Size, speed and experience helped the Overfelt Royals make a run to the CIF Central Coast Section playoffs this year, but it was sheer uneasiness that helped them end the regular season with a win against Live Oak.
Behind the hot hand of Eli Rivera, who scored 11 of his game-high 15 points in the first half, Overfelt avoided upset Friday with a 54-49 win at Live Oak Gym, spoiling a potentially big Senior Night for the Acorns.
"We knew about how it was their Senior Night tonight going in, and when you throw that in for a team that's played so tough with everyone this year and come up short so many times - you can't take them lightly," said Royals' coach Adam Sax. "We took care of business like we needed to and contained their big shooters."
Eric Fujili finished with 10 points, six steals and five rebounds for visiting Overfelt, which ended regular-season play with an 11-4 record in the Santa Teresa Division of the Blossom Valley Athletic League.
Eric Martinez added five steals and 10 points, including two on a clutch jumper with 46 seconds left, to put the Royals in front for good after Live Oak stormed back from a 10-point deficit.
"You can't go to sleep on these guys," Sax added. "This was a good test and a good way to end the season."
For the Acorns (1-13 BVAL), it was a frustrating finish to an equally frustrating season. Live Oak played in usual form, keeping the issue in doubt until the closing seconds when visiting Overfelt retook the lead on Martinez's shot and held the Acorns scoreless the rest of the way.
"Another close one," Live Oak coach Joe Bonura said with a smile while shaking his head. "I never question the guys' effort. It was definitely there tonight. It's just hard to keep going down like this.
"It tells you something. It tells you they can compete. They just need a little more experience."
That was shown in the final half minute as Live Oak committed two costly turnovers, leading to bonus free-throw shots for the Royals.
"Turnovers were the difference, that's it," said the Acorns' David Beckum. "We're taking games like this into next year. Hopefully we'll learn from this. You've got to protect the ball."
Overfelt came away with 11 of its 25 takeaways during the third quarter, helping the Royals build a 40-36 lead going into the fourth.
Live Oak battled back from a 31-24 deficit at the half to tie it at 36-all, then rallied again midway through the final period after Overfelt went on a 9-0 scoring run, putting the Royals in front 46-36. Dylan Davis responded with a pair of charity shots; and Michael Schreiber and Beckum followed with put-back shots, cutting the lead to three.
Erwin Davis stretched the deficit to five with two shots from the stripe, but the Acorns answered threefold, getting a charity bucket from Davis and three more from Schreiber, who was fouled beyond the arc.
Scott Lindstrom, one of four Live Oak seniors making his final appearance, capped the stretch with a runner in the paint, giving the Acorns a 49-48 edge with 1:49 to play - their first lead since the 7½-minute mark.
From there, the turnover problems resumed. Live Oak drew a five-second call and had two passes picked off before Martinez's go-ahead basket.
"The guys never give up and that might be the most frustrating part of this year," Bonura said. "When you're in position to win, you can't make mistakes. We made too many of those tonight."
Beckum, a junior forward, was sizzling from the floor, notching a team-high 14 points and eight rebounds on 5-of-7 shooting. He was held to one field goal in the second half, but Lindstrom carried the weight with nine of his 11 points while shooting 6 for 9.
Lindstrom added six rebounds three steals and two assists to his scoring total.
"It's a tough way for the seniors to go out but not a disappointing way," Bonura said. "Overfelt's a good team, and we gave them everything we had."
Overfelt drew a No. 11 seed in CCS and hosts No. 14-seeded El Camino today at 7 p.m.
Scott J. Adams Scott J. Adams covers Morgan Hill sports for South Valley Newspapers. Send him an email or call him at 779-4106.
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