Simi Valley Squeaks Past Quartz Hill

Quartz Hill High guard Dan Prince and Simi Valley forward Danny Alexander traded baskets during much of a Southern Section Division I-AA playoff game Tuesday night at Simi Valley.

And, fittingly, each had an opportunity for a final shot to send his team to the quarterfinals.

Alexander, who scored 26 points, hit a pull-up jumper with 11 seconds left that gave Simi Valley an eventual 47-46 victory.

With four seconds left, it was Prince’s turn to try.

A 6-foot senior, Prince had scored 19 of Quartz Hill’s 23 points in the second half. He took an inbounds pass in front of the Quartz Hill bench and, as he attempted a 21-foot shot, the ball was stripped by Simi Valley guard Ryan Briggs and recovered by Simi Valley’s Gordon Stolla as time ran out.

“I felt I got fouled,” said Prince, who hit six three-point baskets and finished with a game-high 31 points. “Neither referee was close enough to see it, so they couldn’t make a call.”

To the surprise of few, Simi Valley Coach Dean Bradshaw said the officials did not err.

“I feel bad Quartz Hill didn’t get the call,” Bradshaw said. “But when you have a kid shooting from 30 feet away, the officials can’t make that call. It’s up to the players to win the game; the officials can’t make a call that wins the ballgame for them.”

Prince led a determined effort by Quartz Hill (16-9), which trailed by 12 points in the first quarter and faced a 31-23 deficit at halftime.

Prince hit a pull-up jumper that capped a 15-6 run in the third quarter and gave the Rebels their first lead, 38-37, entering the fourth quarter.

Simi Valley (21-5) opened the quarter with six consecutive points that gave it a 43-38 lead on Alexander’s follow shot with 4 minutes 29 seconds left. Prince sandwiched a pair of three-point baskets around a layin from Briggs (10 assists), cutting Quartz Hill’s lead to 45-44 with 59 seconds left.

After Simi Valley turned the ball over, Prince hit a fadeaway jump shot from 15 feet that gave Quartz Hill a 46-45 lead with 26 seconds left.

Simi Valley then called time out to set up Alexander’s game-winner.

“He’s been our money man all year,” Bradshaw said. “We live with him, we’ll die with him.”