Winning its seventh straight game, and 10 of its first 11, the
Live Oak High boys basketball team overcame the winter break blahs
with a 40-37 victory over Branham on Saturday.
Winning its seventh straight game, and 10 of its first 11, the Live Oak High boys basketball team overcame the winter break blahs with a 40-37 victory over Branham on Saturday.
At 10-1 in non-league play, the Acorn boys matched last season’s fast start going into a week of tough play.
Live Oak takes on a talented Seaside team tonight at 5 p.m. and begins play in the traditionally challenging Gunderson Invitational tourn-ament on New Year’s Day.
In fact, Live Oak coach Brett Paolucci said this year’s team has already faced a number of quality opponents, including Leigh (which administered the Acorns their only loss of the season so far), North Monterey County, Piedmont Hills and Branham.
“This year, we’re playing a much tougher schedule,” Paolucci said. “We’re playing some quality teams and we’ll get to play Seaside (Tues-day). We’re really rising to the level of the talent. This will get us ready for league.”
On Saturday, both Live Oak and Branham used their standout defenses to shut down their opponents’ offensive attacks.
The Acorns only managed a seven-point first quarter but still led by a point at 7-6.
Live Oak continued its defensive pressure in the second quarter and worked its way to a six-point, 18-12 halftime lead.
Coming as it did two days after Christmas, the holiday cheer may have hampered the teams, Paolucci said.
“Both teams struggled offensively but both teams played well defensively,” It’s a little bit of a disadvantage because we have kids coming in and out of vacation. But that comes along with the season.”
Branham rallied to tie the game in the third quarter but Live Oak maintained control and held on for the victory.
“We never let the game get out of control,” Paolucci said. “It never got to the point where we lost our composure and started to fold.”
Senior guard Joel Wright scored a team-high 14 points, including a pair of 3-pointers, for the Acorns, while senior forward Steve Conner added nine points.
Paolucci also had praise for the defensive efforts of Doug Porras and Jeff Yeung, who harassed the Branham guards.
