BOYS’ BASKETBALL PLAYOFFS / DIVISION I-A

Mater Dei (31-1) vs. Simi Valley (28-2)

8:45 TONIGHT ARROWHEAD POND

Simi Valley, which has won 17 in a row, has had its shots at Mater Dei in the past and hasn’t been able to make much of them. The Pioneers lost to the Monarchs, 57-53, in December at the Torrey Pines tournament and were beaten by Mater Dei, 56-43, in a Division I-A semifinal a year ago. The Monarchs went on to win the division title, their eighth since 1990. Both teams have faced adversity and triumphed. Simi Valley guard Shaun Michel quit the team just before the playoffs. But that allowed senior Anish Sharda to step up, and he had 13 points and nine assists in the Pioneers’ 77-58 semifinal victory over Moreno Valley Rancho Verde. Mater Dei has weathered the long illness that caused 6-11 Jamal Sampson to miss 11 games and the transfers of 6-8 Lance Soderberg and his brother, 6-9 1/2 Erik Soderberg, to Corona Centennial. Mater Dei picked up another victory Friday when the team it lost to in a tournament in Fort Myers, Fla., Miami Norwest Christian, had to forfeit for using a fifth-year player.

KEY PLAYERS

Mater Dei

G Cedric Bozeman, Jr.

5.9 assts., 80% FT

G Steve Scoggin, Sr.

12.6 pts; 81% FT

C Jamal Sampson, Jr.

14.2 pts; 10.9 rebs.

Simi Valley

G Branduinn Fullove, Sr.

24.9 pts., 6 rebs.

F Brett Michel, Sr.

20.7 pts., 6 rebs.

C Dustin Villepigue, Jr.

12 pts., 7.7 rebs.