Acalanes opened their holiday tournament play with a solid second place finish in the Ken Nelson Frosh Invitational. The 8-team, 3-day tournament featured six squads from the East Bay and two from Marin.
Game 1 – Acalanes 58, Marin Catholic 50
This game was a tale of two very different halves. The first half saw Acalanes play their best basketball of the young season. The Dons got off to a strong start in the first quarter, forcing several turnovers with their press and getting easy buckets for multiple scorers and an 18-14 lead. The strong momentum carried into the second quarter, where everything came together for the Dons. Steals led to layups, defensive stops and rebounds brought quick outlets to open 3’s, and six different players scored in a 28 to 5 romp. Aca led 46 – 19 at the half and held full control of the game. The second half, however, was nearly the mirror opposite. Marin Catholic turned up their intensity, and Acalanes failed to match it. The Wildcats outscored Acalanes 31 to 12 in the second half, dictating the tempo and repeatedly getting to and finishing at the rim. Fortunately, the first half cushion was enough to secure the victory for the Dons, 58 – 50. Marin Catholic scored 45 of their 50 points in the paint (36) and at the free throw line (9). Brandon Blatteis and Nick Zagorov led all scorers with 18 points each.
Game 2 – Acalanes 46, Campolindo 39
The second game was a showdown with tournament host and crosstown rival, Campolindo. Both teams clearly felt the extra weight of the rivalry matchup and the nerves showed with turnovers and missed assignments, shots, and free throws. The first quarter ended in a 7 – 7 tie, and both teams likely felt fortunate. The teams came out with energy in the second, but the ragged play continued, as neither team could find the range consistently. Scoring was slow and back and forth until Zubin Krishnan hit Nick Zagorov on a long outlet pass for a last second basket, giving the Dons a 21 – 18 halftime lead. In the third, the Dons began to take control of the game with their defense. Pengyu Chen got two quick steals for a layup and foul shots. Chen converted 1 of 2 at the line, with Krishnan hitting two free throws on the next possession, putting the Dons up 33 – 26. Campo made one small run but would never lead again, and Aca made 2 of 4 free throws at the end to get the win, 46 – 39. In the end, it was a gutty win for the Dons on a night when neither team had their “A” game.
Game 3 – Dougherty Valley 79, Acalanes 49
The championship game saw Acalanes face off against the San Ramon powerhouse, Dougherty Valley. Coming off their win in the Alameda High School Frosh Shootout, Dougherty Valley would be the Dons’ toughest test so far this season. The first quarter started fast, with the Wildcats winning the tip and scoring a layup before the Dons could set up their defense. Acalanes came back with a Pengyu Chen layup and a Nick Zagorov three-pointer for an early lead. DV came back with a three of their own and the teams traded blows for the next several minutes. The Dons were down just two, 14 – 12 with 1:30 to go in the quarter, when the Wildcats went on a 9 – 3 run to end the period. Aca’s struggles continued in the second period, with 8 turnovers leading to easy baskets on the other end. DV played very well and was led by #5, McHale, who scored 10 of his game high 24 points in the period. By the middle of the third quarter, DV led by 26, and Acalanes rotated in several new players. Dougherty followed suit in the fourth and the game ended 79 – 49 in favor of the Wildcats. The game proved a great benchmark for the Dons, who fought hard the whole way but lost to a worthy champion.
