Acalanes took control early and never let go, building a first-quarter cushion that carried the Dons to a 55–45 home win over Archie Williams.

After a quick 2–0 deficit, the Dons responded with a 12-point run on four three-pointers to seize momentum. Acalanes outscored Archie Williams 18–8 in the first quarter while recording six assists, setting up a 24–16 halftime lead that they held throughout the second half.

Eli La Rotonda delivered a complete performance, finishing with 13 points, seven assists, five rebounds, and five steals. La Rotonda had two big buckets late in the second quarter to ensure the Dons went into halftime with a healthy lead.

Tyler Cosso led the Dons with 16 points, knocking down four three-pointers, while also pulling down eight rebounds. Cosso’s early scoring helped open up the lead for the Dons in the first half, and his activity on the glass in the second half helped limit Archie Williams to just six second-chance points.

Bobby Ruhl had a big second half and tallied nine points, four rebounds, one assist, and one block. His scoring, rebounding, and defense were a big reason the Dons pulled away to a comfortable margin.

Tade O’Keeffe added seven points, three rebounds, three assists, and two steals, while Drew Felder contributed four points, six rebounds (three offensive), three assists, and one block. Additional scoring and support came from Zenai Kaplanes-Jones with three points, two rebounds, and one assist, and Will Palmer with three points and one rebound.

Acalanes shot efficiently inside (14 of 25 on two-point attempts), won the rebounding battle 37–33, and finished with 14 assists, seven steals, and three blocked shots.

Next up for the Freshman Dons: a break through Christmas. They’ll be back on the court for the Dougherty Valley Tournament from December 27–30.