Saturday, February 3, 2024
Record: 22-4

“We are going to Disneyland.” Stated versatile forward Spencer Clark. Spencer, who often goes by the nickname Bee-Rabbit in the Lafayette music community, had promised his teammates a trip to Anaheim if they could beat his mother’s alma mater, Bishop O’Dowd. Sadly, the Disneyland adventure will have to wait. The Dons lost to Jennifer Montague’s school, 63-49. The JV Hoopsters finished the season, which includes a Mt. Diablo forfeit, with an impressive 22-4 record.

Bishop O’Dowd, often referred to as the Saint Ignatius of the East Bay, has a beautiful facility that features a digital scoreboard. This homecourt advantage worked well for the O’Dowd Dragons has they jumped to an early 4-0 lead. The young Dons responded. Star center, Josh Elerts, scored four points. The game was now tied 4-4. AJ Hastings hit a nice basket. The two powerhouse teams continued to exchange baskets. The quarter ended with an Arman Craig hitting a buzzer beater. After one period, it was O’Dowd 11, Acalanes 10.

The Dragons pulled away from the Dons in the 2nd quarter. The Dons playing in their fourth game in six days, simply could not keep up with their hosts. The Dragons would hit open shots while Acalanes struggled. Illias Kaplanes-Jones and Josh kept the Dons in the game by scoring four points apiece. Yet, the Dons only managed 12 points for the quarter. The DAL champs found themselves down by eleven points at halftime.

In the third quarter, the home team continued their onslaught. The Dons were tired, could not hold onto the ball, and simply could not score. The highlight of the quarter was a Nico Ortman three pointer. Nico, a junior, was injured during the season. The team was excited to see the veteran shooting guard back in action. The score after three periods was Bishop O’Dowd 53, Acalanes 27.

The final quarter of the season showcased Acalanes’ grit. The Dons played with renewed energy and forced the Dragons to turn over the ball. AJ Hastings, who had a season high 10 points, poured in several buckets. Josh, who led all Dons scorers with 16 points, also poured in several baskets. The Dons, in fact, outscored the Dragons 22-10, in this last period. Unfortunately, it was a little too late as Acalanes fell to Bishop O’Dowd by a score of 63-49.

Superfans Lori Elerts had these remarks to say about the Don’s magical season: “It has been fantastic watching this group of talented boys play basketball this season. They work hard together and deserve to win the league championship.” Lori, who contributed to this story, further added: “We are so grateful for Coach Eric Thomas. Every player contributed to this exciting championship team. Watching them play is such an honor as a parent – thanks to each player for making the season memorable and fun to watch. GO DONS.”