Fullove, Berumen Do Their Part for Simi Valley, 77-70

Branduinn Fullove scored 26 points and Rafael Berumen added 21 points for the Simi Valley High boys’ basketball team, which defeated Long Beach Jordan, 77-70, in a second-round game in the Southern Section Division I-AA playoffs Tuesday night at Long Beach Jordan.

Fullove was perfect from the free-throw line, making nine attempts. Berumen added nine of 11 foul shots. The Pioneers (24-5) converted 26 of 32 free throws, including 16 of 18 in the first half.

Long Beach Jordan (17-12) attempted just six free throws, making four.

“We came out with a lot of intensity, then we slipped a little in the second quarter,” Fullove said. “But we regrouped in the locker room and took it to them in the second half.”

Brett Michel scored Simi Valley’s last eight points of the third quarter, including a three-point basket with 14 seconds left that gave the Pioneers a 58-49 lead.

“This is the first time in our history that we’ve beaten a team from the Moore League in the playoffs,” Simi Valley Coach Dean Bradshaw said. “What’s even better is that we did it on the road.”

Long Beach Jordan entered the playoffs as the second-place team from the Moore League.

Simi Valley, seeded fourth in Division I-AA, outscored the Panthers, 20-8, in the first quarter and led by 15 points three times in the second quarter before settling for a 39-33 halftime advantage.

The Pioneers will play Bellflower in the quarterfinals Friday.