boards, and that's what (upsets) me more than anything else. We didn't keep them off the boards. There is no excuse.

"When we figure out we have to box out every time down the board, and not just once in a while, then we might be able to compete with a team like that."

Despite the rebounding edge, Hopedale couldn't shake Nipmuc, thanks to the outside shooting of guards Chris and Jon Rose, who scored 13 and 11 respectively and combined for five 3-pointers. Jack Mahoney added 15, mostly on slashing drives to the hoop, while Wood contributed eight, all in the second half.

Both Grant and Hopedale coach Tony Cordani felt more fouls could've been called, as Nipmuc attempted four free throws and Hopedale 11. The physical nature favored the home team.

Though his team played the cream of the DVC tight, Grant held nothing back when asked if he could take any solace from a close battle.

"None at all. What the (heck) is solace about it?," Grant said. "We got beat. We got beat by a team that beat us off the boards, and we didn't get to the line. We should've been to the line more."

For both teams, playing in front of a standing room-only crowd can only be a benefit as tournament time approaches.

"There was probably as many Nipmuc people as there were Hopedale," Cordani said. "It's a good, friendly rivalry, the place was jammed. If you are a high school basketball player, it doesn't come any better than this. This was definitely a tournament atmosphere. Tonight was a big step, because it'll prepare us for the playoffs."

HOPEDALE (59)

Kevin Nee 9 0 18, Kevin Binney 1 0 3, Barett Dziok 4 1 12, Justin Lewis 9 5 23, Matthew Stevens 1 1 3, Dan Villani 0. Totals: 24 7 59.

NIPMUC (51)

Jon Rose 4 1 11, Jack Mahoney 6 2 15, Chris Rose 5 0 13, Cole Osburn 1 0 2, Alex Hayes 1 0 2, Brian Wood 4 0 8, John Young 0. Totals: 21 3 51

Halftime: H, 27-25. 3-point goals: Dziok 3. C. Rose 3, JRose 2, Mahoney, Binney.

Records: H 14-1 (10-0 DVC), N 10-3, 6-3.

Telegram Write-Up

Last year, people thought they probably wouldn't. The Hopedale boys basketball team was young, immature, and not quite ready for the big stage. The handful of sophomores had to grow up some before they could talk about division and state championships. But this year, couldn't they win it all? And next year, shouldn't they?

This group of Blue Raiders has climbed the ranks together -- instructional leagues, youth leagues, what have you. Suddenly, with Hopedale stripped of its seniors after a strong 2000-01 campaign in which it went 22-4 and reached the Division 3 state final. Hopedale coach Tony Cordani had to call on the reserves. They began the ensuing season as awe-struck youngsters, and ended it as seasoned vets.

The Blue Raiders went 12-8 last season and bowed to Sutton in the first round of the tournament. But a year later, the sophomores-turned-juniors have more seasoning than a spice rack. And it shows. They're 12-1, 8-0 in the Dual Valley Conference, enjoying a two-game lead over Nipmuc, and looking pretty tough with the state tournament on the horizon. "We've just progressed throughout the year. It's so amazing to watch," junior Barett Dziok said. "It's scary to think how good we can be when put full game together."

The last state crown the town enjoyed was the 1993 field hockey championship. Boys hoop has brought home none. Hall-of-Fame coach Don Klocek, who began coaching in 1969, compiled 387 wins in 30 years but no state titles. If there's anyone who can finish what Klocek started, it's Cordani. He's proven, having led the Hopkinton boys hoop team to the Division 4 title game in the 1999-2000 season. This team definitely has the tools. So how about weaknesses?

"There really isn't a weakness on our team," senior Kevin Nee said. "That's what's so good."

Not so fast. The team isn't quite perfect. In their lone loss -- granted it came to 12-1 Bellingham -- the Blue Raiders' short bench was exposed by foul trouble. In their win over Uxbridge, only four players scored. They're also known to get a little overexcited, which to some isn't such a liability.

But Nee's a big reason why one is at least hard-pressed to find a soft spot. The 6-foot-2 pivot man, a Hopedale resident, played under Steve Manguso in Milford for a year, helping the team to a 19-2 mark. He transferred back to Hopedale for the grand finale and he's averaged close to a double-double.

When 6-4 freshman forward Dan Villani starts -- otherwise it's shooting guard Kevin Binney -- Nee is the shortest on the court, looking up to 6-3 Dziok, Mat Stevens and Justin Lewis. Yet he still plays center.

Dziok backs Cordani's call on that. "He's a monster, he's huge," Dziok said of the 210-pound Nee who won the Teenage Strongman National Championship in October. "He takes up so much space, he plays with so much heart, he's a great defender. Every night the kid's playing the best kid on the other team."

But potentially the biggest factor in the Blue Raiders' blazing start is the team balance. Nee, Binney, Villani, Stevens -- they're all pitching in. Everyone knows about Nee by now, given he's chalked up 20-plus points in five games, five more than last year in Milford. Binney has shaken off an ankle injury and is back at 100 percent, Villani is dangerously good as a newcomer, and Stevens has flourished as a first-year point guard. Yet it's no secret that Dziok and Lewis remain their main basket-fillers. Dziok's scoring has been steady in the low- to mid-teens, while Lewis has really blossomed into an explosive scorer. The junior is averaging 20.5 points through 13 contests, pouring in a season-high 30 in the Blue Raiders' win over Nipmuc Jan. 7.

"He knows how to score," Binney said of Lewis. "I don't know how he does it sometimes. He runs the floor really well, he gets out in front of everyone." So everything's in place -- the talent, the coaching, the mix of youth and experience. If a big win's needed for their argument, how about a 52-44 triumph over Northbridge in December? It's the Rams' only loss thus far.

Add it all up, and one has to think, why not a division title for these guys? And why not even more? "If we play with our A-game, there's always a chance," Nee said. "When we play together well, and we're having one of those nights where we all jell, anything's possible."

*****

Nee's accomplishments on and off the court have been well-documented, but now he's gone national. The Hopedale High senior will appear in this week's edition of Sports Illustrated's "Faces in the Crowd."

"When they called me, I asked them if it was a prank call," Nee said with a laugh. "I thought it was a few guys down at the gym messing with me, but nope, it was real. I couldn't believe it."

Nee placed second at the Massachusetts State championship in August before going on to nationals in St. Louis. There, Nee won the Teenage Strongman National Championship by taking first place in all six events to earn a perfect score.

Sports Illustrated photographed Nee in Worcester last Friday. The magazine hits newsstands on Wednesday. Nee trains at The Body Shop in Milford and also with Bruce Tessier, a professional Strongman himself. Both will partake in next month's Extreme Strongman Showdown held at the Shriners Auditorium in Wilmington.

HOPEDALE -- There have been points in the Hopedale season which may have indicated that opponents would have a tough time keeping pace.

The Blue Raiders are talented, brawny and have started out blistering.

Junior Justin Lewis was the biggest factor in preventing it all from crashing down. The forward scored 16 of his game-high 22 points in the second half as Hopedale dominated Dual Valley Conference foe Sutton in the paint to come away with a 58-47 victory.

Tied 27-27, the teams traded baskets to open the second half until Sutton senior captain Ryan Fattman (17 points) hit two straight 3-pointers to put the Sammies up 35-31 with 13:10 left to play.

That's where the visitors' hopes for an upset would end, however, as a taller, stronger Hopedale squad went on a dominating 18-5 run to go ahead 49-40 with 5:22 remaining.

"I told the guys (at the intermission) to stick with the game plan (of) getting the ball inside and defending the perimeter, both of which I thought we did a good job of in the second half," Hopedale head coach Tony Cordani, whose squad improved to 8-1 overall and 5-0 in the Dual Valley Conference.

Senior forward Kevin Nee began the streak with a layup, followed immediately by a 3-pointer by junior guard Barett Dziok. After the Blue Raiders spurned two Sammie fast breaks, junior point guard Kevin Binney hit a 3-pointer at the shot-clock buzzer and both Nee and Lewis added layups to completely take Sutton out of the game.

The visitors simply could not match Hopedale in the low post. In terms of rebounding, the Blue Raiders dominated the glass on the offensive end, allowing Lewis and Nee to take advantage of plenty of second-chance scoring opportunities. Defensively, Hopedale simply outmuscled Sutton and defended well against its perimeter shooters.

"Their rebounding strength (allowed) them to get a lot of extra shots," noted Sutton head coach Steve Romasco, whose team fell to 5-3 (2-3 DVC). "We tried to extend the court and didn't make shots down the stretch probably because we were so tired having to lean on them. Physically, they are obviously very strong."

The first half was marked both by Hopedale's inabilities to finish on layups and remain strong on defense. With the Raiders up 18-7 with 9:20 to play, the Sammies went on a 20-9 run to close the half by converting on fast-break chances of their own.

"We expected to do a little bit better (in the first half)," said Cordani. "There were a couple of times where we lost sight of guys and didn't play great defense."

After a missed layup by Nee, Sutton sophomore guard Deryk Largesse converted a 3-pointer at the other end of the floor to make it 23-22 Hopedale with 3:05 remaining. After Lewis was unable to convert a layup in traffic, Sutton was able to score the last four points of the half -- highlighted by another Largesse shot from downtown -- to send a frustrated Raider squad into the locker room with the score even.

HOPEDALE (58) Justin Lewis 7 8 22, Kevin Nee 5 0 10, Matt Stevens 2 5 9, Barrett Dziok 5 0 12, Kevin Binney 2 0 5. Totals: 21 13 58.

SUTTON (47) Deryk Largess 2 2 8, Evan Dufault 2 0 4, Ryan Fattman 5 5 17, J.D. Lavoie 1 0 2, Tim Winn 2 4 9, Pat Belniak 0 2 2, Mike Baldarelli 2 0 5. Totals: 14 13 47.

Halftime: Tied, 27-27. 3-point goals: Fattman 2, Largess 2, Dziok 2, Binney, Winn, Baldarelli. Records: H 8-1, S 7-3. JV: H, 56-47.