Tuesday was the rainiest day of the year.

Not “grab a hoodie” rain. Not “light drizzle” rain.

Biblical rain.

The kind of atmospheric river event where the wind blows sideways and the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge feels like a whitewater rafting expedition.

The #9 seed Acalanes made the long, wet trek to San Anselmo to face #8 seed Archie Williams in the first round of the Division 1 NCS playoffs. The Dons beat Archie in last year’s playoffs but had dropped two matchups to the Peregrine (or, as the PA announcer insisted, the “Peri-green”) Falcons this season.

Would the third time be the charm? Spoiler alert: Yes.

And it took exactly 11 seconds to decide the game.

The 4-Point Haymaker

Preston Hilsabeck won the opening tip. The ball found A.J. Hastings. Three. Whistle. Bucket good. Free throw good.

4–0 Dons at the 7:49 mark.

Here is the wildest stat of the night: Archie Williams would never hold a lead in this game. Not for one second.

From that electric opening, the Dons came out firing. A.J. buried another three. Cam Hood attacked the rim with bad intentions. Gavin Dodge cleaned up the glass.

After one quarter: 21–9 Acalanes.

The offense wasn’t always a symphony, but the defensive energy was undeniable. It felt less like a nervous playoff road game and more like a group that had already read the script and decided they liked the ending.

The Defensive Blueprint

Credit where it’s due: this game was won on the whiteboard before the caravan even pulled into the parking lot. The coaching staff had a plan, and the execution was surgical.

Assignment #1: Neutralize Brian (#21) Archie’s unorthodox post scorer is a handful—strong, crafty, and possessing a soft touch. The Solution: Preston Hilsabeck. Preston was fantastic—physical, disciplined, and relentless. He turned every catch into a wrestling match and every shot into a high-difficulty equation. No easy hooks. No rhythm. Just work.

Assignment #2: Contain Meezy (#1) Archie’s point guard wants to turn the game into a track meet. The Solution: Julian Hood. Julian picked him up early, cut off the angles, and bumped him off his lines. He effectively turned a drag racer into a commuter stuck in traffic.

On a night when the Dons’ offense occasionally sputtered—looking at times less like the Golden State Warriors and more like a chaotic AAU mixtape—the defense was the adult in the room. That was the difference.

Adversity in the Second Quarter

While the defense was humming, the Dons hit a major speed bump in the second quarter.

Gavin Dodge battled through a frustrating whistle, picking up his third foul early in the period and sitting for the final seven minutes of the half. This disrupted the flow and put the offensive burden squarely on Cam Hood.

Cam responded with a game-high 25 points. Was it an efficiency masterclass? Well, no. He finished 9-of-24 from the field and 2-of-13 from three. But on a night like this, you don’t ask the engine how much gas it’s using—you just need it to get you up the hill. Cam absorbed the pressure, attacked the rim when the jumpers weren’t falling, and carried the load when possessions bogged down. Sometimes, shouldering the scoring load isn’t about making it look pretty; it’s about making sure the scoreboard keeps moving.

The Macleod Moment

With Gavin on the bench and Archie hanging around late in the half, Jon Macleod delivered the dagger.

 

Good if it goes…….

Oh, it went!

Deep three. Buzzer sound. Swish.

38–22 Dons at halftime.

It was the kind of shot that breaks an opponent’s spirit and makes the halftime Gatorade taste sweeter. Jon gave the Dons 11 excellent minutes, 4 rebounds, and once again proved that playoff minutes are earned, not assigned.

Surviving the Grind

Archie didn’t go quietly. In the second half, they hit some threes, the crowd got louder, and the whistles got… let’s call them “hometown-friendly.”

But even when Archie cut the lead late, Acalanes never panicked. They got stops. They rebounded. They made the free throws that matter in February.

Final Score: Acalanes 66, Archie Williams 55

The Honor Roll

• Preston Hilsabeck: The anchor. Tough defense on their best big, strong rebounding, and the kind of physical presence that travels well in hostile gyms.

Preston with one of his 9 rebounds, a key to this victory.

• Julian Hood (below): The silencer. Fearless defense on their lead guard, creating the disruption that fueled the whole team.

• A.J. Hastings (below): The architect. 15 points (2–4 from deep) and a team-leading 6 assists. He was the steady hand when the gym got loud.

A.J. with a drive to the hoop while his defender does a “jazz hands” routine.

• Gavin Dodge (below): The efficiency expert. Despite the foul trouble, he delivered 11 points on just 4 shots (3-for-4) and added 6 rebounds.

• Cam Hood: The engine. 25 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists.

• Jon Macleod: The spark. A buzzer-beater three and high-quality minutes off the bench.

• Bryce Mansour: 2 points, 2 assists, 1 block, and tenacious defense per usual.

• The Student Section: Major credit to the die-hard Acalanes students who braved the monsoon to drive to San Anselmo. That is what February support looks like.

The Dons students look on as Coach Powers exclaims, “I eat peregrine falcons for breakfast.”

Archie Williams student section: sponsored by L’Oreal hair bleach.

Next Up

The Dons advance to the Quarterfinals to face the #1 seed Bishop O’Dowd Dragons in Oakland.

Friday Night. 7:00 PM.

It’s a tough draw. It’s a bigger stage. But this group is defending, competing, and peaking at the exact right time.

Go Dons.

Survive and Advance!