Live Oak’s magic number is 5 heading into stretch run
MORGAN HILL — A day after watching his current team lose to his former team, Live Oak coach Vince Pacheco grabbed the elephant in the room by the trunk.
“You bet it was tough for me,” said Pacheco, whose Acorns faded during a 63-59 loss to Yerba Buena on Wednesday in Live Oak Gym. “Aside from my situation, though, it hurts just because I thought our guys were on the right track. We took a step back.”
Coming off Friday’s 46-43 upset win over then-division front-runner Prospect, the Acorns had a prime opportunity to end the first half of Blossom Valley Athletic League-West Valley Division play with a two-game winning streak — especially against the ambling Aztec Warriors.
Yerba Buena stole the show.
Jim Cabading scored 24 points, Christian Diaz added 11 points and seven rebounds, and the Aztec Warriors improved to 3-4 in division play and 4-13 overall.
“It’s a big win because it keeps us, possibly, in the (CIF-Central Coast Section) playoff hunt,” said Yerba Buena coach Tony Bendter, who took over the varsity team after Pacheco left for Live Oak at the end of last season. “Both teams were 2-4 going in. So this was like a playoff game. So yeah, it’s nice to get another win. I know these guys were looking forward to this one. Playing against their former coach, they did a good job keeping their emotions in check.”
The Acorns (6-12 overall, 2-5 BVAL) must win five of their final seven games to become postseason eligible.
All five of Live Oak’s division losses came by single-digit margin.
“I’m surprised we didn’t come out with more energy tonight like they did,” senior Alika Bantilan said. “No one else can do what we can. We’ve just got to win five more games and play like we can.”
The loss overshadowed career nights for Bantilan and teammate Dominic Leach. Bantilan hauled in 17 points and six rebounds, and Leach collected a double-double with 20 points and 13 rebounds. Both forwards shot better than 45 percent from the field.
Leach, a 6-foot-2 junior, netted seven points in the fourth quarter, helping the Acorns pull within five after trailing by 11 at the end of the third.
“Dominic Leach played outstanding,” Pacheco said. “I think he’s becoming one of the most consistent players in the league. He is, by far, one of the top-five best.”
Live Oak point guard Michael Schreiber also finished in double figures with a dozen points, including a big 3-pointer that cut Yerba Buena’s lead to 60-55 with 1:08 remaining.
Cabading scored the Aztec Warriors’ final four points from the free-throw line.
“We had to stay for that fourth quarter,” Bendter said. “We knew they were going to be aggressive — that’s the way Vince likes to coach at the end.
“Cabading had a big finish for us. We could have used some more free throws, though. It was getting kind of dicey.”
After leading 42-37 at halftime, Yerba Buena pulled away with two 7-0 scoring runs in the third quarter. Librado Esparza’s midrange jumper with 2:03 left gave the Aztec Warriors their biggest lead at 56-43.
“We just didn’t compete. We didn’t play like we could,” Bantilan said. “It felt like we didn’t hit a shot for about four minutes.”
Leach sparked the fourth-quarter rally with a three-point play, sinking a put-back shot before swishing the free throw.
“Dominic can take over games,” Pacheco said. “We’re going to need him to do that in the second half of league.”
Live Oak led 18-17 after a back-and-forth first quarter, but was outscored 25-19 in the second. Cabading buried three 3-pointers in the final 6 1/2 minutes of the first half, including a trey at the buzzer.
“He’s the heart and soul of this ball club,” Bendter said. “His 3-point shooting is our biggest weapon.”
The Acorns will play five of their remaining contests on the road, starting Friday at Branham.
Looking at the matchup, Pacheco made a bold prediction Thursday.
“We’re coming back with a win,” he said.
