AGOURA'S LOW-KEY PIVOT A PRANKSTER : DESIMONE SCORES, REBOUNDS, JOKES AROUND.

Byline: Dave Desmond Daily News Staff Writer

Ask people in the Agoura High School girls' basketball program about Kristin DeSimone and you'll get vastly different descriptions.

``She's pretty low-key,'' coach Ollie Otis said.

``She's a joker, one of the funniest people I know,'' countered teammate Julie Cox.

After three seasons playing on the varsity team, some still may believe the 5-foot-10 senior post player is an introvert, but don't be fooled.

Just like the old cliche says, it's always the quiet ones you worry about.

It was DeSimone who stole a teammate's basketball shoes just before a game, leading the fellow Charger to believe she had left them at home. As the teammate ran for a phone to ask a parent to retrieve her shoes, the high tops magically turned up.

When Agoura's team was recently changing in a locker room in preparation for a big game, DeSimone quickly dressed and snuck out, turning off the lights as she exited and leaving the rest of the team to scramble in the darkness, searching for their uniforms.

``Around people I'm comfortable with, I'm pretty outgoing,'' said DeSimone, who is averaging 12 points and 10.5 rebounds for the Chargers - 10-12, 5-7 entering Tuesday night's game with visiting Newbury Park. ``I may be quieter around people I don't know so well.''

As a 17-year-old veteran, she certainly appears comfortable in the rugged Marmonte League, one of the area's most competitive leagues.

For DeSimone's next trick, she will attempt to make Agoura reappear in the Southern Section playoffs for the first time in recent memory.

Agoura entered the final week of the regular season in fifth place and contending for an at-large berth in the postseason. Aside from a two-year Southern Section experiment in which every team advanced to the playoffs regardless of record - the Chargers have not reached the postseason since 1984-85.

During DeSimone's first two seasons, Agoura compiled a 6-40 overall record.

Some of the few highlights during those bleak years were DeSimone's rare performances on the guitar, usually in front of only a select few.

``We've been trying to get her to play more,'' Otis said. ``I asked her once to play the National Anthem before a game, but she just looked at me and laughed.''

DeSimone, who also averages almost five blocked shots per game, may never be seen at mid-court, strumming her acoustic guitar.

She has, however, played a pivotal role in the Chargers' stretch drive, which culminates with Thursday's regular-season finale at home against first-place Thousand Oaks.

``They're much improved as a team, but whenever we play Agoura, we know that we need to stop DeSimone,'' Thousand oaks coach Chuck Brown said.

DeSimone may be the Chargers' marquee player, but their ascent in the standings can be attributed to considerably more than just one player's talent and a lot of smoke and mirrors.

Meghan Skelly, a junior forward, and senior guard Stephanie Ho also have played key roles on a team that has improved from top to bottom.

The added balance has resulted in a decline in DeSimone's numbers. Last season, she averaged 16 points while gaining second team All-Ventura County honors.

She doesn't seem to mind.

``Last year, a lot of pressure was put on me,'' said DeSimone, who is expected to play at Ventura College next year. ``This year, everybody on the team can play, everybody has improved. It's very exciting.''

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Photo

Photo: (Ran in Conejo and Simi) Kristin DeSimone once hid a teammate's shoes before a game.

Bob Halvorsen / Daily News