Victory over San Benito earns Acorns a spot in Hagen Tourney’s
Consolation Championship
Gilroy – It was ultimately the dreaded “T” word that did in the San Benito boys basketball team Friday night.
“Turnovers,” said senior guard Daryl Baladad, shaking his head after the ‘Balers fell 45-35 to Live Oak in the second round consolation game. Despite Baladad’s game-high 17 points, the ‘Balers couldn’t rebound from Thursday’s loss to Monterey and quietly bowed out of the Bob Hagen Memorial Tournament.
For the first three quarters, San Benito (3-6) stayed with Live Oak, even taking the lead on several occasions. But in the fourth quarter Live Oak went on an 8-2 run that the ‘Balers never recovered from.
Live Oak (6-4) then forced three San Benito turnovers in the final two minutes – and matched the ‘Balers at the free throw line – to seal the win.
As late as the beginning of the third quarter, the ‘Balers held the lead. Baladad scored two baskets back-to-back, off a jumper and a lay-up, to put his team up 23-22.
But with the lessons of a disappointing first-round loss to Aptos fresh in their minds, the Acorns (6-4) surged when it counted.
Meanwhile, the Acorns’ trapping full-court press caused the ‘Balers (3-6) to get sloppy down the stretch. That tactic, combined with Live Oak switching from man-to-man to a 2-3 zone, helped slow a scrappy ‘Balers team.
“It slowed them down. Baladad was killing us off the dribble with his jump shot,” said Live Oak head coach Brett Paolucci. “(The zone and press) seemed to work and we got some points out of it as well.”
Baladad acknowledged that Live Oak’s defensive adjustment threw off the ‘Balers’ offensive rhythm.
“We weren’t really doing our plays properly,” he said.
In the fourth quarter, Live Oak opened with an 8-2 run. Dustin Bynum, who led the Acorns with 10 points, scored on consecutive lay-ups.
After Baladad hit a pair of free throws for San Benito and cut the score to 29-34, Live Oak’s Jeff Mounteer answered with a lay-up on the ensuing inbound pass, a long toss to Live Oak’s end of the floor. After Mounteer’s basket, San Benito turned the ball over under pressure from the Acorns’ press to guard Eric Mutz (9 points), who took the ball in for a lay-up. That forced San Benito coach John Becerra to call a time out to try and regroup, but Live Oak stayed strong and held the lead down the stretch.
Todd Janisch (6 points) and Dean Wilkins (4 points) also contributed for the ‘Balers.
Live Oak moves on to play the winner of Alvarez and St. Francis today at 10:30am for the consolation championship.
LIVE OAK (45)
Bynum 3 4-5 10, Mutz 3 2-2 9, Greene 1 4-6 7, Jones 3 0-0 6, Long 2 1-2 5, Mounteer 2 0-0 4, Silveira 1 0-0 2, Mahan 0 2-2 2. Totals 15 14-18 45.
SAN BENITO (35)
Baladad 6 3-6 17, Janisch 0 6-8 6, Wilkins 1 2-2 4, Bautista 1 0-0 3, Medeiros 1 0-0 3, Burley 1 0-0 2. Totals 22 15-20 35.
Three pointers; San Benito (1) Bautista; Live Oak (1) Greene.
