Experienced Simi Valley Teaches Spartans a Lesson

The road to a Southern Section Division I-A basketball championship goes through Orange County, and Simi Valley High has begun its march toward a possible showdown with top-seeded Mater Dei.

Villa Park became the first of the Orange County powers to fall to the Pioneers, losing, 66-51, Friday night in a quarterfinal game.

It was men playing against boys. Villa Park (26-3) had two freshmen and no seniors in its starting lineup. Simi Valley (27-2) countered with seniors Brett Michel and Branduinn Fullove, who have led the Pioneers to 103 victories as four-year starters.

All the weeks of turmoil and supposed family feuds involving the Pioneers have been transformed into a lovefest. There was so much unselfishness that at one point, the Pioneers passed the ball too much and turned it over. But nobody was complaining, because the way Simi Valley is playing means trouble for any opponent.

“As long as we stay as a team, we’re unstoppable,” said 6-foot-9 junior center Dustin Villepigue, who had 22 points and 11 rebounds.

Michel scored 19 points, making four three-pointers, and limited Villa Park’s leading scorer, Matt MacGinnis. MacGinnis was held scoreless until making two free throws with 4:36 to play. By then, Simi Valley’s lead was 17 points.

“Brett did a great job,” Pioneer Coach Christian Aurand said. “We challenged him. He was playing against one of the best shooters around.”

Fullove scored 16 points and did what he always does best--hustle, play defense, handle the ball and display the kind of toughness that rubs off on teammates.

Tony Bryant led Villa Park with 17 points, but the Spartans were never really in the game. They fell behind by 11 points early in the second quarter, switched to a zone defense and closed to 23-20. But that’s when Michel connected on two three-point baseline bombs to help Simi Valley lead at halftime, 31-21. The Spartans never got closer than seven points in the second half.

“They do a great job passing the ball,” Villa Park Coach Kevin Reynolds said. “Hopefully, next year, that will be us.”

Villa Park has good size, with 6-9 freshman Sean Phaler and 6-8 junior Kyle Egkan, but the Pioneers repeatedly found Villepigue open inside for high-percentage shots. He made 11 of 14 shots and only two of his baskets were beyond three feet.

In other Division I-A games:

Mater Dei 79, Victor Valley 55--Jamal Sampson scored 21 points and Cedric Bozeman had 17 for top-seeded Mater Dei (29-2), which broke open the game at Phelan Serrano High by outscoring host Victor Valley in the third quarter, 21-10. The Monarchs will play San Bernardino Pacific.

Moreno Valley Rancho Verde 72, El Dorado 69--The Golden Hawks trailed by 15 after three quarters and pulled to within two points with 1:30 to play, but missed free throws and a key turnover did them in.

Mike Wulff had 15 points and Evan Bull had 13 points for El Dorado (25-4).

J.S. Nash had 38 points for Rancho Verde (20-11).