BOYS' BASKETBALL NOTEBOOK: SIMI COMES LONG WAY IN MONTH.

Byline: Vincent Bonsignore Staff Writer

The thought of the Simi Valley High boys' basketball team reaching the Southern Section Div. I-A semifinals was rather far-fetched a month ago. The Pioneers were reeling after suffering two consecutive Marmonte League losses that left the team in trouble.

The Pioneers then barely beat crosstown rival Royal of Simi Valley in double overtime the following week, then fell to Agoura two days later to drop into third place.

To compound matters, they lost promising forward Mike Rodgers to grades and senior forward John Schock to an injury.

``That was a difficult time of year for us,'' Simi Valley guard Mark Wells said. ``As a team, we were emotionally drained.''

Just then, Wells paused as he contemplated the Pioneers' amazing turnaround. Simi Valley (21-8) is the surprise team in the Div. I-A playoffs, knocking off second-seeded Glendora 57-54 and Foothill League champion Hart of Newhall 52-46 in major upsets last week to advance to a semifinal against Marina High of Huntington Beach (23-7) at 7:30 tonight at Edison High in Huntington Beach.

Simi Valley joins Saugus in the Div. I-A semifinals. The Centurions (22-7) upset top-seeded Oxnard in triple overtime Friday and hosts Mission Viejo (24-5) at 7:30 p.m. at College of the Canyons. In other semifinal action, Lancaster (20-8) plays Etiwanda (28-1) at A.B. Miller High in Fontana in Div. I-AA, and Antelope Valley Christian (20-6) hosts Maricopa (14-8) at Highland High of Palmdale in a Div. V-A semifinal.

They're all trying to join five region teams that have qualified for championship games in their respective sections and divisions.

Taft of Woodland Hills plays Fairfax of Los Angeles at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Sports Arena in the City championship final. On Saturday at the Pond in Anaheim, Calabasas plays Santa Margarita in Div. III-AA and Harvard-Westlake of Studio City plays Centennial of Compton in Div. III-A. On Thursday at Loyola Marymount, Flintridge Prep of La Canada plays Verbum Dei of Los Angeles in Div. IV-A, and Hillcrest Christian of Granada Hills plays Rolling Hills Prep in Div. V-AA.

For Simi Valley, a victory puts the Pioneers into the championship final for the first time since 1999-2000. They won the title in 1988.

Not bad for a team that finished in third place in the Marmonte League.

``I don't know how to explain it, but I guess the best way is to say nobody lost confidence,'' Wells said. ``Obviously your first goal coming into the season is to win your league title, which wasn't going to happen after we struggled. But your overall goal is the playoffs, and we always felt that once we got in, we had just as good a shot as anybody else.''

--Another surprise: Just as surprising as Simi Valley's run to the semifinals is Saugus' season. The Centurions lost their first two Foothill League games, then called an emergency team meeting. They've won eight in a row since the meeting, including 56-54 in triple overtime against top- seeded Oxnard.

The Centurions are making their first trip to the semifinals since 1991. Saugus won the Div. 3-A title in 1987.

``It's hard to believe, but here we are,'' Saugus center B.J. Willkomm said.

Saugus caught a bit of a break playing Oxnard in the quarterfinals. It was the third meeting between the teams this year, with Oxnard narrowly winning the first two in tournaments.

``That helped us a lot because we knew what to expect from them,'' Saugus guard Shant Bicakci said. ``We knew who their go-to guys were and what they liked to run in certain situations.''

--Catching the fever: Lancaster, which plays Etiwanda in the Div. I-AA semifinals tonight, has never advanced this far.

``Everywhere you go on campus, people are talking about basketball,'' Lancaster guard Chad McDaniel said. ``Students, teachers, administrators. It makes you want to win just as much for everyone else as you do for yourself. We're feeling some major love right now.''

McDaniel said the Eagles' playoff run is a result of beating Highland on the road two weeks ago in their final regular-season game, a victory that enabled Lancaster to secure a first-place tie with Highland for the Golden League title.

``That win really set us off on the right foot,'' McDaniel said. ``It was a win we had to have, and it came on the road. That gave us a lot of confidence.''

Vincent Bonsignore, [phone]

vincent.bonsignore(at)dailynews.com

SOUTHERN SECTION PLAYOFFS

Semifinals - all games 7:30 p.m.

DIV. I-AA

--Lancaster vs. Etiwanda at A.B. Miller High

DIV. I-A

--Mission Viejo vs. Saugus at COC 

--Simi Valley vs. Marina at Edison High

DIV. V-A

--Maricopa vs. Antelope Valley Christian at Highland High

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SOUTHERN SECTION PLAYOFFS (see text)