Thousand Oaks Finds a Familiar Ending : High school basketball: Lancers get share of fourth Marmonte title in row with 78-60 win over Simi Valley.

Just to keep things interesting, Thousand Oaks High lost its first two Marmonte League basketball games this season.

That way, when the Lancers came back to win a share of the championship, which they did with a 78-60 victory over Simi Valley on Friday night, it would have a different flavor than the titles of the previous three seasons.

“The league was more competitive this year,” senior Jason Hartman said. “This championship feels a lot better because we beat better teams.”

The Lancers will share the title with Agoura, which beat Channel Islands on Friday night.

Simi Valley (17-8, 8-5) is likely to make the playoffs because its record would probably earn an at-large bid even if the Pioneers don’t finish with one of the league’s four automatic spots.

Thousand Oaks likely will start the Division I-A playoffs next week with a home game by virtue of winning the league championship.

Just like last year. Same end. Different means.

Last year, Thousand Oaks was 14-0 in the Marmonte League. The Lancers only setback of the regular season was to North Hollywood, but this year Thousand Oaks finishes the regular season 20-6, 11-3 in the league.

“This was such a whole new team,” Coach Ed Chevalier said. “The kids really grew into their roles and that’s why they are such good kids.”

The best kid Friday night was Hartman, who scored 21 points, 15 in the second half.

“Jason worked a lot harder in the second half,” Chevalier said.

During one stretch in the third quarter, when Thousand Oaks put the game away, Hartman scored eight consecutive points. He then made a great pass to forward Brian Downing, who converted a three-point play to give Thousand Oaks a 64-51 lead.

The Lancers made an impressive 26 of 40 shots (65%).

“That doesn’t surprise me because we have such good shooters,” Hartman said, “but it was nice to see it in a big game.”

Senior guard Peter Lauer added 16 points, including three three-pointers, for Thousand Oaks. Downing scored 11 and Kevin DePiazza added 10.

Every player on the Simi Valley roster scored, with Vernon Simmons leading the way with 12.

But Simmons missed nearly all of the first half after he was whistled for his second foul about three minutes into the game.

Without him, the Pioneers were still able to take the early lead because of hot shooting from the field. Simi Valley made 10 of its first 12 shots, and took a 25-17 lead early in the second quarter.

Thousand Oaks came back when the Pioneers cooled down. Making 12 of 17 shots from the field in the first half, the Lancers went into the locker room with a 34-30 lead.

Hartman’s scoring burst late in the third quarter and early in the fourth put the game away. Simi Valley could get no closer than 10 points after that.

Thousand Oaks made 13 of 19 free throws in the closing minutes to bury the Pioneers.