Notre Dame Defeats Simi Valley, 59-42

You know it’s going to happen.

The coach of a team on Notre Dame High’s schedule will look at the Knights’ 59-42 win over Simi Valley and say, “Wow, Notre Dame must have a dynamite team to whip Simi by 17 points. We’d better be ready for those sumbucks.!”

Simi, of course, has been touted as one of the premier prep teams in the Valley.

Yes, the Knights did beat the Pioneers Tuesday in the opening round of the Simi Valley Basketball tournament, but all coaches be advised--Notre Dame beat the Simi junior varsity.

Because Reseda and Verbum Dei dropped out of this inaugural tournament, Simi Coach Bob Hawking decided to allow the JVs a taste of varsity competition.

“We figured they’d get beat,” Hawking qaid, “but, actually, 17 points isn’t too bad. They hung in there pretty well.”

The loss eliminated the intriguing possibility of the title game being an matchup of two teams from the same school--the host school, no less.

Seniors Jon Perak and Alex Horosney out-muscled the game but skinny Simi JVs. Perak (6-6, 215) scored 20 points and had 14 rebounds. Horosney (6-2, 205) added 17 points and 11 rebounds. Knight guard Scott Brewster scored 10 points and had seven assists.

Sophomore Jon Jones scored a game-high 21 points and had eight rebounds for the Simi JVs. Perhaps opposing varsity coaches had better keep their eyes on Jones--next season he’ll be dangerous.

Royal bombed its way to a 54-52 win over Birmingham in another first-round tournament game.

Steve Noone scored 26 points, most on baseline shots from 17 to 25 feet. In fact, nearly all of Royal’s field goal attempts were from long range.

“They shoot like I do,” Royal Coach Jack McCrory said. “Just kidding.

“Actually, the perimeter shots are planned. We don’t have a big, strong guy to get the ball to inside, so we use a zone offense and attack from four or five spots at different angles.”

The shots may be from different angles, but their distances were nearly identical. Brent Tapia added 13 points for Royal.

Tapia also made two crucial steals in the last two minutes as Royal overcame a 44-41 Birmingham lead. A high Noone bomb from 23 feet gave the Highlanders a 49-48 lead and they never trailed again.

“I look at the rim as I’m running down the court,” Noone said, “then I don’t look at it again. I just know where the basket is. It’s a habit.”

And Noone’s teammates don’t mind his bombs-away philosophy?

“Not as long as I make them,” he said, smiling.

Junior Keith Owens, a rangy 6-5 forward, led Birmingham with 14 points and guard Benny Carrasco added 10 points.

Birmingham, under 26-year coach Jim O’Hara, had as much varsity experience entering the game as the Simi JVs. No Brave had played a minute of varsity competition.

McRory played high school basketball at Birmingham under O’Hara.