Boys Varsity Basketball: Dons Control the Night, Then Watch It Slip Away Against Ygnacio Valley

Tuesday night’s Diablo Athletic League matchup against Ygnacio Valley had all the ingredients of a memorable home win: a loud gym, strong student turnout, crisp execution for long stretches—and then, heartbreak.

It was Jersey Night at Acalanes, and the stands were filled with tributes ranging from Steph Curry, Angel Reese, and Joe Montana, along with at least one Shedeur Sanders jersey, which was presumably purchased on sale. The energy was real, the crowd was engaged, and the Dons Cheerleaders were tremendous, helping create a true home-court atmosphere from warmups through the final buzzer.

For much of the night, the Dons were firmly in control.

Until they weren’t.

Fast Start, Balanced Attack

Acalanes opened the game with purpose. Preston Hilsabeck set the tone early with a bucket and a foul, battling inside against YV’s 6’9” center—a matchup Preston would handle all night admirably.

The first quarter was competitive but controlled. After some early feeling-out possessions, the Dons settled in behind Cam Hood, who shook off a slow start to begin finding his rhythm, and A.J. Hastings, who consistently created advantages with his handle and vision.

After one quarter, the game was tied 14–14, but the momentum felt slightly tilted toward the home side.

The Dons Take Command

The second quarter belonged to Acalanes.

A.J. Hastings began orchestrating the offense with confidence—attacking, kicking, and hitting timely shots. He finished with 16 points on 6-for-12 shooting, including 3-for-6 from three-point range, while also grabbing 8 rebounds and dishing out a game-high 9 assists, repeatedly putting teammates in positions to succeed.

Cam Hood found his groove as well, knocking down shots from deep and finishing through contact. By halftime, the Dons had built a 33–24 lead, fueled by ball movement, defensive activity, and a noticeable edge in effort.

A.J. and Cam Take Over

The third quarter was the high-water mark.

Cam was excellent—attacking the rim, stepping confidently into threes, and converting at the line. He finished with a team-high 27 points, going 9-for-20 from the field, 4-for-9 from three, and a perfect 5-for-5 from the free-throw line.

A.J. continued to control the tempo, and the two combined for what felt like an A.J.–Cam clinic, pushing the lead to 52–35 midway through the quarter.

At that point, Acalanes appeared firmly in command.

Momentum Turns

And then… it didn’t.

Ygnacio Valley began chipping away late in the third quarter, capitalizing on rushed possessions, second-chance opportunities, and defensive lapses. What had been a comfortable margin shrank quickly, and by the end of the quarter, the Dons’ lead was down to 54–47.

The crowd sensed it.
The bench felt it.
The VBBR definitely felt it.

Fourth Quarter Chaos

The final period was tense, frantic, and ultimately decisive. Ygnacio Valley outscored Acalanes 23–15 in the fourth quarter, flipping the game in the final eight minutes.

Acalanes still made plays to stabilize—Cam hit another big three, Jon Macleod buried a clutch triple (finishing with 3 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 assists in just 9 minutes), and Preston Hilsabeck continued to battle inside, finishing with 9 points and 10 rebounds, while playing excellent defense against size.

Julian Hood filled the gaps everywhere else—scoring 4 points, grabbing 5 rebounds, handing out 2 assists, and providing his customary defensive intensity, particularly during critical stretches when stops were at a premium.

Bryce Mansour delivered valuable minutes off the bench as well, contributing 4 points and 2 rebounds in just 8 minutes, while helping maintain defensive pressure during rotation shifts.

(Side note: the VBBR regrets failing to properly credit Jon Macleod for his excellent 6-rebound performance at Foothill. The correction is now officially on the record.)

Still, YV kept coming.

With under two minutes left, chaos reigned. Acalanes clung to a narrow lead, but turnovers, missed free throws, and hurried possessions opened the door. Gavin Dodge, who struggled offensively (6 points on 2-for-8 shooting), made several huge defensive plays down the stretch—finishing with a team-high 4 steals and a critical block—but the margin kept shrinking.

Then, with seconds remaining and the score 69–68, Ygnacio Valley held for the final shot.

Despite solid defense, their captain rose from the baseline and hit a difficult 15-footer at the buzzer—YV’s first lead since the opening quarter.

Final: Ygnacio Valley 70, Acalanes 69.

Final Thoughts

This one hurt.

It hurt in sharp contrast to last year’s trip to Ygnacio Valley, when Gavin Dodge’s last-second three sent the Dons home in absolute jubilation. That night was pure joy. This one was the other side of the basketball coin.

The Dons controlled much of the game, shot the ball well, and played well in spurts. But games are 32 minutes long, and leads must be protected possession by possession.

There were positives: