A milestone season came to a disappointing end for the Live Oak
High boys basketball team in the Central Coast Section Division I
quarterfinals at Santa Clara High on Saturday. A rare offensive
collapse combined with lackluster defense left the Acorn boys too
far back to recover in a 60-32 loss to Milpitas. It didn
’t take long for the game to get out of hand, as Live Oak scored
just a single point in the first quarter and trailed 18-1 at one
point in the second quarter.
A milestone season came to a disappointing end for the Live Oak High boys basketball team in the Central Coast Section Division I quarterfinals at Santa Clara High on Saturday.
A rare offensive collapse combined with lackluster defense left the Acorn boys too far back to recover in a 60-32 loss to Milpitas.
It didn’t take long for the game to get out of hand, as Live Oak scored just a single point in the first quarter and trailed 18-1 at one point in the second quarter.
“There were two different teams out there — one, all their shots were going in and the other, nothing would go in,” Live Oak coach Brett Paolucci. “(Our offense) kind of affected us at the other end. Any time you’re struggling offensively you can’t let it affect you. But the idea that it was the playoffs and we were struggling with our shots, I think it got inside our heads.”
But the Acorns, who won 22 games this season, didn’t go easily despite falling behind big early.
No. 6 seed Live Oak (22-5) trailed No. 3 seed Milpitas (24-2) 30-6 in the second quarter before scoring the last six points of the half to pull within 30-10 at the half.
To start the second half, the Acorns came out revved up on defense and went on a 7-1 run behind buckets from senior forward Steve Conner, senior guard Jeff Yeung and senior center Chris Deem to pull within 31-17 early in the third quarter.
But Milpitas called a timeout, regrouped and closed out the quarter on a 11-2 run to put the game away.
Nevertheless, Paolucci said he told his team he was proud of their effort despite the deficit “because they had that never-say-die attitude. They never gave up.”
Paolucci said the big loss can’t diminish a “fantastic season” that saw Live Oak win 18 of its first 20 games, including win streaks of seven and eight games. The Acorns, who surpassed the 20-win mark and advanced to the CCS quarterfinals for the second straight season, were ranked in the Top 15 in CCS for most of the season and beat some top-notch opponents, including CCS playoff teams Piedmont Hills, Seaside, Hollister-San Benito and North Salinas.
When Live Oak beat Piedmont Hills, currently the No. 1-seeded team in the CCS Division I playoffs, in non-league action, the Pirates were undefeated. The Acorns also won the Bob Hagen Memorial Tournament at Gilroy High, led by tourney MVP Joel Wright.
In fact, Live Oak peaked too early, roaring into TCAL play off a stellar non-league effort and winning its first five league games.
But a mid-season lull, including back-to-back losses to eventual legaue champion Hollister and North Salinas, left the Acorns foundering.
However, Paolucci said his team seemed to have regained its momentum following three straight victories at Salinas, Palma and Gilroy to close the season.
“I thought we got back to our midseason form but it’s a long season and it starts to take its toll,” Paolucci said. “But it was a great season and I think it was exciting for thr fans. This team really drew out the fans.”
Live Oak beat Independence in the first round of the CCS playoffs last week.
The Acorns lose seniors Wright, Conner, Deem and Yeung, but key returners include junior forwards Matt van Keulen and Brandon Powell, and junior guard Doug Porras.
