For the past four years, the Acalanes Dons girls basketball program has been a constant force in the region, consistently ranked inside the top 10 and regularly competing at an upper-tier level. The program has built its reputation on discipline, depth, and player development, producing standout athletes who are now competing at the collegiate level. So when the 2025 preseason rankings were released this year, and the Dons were nowhere to be found, many around the program were left asking the same question: How?
Yes, Acalanes graduated some major stars last season, players talented enough to move on to the next level. But to anyone who watches this team, it’s obvious the story didn’t end there. The Dons returned a core group of skilled, experienced contributors, and they added a promising class of freshmen who arrived not just eager to play, but keen to compete. This is a team built with balance: veteran leadership, youthful energy, and the signature Acalanes toughness that has defined the program for years.
If anyone doubted whether the Dons still belonged among the elite, their recent matchup should erase that. Acalanes went toe-to-toe with Christian Brothers, a powerhouse private-school program out of Sacramento. And the Dons didn’t just hang around, they led for a bit and lost by a razor-thin margin of one point, 73-74. Even more impressive? They did it while missing two key players, both sidelined during Saturday’s game. Those players will soon be back on the court, restoring the depth and rotation that make Acalanes dangerous in every quarter.
It’s almost impossible to single out “the star” on this squad because every girl on this team IS one. They move as one unit, spark as one engine, and shine the brightest when the pressure hits hardest. Team captain Lexi Le, a senior with ice in her veins, drains threes like it’s her side hustle and locks down opponents on defense like a bulldog guarding the paint. Senior Captain Carmeron Thornton might look unassuming, but that’s her secret weapon because the moment the whistle blows, she becomes a full-blown problem for anyone wearing the opposite jersey. And then there’s the dynamic duo, the Fernandez Sisters—Senior Captain Sofia and Sophomore Sienna, together unleashing what opponents now fearfully call the “Fernandez Full-Throttle Fear Factor.”
And the future? Oh, it’s already here. The freshman squad: Millie Jones, Leah O’Neil, Avery Deily, and Leia Halvorson aren’t just rising stars; they’re comets, blazing across the court and leaving defenders in pure mayhem. Call them the “Freshman Foursome,” the “Quad Threat,” or simply “Havoc Times Four.” No matter the name, one thing is certain: this team is stacked, unstoppable, and ready to rewrite the highlight reel every single game.
The facts make the picture clear: This is not a team that should have disappeared from anyone’s top-10 list. Whoever is assembling those rankings needs to take a deeper look, because the Dons are still here, still loaded with talent, still playing high-level basketball, and still proving it against elite competition. The 2025- Acalanes girls basketball team isn’t rebuilding. They’re regrouped, reloaded, and ready. And if the rankings haven’t caught up yet? They will. Fear the Blue and Fear these Dons!
Lady Dons head out to the Christian Brothers Tournament in Sacramento, December 11-13 to play some competitive teams, and on Friday, December 19, ‘our house’ at 7 pm against Benicia. Just keep watching.
