BOYS’ BASKETBALL / HART TOURNAMENT : Simi Valley Edges Notre Dame in Overtime

VALENCIA — Simi Valley High’s boys’ basketball team has found a rather irksome way of beating opponents.

It starts slowly, lies in wait, then strikes with venom at the end.

The Pioneers did it again, beating Notre Dame in overtime, 60-56, Thursday night in the semifinals of the Hart tournament at Valencia High.

Simi Valley (10-1) trailed by nine points with 6 minutes 31 seconds left but closed it out with a 24-9 run. Senior guard Anthony Tauriello led the latest ambush with 11 points--all in the second half--and nine assists.

“This is about the third time we’ve had to come back,” said Tauriello, who, like his team, started slowly. “I was struggling. But I knew in the second half it was important for us to get into a rhythm.”

The Knights (8-4) were seemingly in control, leading, 45-36, at the 6:31 mark of the fourth quarter. Then they hit the skids with four turnovers. After two scoreless minutes, Simi Valley sliced the lead to 45-41.

After an exchange of baskets, Tauriello made a pull-up jumper to give the Knights a 47-45 lead. Then Tauriello made a layup to tie the score after center Dan Van Etten stole a pass.

With 1:27 left, Van Etten’s first field goal, a three-foot jumper, gave Simi Valley the lead, 49-47.

Canyon 54, Hart 52--The Cowboys (7-4) earned their first berth in the championship game in the 23-year-old tournament when Ruben Castaneda made two free throws for his only points with six seconds left. Canyon’s Greg Minor scored 18 of his 25 points in the first half.

* MORE REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL: C14