HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL / SIMI VALLEY TOURNAMENT : Blough Puts Simi Valley Home Free Again

Anthony Tauriello scored 22 points and Dan Van Etten added 19 but it was Scott Blough who came up big again Saturday night.

After hitting the winning shot a day earlier to put Simi Valley High into the final, Blough sank two free throws with 25 seconds to play to preserve a 68-65 victory over North Hollywood at Royal High, giving the Pioneers the championship of their own tournament.

And what was going through his mind as he stood on the line?

“Don’t miss,” he said.

After Blough’s free throws, North Hollywood (3-1) still had a shot. But Arthur Lee’s three-point attempt at the buzzer fell short.

“There was no doubt in my mind that I was going to make it,” Lee said. “But as soon as it left my hand, I knew it would miss.”

Lee finished with 25 points.

Simi Valley (4-0) opened a 36-26 lead at halftime with a tenacious defense.

“We were really pleased with our defense,” Simi Valley Coach Dean Bradshaw said. “It was a great team effort.”

Royal 88, Palmdale 72--The Highlanders exploded for 26 points in the third quarter behind three three-pointers by Scott Hambly in the third-place game.