Be careful what you wish for.Oxnard Coach...

Be careful what you wish for.

Oxnard Coach Henry Lobo admits that adage has crossed his mind while preparing his team for tonight’s nonleague game against visiting Simi Valley.

Simi Valley and Oxnard, the No. 3- and 8-ranked teams in the region by The Times, were ranked No. 1 and No. 2 at the end of 1999-2000 regular season. But they have not played each other since Lobo’s first game as Oxnard’s coach in 1991.

In recent years, Lobo wanted to see how his team would fare against Simi Valley. When he and Simi Valley Coach Christian Aurand realized they each had an open date on their schedules, Lobo got his wish.

“We felt after getting eliminated [by Downey Warren] in our first game of the playoffs last year, that maybe we needed to toughen up our schedule,” Lobo said. “Maybe we needed a few more bumps in the road during the regular season to toughen us up for the playoffs.”

Oxnard won 11 consecutive games--including an 8-0 mark in Pacific View League play--entering the playoffs last season, but the Yellowjackets were upset by Warren, 56-53, in a Southern Section Division I-AA second-round game after having a bye in the first round.

Simi Valley advanced to the Division I-A final, losing to Santa Ana Mater Dei, 53-39.

The Pioneers were not expected to be as strong this season because four starters, including leading scorers Branduinn Fullove and Brett Michel, graduated. But senior Dustin Villepigue, a 6-9 center, has averaged 26.9 points and 13.3 rebounds, and Simi Valley is 8-0.

“Villepigue is having a sensational season,” Lobo said. “But they’ve got several other guys who are playing really well.”

They include Jered Weaver, who is averaging 17.1 points, and Ryan Bradshaw, averaging 11.4.

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Tonight’s Simi Valley-Oxnard game will feature the two best centers in Ventura County in Villepigue and Yellowjacket senior Nicholas Curtis.

Lobo is more concerned about trying to contain Simi Valley’s high-powered offense.

“They have a lot of advantages over us,” said Lobo, whose team is 6-2. “Their size. Their execution. Their inside-outside game. They’ll throw over you if you try to trap them and they can flat-out shoot from outside.”