For something to remain a true rivalry, both sides have to win their share. And, to be blunt, Acalanes hadn’t held up its end of that bargain against Campolindo in a while. In fact, the Dons’ last win over the Cougars came back in 2017.
The last time Acalanes beat Campolindo, TikTok hadn’t been invented and the iPhone X was the height of luxury. Our current seniors were 9-year-olds, still working on long division and waiting for growth spurts that felt decades away. We’ve lived through an entire social-media epoch since that last victory.
To put that timeline in perspective, since our last “W” against Campo:
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We’ve said goodbye to local staples like Yankee Pier and Chow.
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The Lafayette Art & Wine Festival has lived a whole lifetime. It flourished, was forced into a two-year pandemic retirement, and has since fought its way back to its former glory. It took a while for the town to feel normal again—and it took just as long for the hierarchy of Lamorinda basketball to reset. On Monday night, both were officially back.
Which is exactly why Monday night in Moraga felt different from the opening tip. This wasn’t just a game; it was the end of an eight-years-and-one-month drought.
A massive assist goes to the Blue Crew, who made the short trip over the hill and turned a rival’s gym into something that felt suspiciously like home-court advantage. Their energy was the heartbeat of the night—proof that while players win games, a student section that loud can help end a decade-long war of nerves.
If you didn’t enjoy that environment, you may want to consider pickleball.
A Gritty, Nervy First Half
The opening quarter set the tone. Points were hard to come by, bodies hit the floor, and whistles were selective.
Acalanes scratched out a 10–8 lead after one, helped by buckets from Jon Macleod and a tough finish from Cam Hood. Still, nothing came easily.
By halftime, the headline stat told the story:
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Cam Hood and Gavin Dodge were a combined 2–14 from the field. Not great.
And yet — incredibly — Acalanes trailed by just one point, 17–16, after Gavin knocked down a buzzer-beater from the elbow to close the half.
Defense, rebounding, and composure had kept the Dons right there.
More Than Just Another Game
This night meant something more.
For Coach Bill Powers, who will retire at the end of this season, this was another chapter in a storied career, and the players knew it. Rivalry game. Road gym. Packed house. Opportunity to win one for their coach.
You could feel it in the way the Dons defended — connected, physical, and locked in.
Third Quarter: Life, Finally
The offense finally found a pulse after halftime.
Cam Hood began to shake loose, knocking down a three and finishing in transition. Julian added a bucket. The Dons nudged ahead 22–21, then 25–21, as the game opened just enough to breathe.
Bryce Mansour delivered one of the biggest plays of the night midway through the third — ripping down a huge rebound in traffic, powering it back up, absorbing contact, and completing the old-fashioned three-point play. It was pure effort, and it mattered.
Then came a massive moment late in the quarter.
With the crowd roaring and Campo hanging around, Jon Macleod buried a three to push the lead to 35–29. Looking back, that shot looms large. It steadied the Dons and quieted the gym — at least briefly. (the shot pictured below is an earlier Jon bucket).
Defense Wins the Night
The key stretch came early in the fourth.
For the first 5 minutes and 30 seconds of the final quarter, Campolindo did not score.
Let that sink in.
During that stretch, Acalanes blew the game open.
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Cam Hood drilled a cold-blooded step-back three
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Gavin Dodge attacked the paint, absorbed contact from a smaller defender, and calmly knocked down both free throws
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Preston Hilsabeck, per usual, was a stalwart defensively, anchoring the paint and finishing with 9 rebounds
Defensive rotations were sharp. Help was on time. The Dons seized control.
Next-Man Mentality
When Cam Hood fouled out early in the fourth quarter, there was a collective pause. At the time, it felt like it could really hurt.
Instead, the Dons rallied.
Julian Hood stepped into key minutes down the stretch, handled the pressure, defended with purpose, and helped close the game with poise. Julian also chipped in 4 points on 2-for-4 shooting and recorded 2 steals.
(VBBR correction: the Hoods are 5’10”, not 5’9”. Last week’s typo has been officially retired.)
Ice Water at the Line
When Campo finally began fouling, A.J. Hastings calmly stepped forward and ended any remaining suspense.
A.J. finished the night 11-for-12 from the free-throw line, sealing the game with absolute composure. No rush. No drama. Just execution.
He also led the team with 5 of Acalanes’ 11 assists, once again serving as the steady connector when things tightened.
Final Numbers, Final Result
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A.J. Hastings: 13 points, 11–12 FT, team-high 5 assists
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Cam Hood: 13 points, including the key step-back three before fouling out
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Gavin Dodge: 10 points, 10 rebounds (another double-double), played every second while battling as the focal point of the Campo defense
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Jon Macleod: 7 points, including the massive third-quarter three
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Preston Hilsabeck: 9 rebounds, defensive anchor
Final score:
Acalanes 52, Campolindo 42
Up Next
The Dons return home Friday night at 7:30 p.m. for a huge matchup against first-place Clayton Valley, who are undefeated in league play and currently ranked 29th in California.
Big stage. Big crowd. Big opportunity.
Go Dons.
Let’s not wait another 8 years!