PREP WEDNESDAY: ALL-COUNTY BASKETBALL : Simon Is Successful Transition Player : Player of the year: Mater Dei star easily made switch to point guard. Next move is to Arizona.

Miles Simon is one of the most successful basketball players to play at Mater Dei.

In the three years Simon was on the varsity, the Monarchs won three Southern Section I-A championships, reached the Southern California Division I Regional final three times and the State championship game once. Yet, he was not one to rest on his accomplishments.

Simon, a 6-foot-4 senior, learned before the season that he was going to move from shooting guard to point guard after point guard Olujimi Mann transferred to Santa Ana Valley. Simon, known primarily as a shooter, threw himself into the job.

“I knew I was going to have to work hard,” said Simon, The Times Orange County player of the year. “I had to work on my all-around skills and become a better passer.”

The transition was easy.

Simon ran the Monarch offense, when he wasn’t providing offense, efficiently. He averaged seven assists and kept his scoring average at 20.8.

As a result, Mater Dei was 33-1, losing only to Los Angeles Crenshaw in the Southern California Regional final.

“I had to share the ball more this season,” Simon said. “We had a lot more scorers on this team. I had to have an all-around game instead of concentrating on one thing.”

Three other Monarchs averaged in double figures.

“My goal this year was to have at least one triple-double,” Simon said. He got close. Simon had 34 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists in a game against Capistrano Valley.

Simon’s improvement as a ballhandler and passer will help him more next season at Arizona. Simon will join former teammate Reggie Geary, now a sophomore for the Wildcats.

“I’ll be able to play either guard spot and that should help me get some playing time as a freshman,” Simon said. “I feel confident that I can handle the ball on that level and play point.”

But while Simon honed his play-making skills, he didn’t ignore his shooting touch. He shot 54.2% from the field and made 63 three-pointers.

Simon shot 79.2% from the foul line. He made eight of 10 in the final 1 minute 39 seconds against in Edison in the section championship game to help the Monarchs hang on for a 65-59 victory.

“If we were going to lose, I wanted it to be my fault,” Simon said afterward. “I wanted to be the one on the foul line.”

Simon is The Times player of the year for the second consecutive season. He averaged 14 points during the regular season and 19.3 points in the playoffs as a junior. As a sophomore, he averaged eight points and had a 24-point game in a victory over Compton Dominguez in the section quarterfinals.