Paolucci-led Live Oak loaded with size and experience
MORGAN HILL — Brett Paolucci understands Rome will not be rebuilt in a day.
He is just as eager to coach Live Oak boys basketball again as the Acorns are to rekindle the success their program had during Paolucci’s previous stint (1999-2007) and beyond. The team has not produced a league championship in 21 years, a winning season in seven years and a Central Coast Section playoff berth since 2005-06.
The Acorns looked like they were trying to end each of those droughts Tuesday, when they lost their season opener in overtime, 52-51, to Scotts Valley.
“I love the effort the kids are playing with,” Paolucci said. “We have great athleticism, but we need to know what our limits are.
“We have 20-something more games to go. There’s a lot of small things we have to focus on.”
That was the mentality Paolucci and his players had while mapping out their goals last Monday. A much-anticipated return to CCS is at the top of their to-do list, but the Acorns first want to gain a sturdy foothold in nonleague play.
That includes building confidence to win close games. Ten of Live Oak’s 18 losses last year were decided by 10 points or less.
“We need to play four quarters like we know we can,” senior guard Cody Gallizioli said. “We’re excited to get back out here.”
Galliziolli and the other soon-to-be graduates — Michael Schreiber, Dominic Leach, Alex Campoy, Brian Perry — have, at most, been part of only nine wins with the varsity Acorns. They added senior Nathan Seifert, a transfer from Bellarmine College Prep, to their class this offseason.
“I saw this team play last year, and I can tell we’ve gotten better,” he said. “We’re hungry.”
Seifert ran the point Tuesday between captains Gallizioli and Schreiber. Even in the pressure-packed final minutes of regulation and overtime, Seifert looked on the same page with his new teammates — the product of a well-spent offseason.
“We’re a different team with Nate,” Gallizioli said. “Me, Dominic and Michael played a lot of basketball with him these past months. We just talked about winning games.”
The window is open for the Acorns to do so if they play to their potential. They are blessed with size, plus the experience of three returning starters.
Schreiber, who, at 6-foot-3, can play the two and three positions, averaged a team-best 11.7 points per game last year on the way to being named a first-team all-West Valley Division guard. Gallizioli ranked second behind him in scoring among underclassmen. Leach, a 6-foot-3 center, anchors a frontcourt that includes forwards Campoy (6-foot-2) and 6-foot-3 junior Kevin O’Rourke.
Leach averaged 7.3 points and five rebounds a game last winter.
“Dominic’s doing really good,” Gallizioli said. “He’s a lot stronger this year. He’s going to be big for us.”
The Acorns produced 24 takeaways and moved the ball well against Scotts Valley but were undercut by poor field-goal shooting (30 percent).
“We need to play smart defense and stay composed on offense,” Paolucci said. “If you get open looks and your shots aren’t falling, you’re going to be in a lot of close ballgames. If you make those shots, you’re going to be winning a lot of games.
“It’s been too long since this team was doing that.”
