For years, the story of this matchup was written in the same ink: Campolindo winning, and Acalanes searching for answers. But after a decade of dominance by the Cougars, the tide in Lamorinda has officially turned.
The Dons’ drought against the Cougars lasted 2,957 days—from December 2017 until the breakthrough victory this past January. So, the question entering Thursday night’s DAL playoff showdown was simple: How long would it take Acalanes to beat Campo again?
The answer? Just 17 days.
And this time, there was no drama. No nail-biting finish.
Acalanes 77, Campolindo 45.
A 32-point deficit marks the worst loss for Campo basketball since 2008. That’s not just a win—that’s a statement. That’s a changing of the guard.
Not a Fluke. Not an Acorn. A Better Basketball Team.
When the Dons pulled off that emotional upset in January, skeptics were quick to lean on my father’s old favorite: “Even a blind pig catches some acorns.“ It was his go-to way in general of referring to anything he thought happened by pure chance or a stroke of luck.
But after Thursday night, it’s clear: the pig isn’t blind, and that wasn’t an acorn. It was a demolition.
Acalanes played its best game of the season on the biggest stage:
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77 points (No one else has hung more than 64 on Campo all year).
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29 points in the 4th quarter (An avalanche of scoring in just 8 minutes).
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20 assists (A number flirting with school-record territory).
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11-for-20 from three (55%)—the kind of efficiency that puts a game away early.
Fast Start, Then Full Suffocation
Campo actually landed the first punch, taking a 5–1 lead. From there, the Dons settled in. A.J. Hastings drained an early three, Julian Hood answered with one of his own, and the home crowd woke up.
By halftime, the Dons led 33–20, holding Campo to just 7 points in the second quarter. That isn’t just playoff defense; that’s absolute suffocation.
The Stars and the Milestones
The Hood Twins: Two-Way Swagger and Defensive Grit
While the offense was flashy, the game was won on the defensive end, led by the relentless intensity of Cam and Julian Hood. The twins were a nightmare for the Cougars all night, providing a level of pressure that completely disrupted the visitors’ rhythm.
Specifically, they drew the assignment of containing Campo’s star guard, Peyton Beld. Usually a focal point of their attack, Beld was unable to penetrate the paint or find clean looks, which effectively stifled the Cougars’ entire offensive flow.
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Cam Hood added 14 points and 6 assists, extinguishing every hint of a Campo comeback.
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Julian Hood chipped in 8 points and two clutch threes, all while playing “lockdown” perimeter defense.
A.J. Hastings: Scoring and Distributing with Poise
A.J. was surgical on Thursday, finishing with 17 points and 5 assists while going 3-for-4 from deep. He has quietly become a vital and reliable scoring threat over the second half of the season, providing exactly what this team needs: poised playmaking and the ability to punish defenses. Whether he was finding the open man or calling his own number, A.J. kept the offense in a rhythm that Campo simply couldn’t break.
Preston Hilsabeck: Playoff P
Preston delivered 11 points and 8 rebounds. He even went a perfect 1-for-1 from three, because when the Dons are rolling, even the paint protectors start feeling it. Physical, tough, and reliable—this was a hallmark “Playoff Preston” performance.
Gavin Dodge: The 1,000-Point Club
Gavin was everywhere on Thursday, finishing with 19 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 assists. Along the way, he crossed an iconic milestone: 1,000 career points. In typical fashion, Gavin treated the achievement like a routine trip to the grocery store, staying locked into the game with total poise.
His father, on the other hand, handled it with significantly less grace, erupting like a man who had just discovered fire.
A Night for the Program: The Powers Era
Beyond the scoreboard, this was a night that felt like a culmination. It was a victory for the entire Acalanes program, and specifically for Head Coach Bill Powers. Coach Powers has already announced his retirement at the end of this season, and if you were looking for a “fairytale” final home game against your biggest rival, this was it. To walk off that floor with a 32-point victory over the program that has stood in the way for so long wasn’t just a win—it was a legacy-defining moment.
A Message to Stanley Middle School
If you are an 8th grader at Stanley currently debating where to spend your next four years, take a long look at that scoreboard. The “traditional” power structure in Lamorinda just took a 32-point hit. If you want to play for a program that is peaking, a culture that is winning, and a team that owns the present, the choice is clear.
It’s the Don of a new day.
What’s Next: The DAL Finals
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Opponent: Clayton Valley
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When: Saturday at 3:30pm
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Where: Alhambra High
Acalanes gets another crack at the Ugly Eagles. One small request for the boys: Let’s try not to spot them the first 28 points this time.
Go Dons!