Manual Arts Ends Simi Valley Dream With 81-77 Win

The sellout crowd of 2,200 at Simi Valley High on Thursday night milled around longer than it usually does after Pioneer basketball games.

Many stayed in their seats for an extra 10 minutes, applauding and soaking up what would be the last time they’d see Don MacLean, Shawn DeLaittre, Butch Hawking et al on the same floor together, wearing the same maroon and gold uniforms.

“I wasn’t upset,” DeLaittre said after Manual Arts defeated Simi Valley, 81-77, in the Southern California Division I regional semifinals of the state tournament. “But when I see my friends crying it upsets me. When I see the rest of the team upset, it makes me upset. I’m having a hard time talking.”

DeLaittre and MacLean formed the nucleus of a team that was 81-9 over three seasons, including a 28-4 record this season. Their career crescendo was actually Saturday night, when the Pioneers defeated Capistrano Valley for the Southern Section 4-A Division title.

“What really hurts is that the season is over,” Simi Valley Coach Bob Hawking said, blinking back tears. “We’ll get over the loss. We thought we were capable of going a little further.

“I’ve had these kids since they were 7 years old, second-graders. It’s goodby for high school basketball but we’ll carry on with these relationships forever.”

In the meantime, Manual Arts will carry its season into the regional final against Crenshaw on Saturday at the Sports Arena.

The Toilers (25-3) beat Simi Valley with man-to-man, full-court pressure and a third quarter that was nearly perfect.

Trailing, 32-22, at halftime, Manual Arts scored 32 points in the third on 14-of-20 shooting. The Pioneers were 2 of 9 for 15 points and were suddenly forced to deal with a 54-47 deficit.

Senior guard Wayne Williams, after missing his first 7 shots, scored 15 points in the crucial eight minutes and finished with 23. Chris Small finished with 21 for the Toilers.

“The tempo was too slow for us in the first half,” Manual Arts Coach Reggie Morris said. “There were no gimmicks in the second half. We went to what we do best.”

For perhaps the first time this season, the Pioneers were unable to handle the pressing defense. They turned the ball over 6 times in the third quarter and 21 times in the game.

“It was, in my mind, the difference in the game,” Hawking said. “Which is a little surprising because we handled defensive pressure all year in all areas of the country.

“Manual Arts is a good team, but anybody who has seen us play all year would have to say we beat ourselves tonight. I don’t want to take anything away from them, but if we play a normal game I think we win.”

MacLean was nearly able to bring Simi Valley back. The 6-10 All-American scored 35 points on 15-of-20 shooting and grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds. He made all 5 of his field-goal attempts in the fourth quarter, including a layup with 3:30 left that brought the Pioneers to within 59-58.

DeLaittre had 17 points and 9 rebounds, while Steve Carnes had 11 points and Hawking had 8.

Once again, however, the Toilers ran away, scoring the game’s next 8 points. Several times in the final two minutes Simi Valley closed to within 2 points but the Pioneers were unable to take the lead.

“I’ve never seen a team press so well and then come down and hit 20-footers,” MacLean said.

Manual Arts made 5 of 9 three-point shot attempts in the second half.

It was not a memorable 16 minutes for Simi Valley, but the preceding three years were.

“It’s something I’ll never forget,” MacLean said, “especially the championship.”

MacLean’s 35 points gave him 1,008 for the season and 2,343 for his career. He ranks fifth on the Southern Section single-season scoring list and the career scoring list.

STATE BASKETBALL

Southern California

Regional Finals

DIVISION I

Manual Arts (25-3) vs. Crenshaw (28-0)at Los Angeles Sports Arena

DIVISION V

Bishop’s (24-1) vs. Calipatria (22-5)

at College of the Canyons

Finals are Saturday night.