PREP BASKETBALL : Simi Valley Event Draws Elite Teams : Tournament: State finalist Fremont and City Section runner-up North Hollywood join field.

Simi Valley High’s boys’ basketball tournament, once an eight-team event that drew mostly from Ventura County, has doubled in size since its inception and this season will include City Section power Fremont.

Fremont, which was 34-2 and reached the championship game of the state Division I tournament last season, is ranked No. 2 in the state by Cal-Hi Sports. The Pathfinders head a field that includes such talented teams as Santa Clara, North Hollywood, Campbell Hall and host Simi Valley.

The 16-team tournament, which begins Monday and concludes Saturday, has become one of the area’s finest since its debut in 1985.

“It was hard to get something like this going because you’re competing with so many tournaments,” Simi Valley Coach Dean Bradshaw said. “You have to establish yourself. After you do that, it’s easier.”

The Pioneers have done their part to make it easier. They won the tournament title in 1987, then continued on to win the Southern Section 4-A championship behind the play of current UCLA standout Don MacLean.

Santa Clara also has pitched in. The Saints, winners of nine Southern Section titles and two state championships, won the 1990 Simi Valley tournament with a team led by guard Shon Tarver, now a sophomore a UCLA.

Last year’s champion, Santa Barbara, went on win the Southern Section I-A Division title.

Fremont Coach Sam Sullivan, who is 243-104 with the Pathfinders, said that this year’s tournament could be the finest in Southern California.

“We knew there would be some good competition because of the tradition that Simi Valley has,” Sullivan said. “There will be a lot of teams in the tournament that play a good brand of basketball.”

Bradshaw said that recruiters from 15 NCAA Division I schools have contacted him regarding the tournament.

North Hollywood, which lost to Fremont in last year’s City 3-A Division title game, has four starters returning from its 15-12 team and is led by senior guard Robert Hill. Hill, the co-most valuable player of the Mid-Valley League last season, averaged 18 points, seven rebounds, five assists and five steals.

The Huskies are in the same bracket as Fremont, which has won two of the past three 3-A titles and pinned a 70-37 loss on North Hollywood last season. If the teams win their first two games, they will meet in the semifinals.

Four starters return at Santa Clara, which reached the state Division IV final last season and finished 28-5. The Saints are led by All-Southern Section Division IV players Chris Cole, a 6-foot-2 senior who averaged 10 points last season, and 5-10 junior Art Barron (15.0). Senior Stevie Amar, a 6-4 forward, averaged 13.0 points.

Campbell Hall, which finished 24-5 last season, is led by senior guard Austin McKellar, who averaged 16.8 points last season. Sophomore center Alex Lopez, who is 6-10, averaged 11.1 points and 7.5 rebounds last season.

Although Simi Valley is coming off a 9-17 season, its worst since 1972-73, the Pioneers are expected to contend for their sixth Marmonte League title in the past seven seasons. Simi Valley is led by 6-3 senior guard Gordon Stolla and 6-5 senior center Danny Alexander.

Eight lettermen return at Kennedy, which is favored to win the North Valley League title behind the play of 6-3 junior forward Joe Wyatt (11.9 points last season) and 6-2 senior guard Bobby Winn.

The tournament, which is held at Royal and Simi Valley highs, includes a performance by the Los Angeles Laker cheerleaders Monday at 6:30 p.m. at Simi Valley High.

Other top players in the tournament include: Taft senior guard Casey Sheahan, who averaged 16.6 points last season and has signed a letter of intent to play at Cal State Fullerton; Glendale senior forward Mike Wright (6-4); and Granada Hills senior forward Shelton Simmons (6-5).