The Acalanes Freshman Boys Basketball team looked to finish their pre-season tournament schedule strong when they tipped off against Cal High in game 1 of the Dougherty Valley Holiday Tournament Gold division.
Game 1 – Acalanes 32, Cal High 57
The first game back after the Christmas break started rough and never got much better. Nick Zagorov rolled his ankle before either team had scored and had to leave the game. The Dons did their best to regroup and managed to scratch out a 1-point lead after the first quarter, 10 to 9. But whether from Zagorov’s injury or the Christmas layoff, the normal team energy and rhythm wasn’t there, as both the score and game stats showed. Cal outscored Aca by 26 the rest of the way. Only four Acalanes players scored, led by Brandon Blatteis’ game high 22 points. Cal turned the Dons over 20 times against just 4 for themselves, and outscored Acalanes in the paint, 34 to 10.
Game 2 – Acalanes 71, Monte Vista 50
The Dons took the court against the Mustangs looking to turn things around from game 1 and to avenge a tough 1-point loss to Monte Vista a few weeks earlier. In stark contrast to the Cal game, Aca came out with energy and purpose, pressuring the Mustangs all over the floor. The shots didn’t fall at first, but the Dons forced several turnovers, broke the paint at will, and repeatedly created good looks. Midway through the quarter, Brandon Blatteis hit a three from the wing, jumpstarting the scoring for the Dons. The Mustangs hung tough, but the Dons took the first quarter, 23 to 17. Acalanes took control of the game in the second quarter, with 11 different players rotating in and playing tough defense all over the court. Aca scored inside and outside, while holding the Mustangs to just 3 points in the quarter for a 38 to 20 halftime lead. The second half was closer, but Acalanes still won both quarters and finished the game with a convincing 21-point win. Ten different Dons scored in the game, including three in double digits: Blatteis – 18, Frankie Rocca – 13, and Pengyu Chen – 10.
Game 3 – Acalanes 56, James Logan 61
In the closing game, the Dons faced James Logan, whom they defeated in the Alameda High Shootout a few weeks earlier. In the first meeting, Aca broke open a close game in the third quarter and won comfortably, 63 to 49. In the rematch, the Colts ran out to a 9 – 2 lead off an open three-pointer followed, a turnaround in the paint, and two layups. Pengyu Chen and Zubin Krishnan returned the favor with two nice drives of their own, but JL continued to dominate the boards for second chance points and nailed a three at the buzzer to close the first period up 20 – 12. In the second, both teams found open lanes to the basket. Chen and Blatteis got inside several times for baskets, but so did the Colts big men, including an And-1 to put JL up by 6. Rocca and Krishnan scored baskets inside, and Christian Dunphy drained a three with seconds to go in the half to pull Aca within one, 32 – 31.
The third quarter looked like it would be a repeat of the first meeting, as the Dons came out with great energy and picked the Colts apart for a 40 – 34 lead. Unfortunately, they wouldn’t score again in the quarter, and James Logan finished on a 9 – 0 run. Acalanes fought hard in the fourth and managed to tie the game at 48, despite giving up a ton of offensive rebounds and four straight layups. The Dons were down by three, 56 – 53, with a minute to go and the ball. That’s when the shot clock (or the operators) went a little haywire. After some confusion and a couple of resets, Aca hunted a three to tie the game, but couldn’t get the shot they wanted and forced up an airball. The Dons were forced to start fouling to extend the game, but James Logan hit 5 of 6 free throws to close out the game.
