Super Sophomore Berumen Scores 43 in Championship

Rafael Berumen was a sophomore jinx only to El Camino Real High.

Berumen, a 6-8 sophomore transfer from Pomona, played far beyond his years in scoring 43 points to lead the Simi Valley boys’ basketball team to an 81-55 rout of El Camino Real in the championship game of the Simi Valley tournament Saturday night.

Berumen made 17 of 20 shots from the field--mostly from within 12 feet--and nine of 10 free throws. He also pulled down 13 rebounds.

All in three quarters.

For El Camino Real (3-2), which had no one to stop Berumen underneath, it got old really fast.

“He’s really big and strong, and our guys weren’t playing him strong enough,” said El Camino Real guard Elan Buller, who scored 28 points for the Conquistadores.

For his efforts, Berumen was named the tournament most valuable player.

The Pioneers (4-0), who won their tournament for the third consecutive year, were ahead, 27-4, after the first quarter as Simi Valley hit eight of its first 11 shots while the Conquistadores missed seven of their first eight.

Chaminade 46, Dos Pueblos 42--Brett Brownson scored 22 points to help the Eagles (3-1) rally from an early deficit and hold off the Chargers (2-2) in the third-place game.

After trailing throughout the first half, Chaminade built an eight-point lead in the third quarter but lost most of it in the fourth.

Hart 77, Newbury Park 66--Cory Johnson scored 13 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter as the Indians won the fifth-place game.

Johnson sank 11 of 12 free throws in the last four minutes to help Hart (3-1) break 59-59 and 63-63 ties late in the game. The senior forward accounted for 13 of the Indians’ last 18 points.

Mike Bowers scored 22 points for Newbury Park (2-2).

Palmdale 78, Granada Hills 68--Kevin Miller scored 20 points and Markus Carr had 19 points for the Falcons (2-2) in the seventh-place game. Carr also had seven rebounds and four assists.

Granada Hills (1-3), which got 21 points and 17 rebounds from Desmond Williams, trailed throughout but got within one point on a three-point basket by Leon Pimky with four minutes to go in the third quarter. Dory Daoud had 16 points and Pimky finished with 11 points for the Highlanders.

Camarillo 59, Chatsworth 52--Kevin Bower scored 16 points and Justin Beach added 14 as the Scorpions (3-1) won the ninth-place game.

The game was close until the fourth quarter, when Camarillo used a 13-4 run to take a 51-39 lead.