Dec. 28-31 Bulldog Chase next for local teams (1-6)
GILROY
A week off from nonleague play might be just what the Live Oak boys basketball teams needs.
After a 1-2 showing at the Bob Hagen Memorial Tournament in Gilroy, in which they picked up their first win against North Monterey County but were beaten soundly by host Gilroy and Alvarez, the Acorns (1-6 overall) will be out of action until the Dec. 28-31 Bulldog Chase Tournament at Sobrato High School.
If it feels at all like a fresh start, coach Brett Paolucci’s club could use the break. Nonleague play is widely considered a learning process, and Live Oak has endured some tough lessons against A- and B-level teams that would likely dominate in the West Valley Division.
The Acorns’ five losses were by an average of 28.2 points.
“That’s a tough preseason. There’s no question,” Paolucci said Saturday after his team collapsed in the second half of a 47-29 loss to Alvarez in the consolation final. “But we need to learn from these games. We need to learn how to play against teams that are going to come out and play with a lot of tenacity and toughness and so fourth, because we don’t see that at practice.”
The Acorns showed their potential in the second quarter Saturday when they trimmed a 15-3 deficit to four points.
Alvarez (6-1) answered with a few buckets, though, and the Acorns quickly lost track of fundamentals and their game plan, Paolucci said. By the end of the third quarter, they trailed 42-23.
“When we get into a big slump … it’s hard to stay focused and focus on doing your best,” Live Oak point guard Matt Levy said. “We’ve just got to be patient and slow our game down. We’re getting the ball where it needs to be, but we’re hesitating a lot.”
It was a different story Friday when the Acorns routed NMC 61-38 while receiving received points from 10 players.
Junior guard Austin Carvalho scored a game-high 10 for Live Oak, and swingmen Jason Yeung and Nathaniel Batey had eight and seven, respectively. Seniors Taylor Howard, Ryan Hennings and Levy chipped in a half dozen points each.
Saturday, Eddie Plascencia and Carvalho scored six points apiece to lead the Acorns.
“The consistency is there. I like that,” Paolucci said. “We need somebody to step up, because we really don’t have that this year; we don’t have a go-to guy. Everybody has to know their number’s going to be called at some point.”
Live Oak players are confident they’ll be ready to compete for a Blossom Valley Athletic League Tournament berth when West Valley Division play begins Jan. 5.
“It’s frustrating. We’re tired of losing, but we’re not backing down,” junior guard Jakob Conlan said. “We’ve got a lot of work to do this week.”
The Acorns’ Dec. 30 Bulldog Chase opener against Sobrato is shaping up to be an evenly matched battle. The local teams have faced similar competition during the nonleague season and are both 1-6.
Sobrato wrapped up the Prospect Tournament with a pair of close losses, falling 37-35 to Mills on Thursday and 51-49 to Lynbrook on Friday.
For the Bulldogs, Scott Taylor stepped up in both games with 12 points and three assists Thursday and 22 points Friday, including four 3-pointers. The senior guard scored 12 points or more in all three of Sobrato’s tournament games.
Junior guard Travis Saenz added seven points against Mills and 12 against Lynbrook. The Bulldogs on Friday also received seven points and 10 rebounds from Nick Hardy and six and 10 from Alex Hernandez.
