Southern Section Boys’ 4-A : Simi Valley Beats Capistrano Valley in Overtime

Simi Valley center Don MacLean usually had two or three guys on his back Saturday night, making his burden all the heavier and the baskets more difficult.

Simi Valley has been The Times’ top-ranked Southern Section team all season, and the 4-A title almost seemed a forgone conclusion for the Pioneers.

And Don MacLean would take them there.

Somehow, shooting 7 of 20 from the floor and spraining his left ankle, MacLean did it, scoring 28 points and pulling down 11 rebounds to lead Simi Valley to a 70-64 overtime win over Capistrano Valley of Mission Viejo at the Sports Arena.

“I feel relieved just to get this off my back,” the 6-foot 10-inch senior center said. MacLean was hounded inside all night and slightly sprained his ankle in overtime but did not leave the game. “It was tough--we had the talent and we wanted to do it so badly.

“I’m just so relieved.”

MacLean and Simi Valley came one free throw away from being relieved of the title that seemed so inevitable.

Guard Charles Lockhard missed the second of a one-and-one that would have given Capistrano Valley a 61-60 lead with 12 seconds remaining in regulation.

Which meant that the Cougars would enter overtime minus two starters--forward Scott McCaughey and guard Todd Marinovich, who both fouled out with less than a minute remaining.

“We were lucky that they lost Marinovich, their best shooter,” Simi Valley Coach Bob Hawking said. “He was shooting the lights out.”

Marinovich, the USC-bound quarterback, scored 20 points, including three three-pointers, and was a constant defensive disruption to Simi Valley. Marinovich announced that this was his last game and that he would not play basketballl at USC.

The first period was a race, the Pioneers jumping to a 24-18 lead behind the three-point shooting of Hawking’s son, Butch, who was 3 for 3 from three-point distance in the quarter.

Simi Valley, which had rolled over four playoff opponents--each time winning in double digits--then went into a slowdown. The Pioneers managed only three field goals and led by only a point, 37-36, at the half.

Then it was Capistrano Valley’s turn to slow the pace, if unintentionally. The Cougars, who shot 55% from the field in the first half, scored only six points in the third quarter. Simi Valley was not much better, scoring 11, but it was enough to open the lead to 48-42.

Capistrano Valley closed it to 58-57 before Marinovich fouled out with 42 seconds remaining, which left it up to Lockhard.

“The idea was for him (Lockhard) to drive to the basket and pass it off or go for the layup,” Capistrano Valley Coach Mark Thornton said.

Which Lockhard did, hitting a layup that cut the lead to 60-59. Capistrano Valley fouled Simi Valley forward Shawn DeLaittre, who missed the front end of a one-and-one, and then Lockhard drove to the basket, scoring an apparent layup and picking up a foul from DeLaittre on the continuation.

It didn’t work that way. The officials ruled that Lockhard had been fouled before the basket, setting up the fateful one-and-one.

Simi Valley (27-3) advances to the Southern Regionals against an opponent to be determined. Capistrano Valley finishes 26-5.