Coaches Discuss Fullove Incident

There is little question Branduinn Fullove of Simi Valley High is the best boys’ basketball player in the Marmonte League.

But an incident in which Fullove allegedly punched Kyle Kegley of Thousand Oaks in the groin during a game last month was discussed Tuesday night before coaches voted on the most valuable player award at the all-league meeting at Newbury Park.

Coach Rich Endres of Thousand Oaks brought a videotape of the incident to the meeting, but Coach Christian Aurand of Simi Valley successfully argued against showing it, said Rich Sanders, interim coach at Westlake.

“Christian didn’t like what happened,” Sanders said of the incident. “But he didn’t think it was fair to show the tape.”

All-league selections will not be released until all Marmonte teams are eliminated from the Southern Section playoffs.

Sanders said coaches debated the ramifications of the incident before selecting an MVP.

The incident occurred late in the third quarter of Simi Valley’s 80-76 victory at Thousand Oaks on Jan. 26. Play was stopped but no foul was called.

Kegley, who had 26 points in the game, said Fullove, who had 30 points, punched him on two occasions while guarding him, but the first punch was not a “direct hit.”

Fullove, who has signed with UC Santa Barbara and is averaging 24.7 points, said he didn’t purposely hit Kegley.

“I know I wouldn’t just go up to someone and punch them intentionally,” Fullove said. “I have more character than that. I would never do that to another player.”