BASKETBALL PLAYOFFS: SO, CAN SIMI VALLEY STILL DOMINATE?

Byline: Vincent Bonsignore Daily News Staff Writer

Thirty minutes after Simi Valley secured a trip to the Southern Section Division I-A quarterfinals Tuesday night, Pioneers coach Dean Bradshaw sat in the corner of the locker room at Troy High and examined a stat sheet.

His team had barely avoided an upset against the Warriors, rallying in the fourth quarter to win 60-50.

It wasn't the blowout many had expected. There were moments when victory seemed in doubt, and only a titanic performance down the stretch by Rafael Berumen allowed the No. 3 seeded Pioneers to escape Orange County with their season intact.

Now Bradshaw shook his head and let out a noticeable sigh of relief.

``It's just nice to get one of those kind of games out of your system early in the playoffs,'' Bradshaw said. ``It's the postseason, there aren't any easy games out there.''

Which begs the questions: Was Simi Valley's narrow win over Troy a case of the Pioneers looking too far ahead, as Berumen hinted afterward? Or is this to be expected the rest of the way?

For so long, most have pointed toward a Simi Valley-Mater Dei matchup in the semifinals. At that point, it was assumed, the Pioneers would be seriously challenged for the first time. Not in the second round, or even tonight in the quarterfinal against Ventura.

After all, this was a team that routinely hammered Marmonte League opponents by 40 points or more.

Of course, that kind of thinking almost cut short Simi Valley's season on Tuesday.

``We have to get back to thinking one game at a time,'' Berumen said.

And that begins tonight against surprising Ventura, which upset Loara 64-59 Tuesday and features dominating guard Jeff Staniland, who had 32 points against the Saxons and converted a key three-point play with 3:08 left to give Ventura a 58-57 lead.

Staniland is averaging 25.5 points per game.

``You can always tell a talented player by the way he steps up in big games,'' said Ventura (18-10) coach Dan Larson. ``Those type of players not only have big games (during the year), but they manage to step up in when it's winnin' time, as Magic Johnson used to say.''

TODAY'S PLAYOFF GAME 

BOYS' BASKETBALL

VENTURA VS. SIMI VALLEY

Division: I-A

Records: Ventura 17-11; Simi Valley 27-2

Ventura outlook: The Cougars have become experts at winning the close ones. When they defeated Loara of Anaheim 64-59 Tuesday in the second round, it was the first time in five games they didn't have to work overtime for a victory. That could serve them well if they get a close, pressure-packed matchup with Simi Valley.

Simi Valley advantages: As has been the case throughout the first two rounds, Rafael Berumen (6-9) and Dustin Villepigue (6-8) will have the advantage in the frontcourt. Berumen exploited it against Troy of Fullerton in the second round and should get his customary double-double against Ventura.

Simi Valley disadvantages: The Cougars have an impressive scorer in Jeff Staniland. He is one of Ventura County's top scorers and an excellent creator. He scored 31 in his teams victory over Loara including 14 of 14 from the free throw line. . . . Branduinn Fullove still might not be 100 percent with an injured ankle.

What will Simi Valley have to do to win the game: Find a way to limit Staniland. Fullove is the team's defensive stopper, but if he is still gimpy, asking him to guard Staniland would be too much. Then the responsibility would fall to someone else.

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BOX: TODAY'S PLAYOFF GAME (See text)