SOUTHERN SECTION BOYS’ BASKETBALL PREVIEW : Suddenly, Simi Valley Standing Tall

To understand the impact of Australian exchange student Pero Vasiljevic on the Simi Valley High basketball team, consider the perspective of guard Scott Blough.

Until the 6-foot-9 Vasiljevic emerged from Down Under and enrolled at Simi Valley, Blough was the Pioneers’ only established player. Even a summer spent with Team Avia had not prepared Blough for the inevitable.

Box-and-one defenses might have shut off his shots and any number of nifty passes he made might have drawn yawns by opponents. What would his inexperienced teammates have done with the ball anyway?

Bring in Vasiljevic and Blough is ready to bring on the world.

“Having him here is the most exciting thing,” Blough said. “He adds so much.”

Blough is confident of getting his shots and sure that his nifty passes will lead to thunderous dunks. Vasiljevic, by all accounts, should be one of the region’s best players.

“Simi Valley went from being easy to defend to being a huge challenge to stop,” one opposing coach said. “We’ll have to collapse on the big guy. Everybody will.”

At practice Monday, the muscular Vasiljevic, a 17-year-old senior, ran the floor like a guard. But he finished fast breaks with the flourish of a big man, throwing down reverse dunks that caused everyone in the gym to grin in wonderment.

“I’ve been telling him to dunk whenever possible in practice,” said Danny Alexander, a Simi Valley assistant. “That way, he’ll do it in games.”

The abrupt arrival of Vasiljevic from Adelaide, a city of 1.2 million in South Australia, has raised the eyebrows of rival coaches.

They point out that former Cal Lutheran Coach Mike Dunlap is coach of the Adelaide 36ers, the city’s professional team, and that Dunlap made a habit of bringing college-age Australian players to the Thousand Oaks university.

They point out that Vasiljevic is being heavily recruited by Cal State Fullerton, coached by former Simi Valley High Coach Bob Hawking.

The Pioneers’ current coach, Dean Bradshaw, was an assistant to Hawking and is an acquaintance of Dunlap. Bradshaw insists this fine import just plopped into his lap.

“People are sensitive about this, but we happened to be very lucky this year,” Bradshaw said.

“These accusations I’ll be able to take, but for the kid, they are totally unfair.”

Such charges should not be made idly, Southern Section Commissioner Dean Crowley said.

“The key to foreign exchange is random placement,” Crowley said. “If there is evidence a kid has been piped in to a specific school, it would result in forfeitures and the kid sitting down.”

For his part, Vasiljevic said that for two years he planned on coming to the United States on an exchange program. The program, People Link, has been approved by the Southern Section.

“I came for academics but knew I would try out for the team,” he said. “I’m so happy they needed some height.”

Vasiljevic, who attended a private high school in Adelaide called Cabra College, said he originally was to stay with a family in Montana. Instead he arrived in Simi Valley on Sept. 18.

“People Link picked a family and the family picked me up at the airport,” he said.

Word of Vasiljevic spread quickly among Division I basketball programs. Bradshaw said Fullerton, Pepperdine and a handful of other schools offered Vasiljevic a letter of intent during the early signing period. Nothing doing, however.

“I don’t know if I will stay here for college or go back and play on a club team,” Vasiljevic said. “I’m just thinking about this season.”

Bradshaw is trying his best to keep his center from being the center of attention, fielding all inquiries from colleges and reporters.

“I’ve tried to take the recruiting and the media attention completely out of his hands,” Bradshaw said.

Keep Vasiljevic’s oversized mitts free to hold the basketball and Simi Valley can count on improving on its 20-6 record of last season.

Other players to watch:

Frontcourt: The only thing better than having a dominant inside player such as Vasiljevic is having two. For the third season in a row, Harvard-Westlake trots out twins Jason and Jarron Collins.

Seemingly Wolverines forever, they are only juniors. But, please, don’t call either one junior.

Jason is 6-11, 258 pounds. Jarron is 6-10, 240.

Jason was Division III player of the year last season. Jarron was All-Southern Section.

Jason shot 74% and averaged 20.5 points, 13 rebounds and 3.2 blocks. Jarron shot 63%, averaged 13.2 points, 10.1 rebounds and 3.5 assists.

To hear them tell it, they are much improved. Injuries slowed both Collins’ summer activity on the court, but increased the hours spent in the weight room.

Said Jason: “I feel much stronger. I am in real good shape.”

Said Jarron: “I’ll be speaking up more and showing leadership.”

The only other players from the region with significant height are 6-11 junior Tim Faulconer of Saugus, 6-8 senior Jeremiah Nesbitt of Westlake, 6-8 senior Ceneka Shaw of Buena and 6-8 junior Leo Espelet of Camarillo.

Nesbitt transferred from Thousand Oaks, where he averaged 14.2 points and 5.7 rebounds, Shaw was Ventura County’s premier shot-blocker and Espelet is an exchange student from Argentina.

Josh Hill, a 6-7 senior forward from Camarillo, should be an impact player. Hill averaged 17.6 points and 9.3 rebounds last season and is surrounded by an improved supporting cast.

Although only 6-1, Highland’s John Burrell is a top scorer, as is Le’Tre Kelly, a 6-5 Antelope Valley junior. But the highest scoring forward in the area could be Nathan Sinning of Crescenta Valley, who fills the void left by Brock Jacobsen and Blake Jacobson.

A sleeper could be Adrian Pantoja of Alemany, a 6-3 senior who is the best shooter on an improving team. Anwawn Jones of Montclair Prep dominates most of his opponents.

Backcourt: Steve Aylsworth of Westlake, a three-year starter, was All-Southern Section and the Marmonte League’s most valuable player last season. Aylsworth, a 6-foot senior, plays point or off guard equally well.

“I definitely want to put up numbers, but I might be facing defenses that won’t permit me to do so,” he said. “It might call for me to make more assists.”

The Marmonte League is full of excellent guards, including Blough, Brian Laibow of Agoura, Mike Lauer of Thousand Oaks and Marques Pena of Royal, but Aylsworth is up for the challenge.

“I should bring a lot of maturity to the floor,” he said. “Being a senior, I have to bring everybody together.”

Youth prevails in Burbank, where talented sophomore Juni Williams directs the Bulldogs. At nearby Bell-Jeff, sophomore Ruben Douglas and freshman Kent Dennis offer an exciting changing of the guard.

Jake Willis brings a 6-5 frame and last season’s 9.4 assist average back to Crescenta Valley. Dan Bush (6-2) should have ample opportunity to score for La Canada.