CHAMINADE TOURNAMENT : Simi Valley Beats Marshall’s Slowdown, 62-52

Simi Valley High overcame Marshall’s slowdown tactics and Hank Hou’s game-high 31 points to post a 62-52 win Wednesday in pool play in the Chaminade basketball tournament.

Marshall (7-5) used a deliberate offense that, at times, left one player at midcourt holding the ball. The Barristers waited patiently for a high-percentage shot, and the tactic worked for 3 1/2 quarters.

“Our kids got caught up in it, mentally, and they were frustrated,” Simi Valley Coach Dean Bradshaw said. “They wanted to play.”

Simi Valley (6-4) began to do that midway through the fourth quarter when the Pioneers used a 9-2 run to take a lead they never relinquished.

Tim Jaqua began the spurt with three free throws that gave Simi Valley a 46-45 lead with 3:44 left. After Hung Diep hit a jump shot to give Marshall a 47-46 lead with 3:04 left, Simi Valley answered with three consecutive baskets.

Kenny Hood, who finished with 20 points and 11 rebounds, hit a short jump shot and Steve Carnes fed Mike Wawryk for two jump shots, giving Simi Valley a 52-47 lead with 1:52 left.

Marshall pulled to within 54-52 on Mark Umemoto’s three-point shot with 48 seconds left, but Carnes, who had 19 points and seven assists, made a free throw and added a three-point play with 22 seconds left that gave Simi Valley its biggest lead of the game and allowed Bradshaw a sigh of relief.

Wawryk added 12 points for Simi Valley, which will play Chatsworth today at 3 p.m. in a game that will conclude pool play. The winner will advance to the championship bracket of the 11-team tournament.

Granada Hills 77, Cathedral 46: Jermoine Brantley scored 12 of his game-high 20 points to lead a 28-10 third-quarter spurt that gave Granada Hills a 33-point lead.

Osiris Nalls and Gene Barshtak scored 11 and 10 points for Granada Hills (6-5), which will play Santa Monica tonight at 7:30 for a berth in the championship bracket.