Acalanes 68, Santa Cruz 45 — Season Opener Recap

The Dons opened the 2025–26 season with a commanding 68–45 victory over Santa Cruz, showcasing depth, rhythm, and sharp execution. Coach Bill Powers guided his team to the win, carrying forward the momentum of last year’s Diablo League Champions and setting an early tone for another strong campaign.

The Three-Point Parade

Inside Chris Huber Gym, the Dons demonstrated that home court comes with home cooking—and on this night, that meant threes.

• Cam Hood (18 pts) led the scoring, drilling 4 threes and shooting 54% from the field. Any time Santa Cruz hinted at a rally, Cam calmly answered with another dagger.

• Jon Macleod (12 pts) splashed 4 of 7 from deep and did it while making a fashion statement, rocking a long-sleeve undershirt under his jersey.

• A.J. Hastings (10 pts) matched Jon’s vibe, joining the long-sleeve club while attacking the rim, finishing strong, and providing efficient scoring throughout.

• Shea Stahl (6 pts) brought instant spark off the bench, hitting two threes and filling the stat sheet with 4 rebounds and 2 steals.

Aakash Makes His Entrance

Varsity debut? More like smooth debut.
Aakash Agarwal made his presence known with 6 points on 3-of-6 shooting, playing with confidence and poise. His jersey, however, refused to stay tucked in—an early-season subplot fans may want to follow.

All-Around Contributions

It wasn’t just the scoring—it was the depth, the energy, and the balance.

• Preston Hilsabeck (5 pts) brought toughness, defense, rebounding, and timely offense.

• Julian Hood (4 pts)—Cam’s twin—added hustle, sharp defense, and smart playmaking.

• Evan Palmer, Justice Hembrador, Sam Phillips, Bryce Mansour, and Landon Deily each contributed with rebounds, defensive intensity, ball movement, and the kind of effort that keeps a lead growing.

Defense Wins Openers

Holding Santa Cruz to 45 points was a collective achievement. The Dons pressured the ball, challenged shooters, and protected the paint—never allowing Santa Cruz to find a sustained rhythm.

What’s Next

Riding early momentum, the Dons now head to a prestigious tournament at Riordan High School, where they’ll face some of the toughest competition in Northern California. It’s an early measuring stick for this group—and with Coach Powers leading last year’s league champs, Acalanes looks poised for the challenge.

Go Dons! P.S. Your author busted his ass learning WordPress and does not care if the pictures are in the middle of the post with no labels. It is early in the season. He may learn, but he may not.