Less than 24 hours after an all-time comeback against Piedmont, the Acalanes Dons found themselves right back on the floor Friday night in the winners’ bracket of the Chris Huber Memorial Tournament, staring down a problem that—on paper—looked unsolvable.
That problem was the Monte Vista Mustangs.
Ranked 60th in the entire state, armed with wins over multiple top-tier programs, and brimming with confidence after a 77–51 demolition of Acalanes in the Foundation Game just two weeks earlier, the Mustangs arrived in Lafayette expecting a repeat performance. They were favored. Heavily.
And if you had told Monte Vista coach Nick Jones before tip-off that his defense would hold First Team All-Leaguer Gavin Dodge to just 8 points, and that the Dons would score only 54 points as a team, he would have smiled politely, nodded confidently… and assumed the result was a comfortable Monte Vista victory.
As it turns out, he would have been dead-ass wrong.
Enter the Problem in the Thesis: Cameron Hood
Monte Vista executed its game plan nearly to perfection early. They denied Gavin touches, crowded lanes, switched aggressively, and dared someone else to beat them.
Unfortunately for the Mustangs, that “someone else” was Cameron Hood—and he was absolutely unconscious.
Cam wasted no time announcing his intentions, scoring 11 of Acalanes’ first 13 points as the Dons clawed their way through a physical opening quarter. Despite a late foul on a Mustang three-pointer that gifted Monte Vista points at the line, Acalanes trailed just 19–17 after one, and Cam had already made it clear this was going to be his night.
The second quarter turned into a showcase. Threes. Pull-ups. Tough finishes. Free throws with ice in his veins. Cam hit shot after shot, answering every Mustang run and dragging Acalanes into halftime with a 36–32 lead.
At the break, the numbers told the story:
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21 points for Cam
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5 points for Gavin
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Winning minutes up and down the lineup
The Dons weren’t winning pretty—but they were winning with grit, poise, and belief.
Grinding It Out: The Second Half
Acalanes struck first in the third, extending the lead to 40–32, then 44–32, and briefly threatening to pull away. Preston Hilsabeck, for the second consecutive night, was a man among boys on the glass, ripping down 14 rebounds despite battling a 6’8” Goliath in the paint. It was toughness, timing, and sheer will — the kind of work that breaks opponents long before it breaks the scoreboard.
Meanwhile, A.J. Hastings continued to do what winning guards do: make the right play. He finished with 10 points on an efficient 4-for-7 shooting, but his impact went far beyond the box score. Attacking gaps, defending multiple positions, and delivering calm in chaos, A.J. posted the best plus/minus on the team at +7. When he was on the floor, good things happened.
And while the scoring column showed Gavin struggling to find rhythm, his fingerprints were everywhere. He came up with three steals, ignited breaks with his activity, and delivered one of the most important defensive plays of the night: a violent chase-down block in transition that erased an easy Mustang layup and sent a jolt through the Huber Gym.
Monte Vista didn’t get ranked 60th in the state by folding.
The Mustangs chipped away, forcing turnovers, hitting timely threes, and turning the game into exactly what they wanted: a grind. By the end of the third, the Dons’ lead had shrunk to 48–39, and the tension in Huber Gym was unmistakable.
Hold On Tight
The fourth quarter played out like a stress test.
Monte Vista pressed. Acalanes missed. The Mustangs scored. Suddenly it was 48–42, then 49–48, and the Dons looked tired—but not broken.
With the game hanging by a thread, Gavin Dodge delivered when it mattered most, drilling a massive three with 1:53 left—his first field goal in what felt like hours—to push Acalanes back in front 52–50.
Then came one final, fearless play.
A.J. Hastings, attacking the rim with confidence and conviction, finished a huge drive to make it 54–50 with just over a minute to play. It was the kind of bucket that doesn’t just add points — it stops momentum.
From there, it wasn’t pretty. Missed free throws. Scrambles. Fouls. Chaos.
But it was gritty.
It was ugly.
And it was enough.
Final: Acalanes 54, Monte Vista 50
Cam finished with a game-high 29 points, adding 5 assists and zero turnovers in a performance that will live on in Huber lore. Gavin scored just eight—but added three steals, elite defense, and a chase-down block that changed the game. Preston Hilsabeck owned the glass with 14 rebounds, and A.J. Hastings delivered 10 points on 4-of-7 shooting with a team-best +7.
This win was particularly sweet for Coach Bill Powers. Not only did it erase the lingering sting of the Foundation Game loss from two weeks earlier, but it also came against a program deeply tied to his coaching legacy. Years ago, Powers served as the head coach at Monte Vista, helping put the Mustangs on the map and laying the groundwork for the success they enjoy today.
On Friday night in Lafayette, he outmaneuvered his former program with patience, belief, and composure — guiding his current team to one of the most satisfying victories of his career.
Monte Vista threw everything it had at Acalanes’ stars—and still walked out stunned.
Championship Time: Pack the Huber Gym
The story isn’t finished yet.
The Dons are headed to the Chris Huber Memorial Tournament Championship Game, tipping off Saturday at 2:30 p.m. at Chris Huber Gym, where Acalanes will face Granada with the title on the line.
Bring your voices.
Bring your blue and white.
Bring the Huber Magic.
Let’s fill the gym, shake the rafters, and push this team across the finish line.
Two nights.
Two wins.
Two very different styles.
They played with heart.
They played with toughness.
They played like they weren’t supposed to win.
Oops… they did it again.
Hit me baby, one more win.
Go Dons. 🏀🎶
