BOYS BASKETBALL BEAT FORGING THEIR OWN WAY.

Byline: Vincent Bonsignore Staff Writer

Simi Valley's Jered Weaver and Ryan Bradshaw share more than just the stroke of sweet jumpshots. Both follow in the footsteps of well-known relatives with the Pioneers.

Weaver is the brother of former Simi Valley baseball and basketball standout Jeff Weaver, now a hard-throwing starting pitcher with the Detroit Tigers. Bradshaw is the son of ex-Simi Valley coach Dean Bradshaw, now just another proud papa watching his son play.

They both deal with inevitable comparisons and, in Bradshaw's case, the notion that he made the team because of his father, who was still the coach when Ryan got promoted to the varsity team as a sophomore. Which is why it's nice to see both players establishing their own identities as seniors.

Bradshaw and Weaver are important components for the Pioneers, who are off to a typically strong start, winning their first eight games including championships at the Simi Valley and War on the Floor tournaments.

Their outside shooting is the perfect complement to the inside dominance of 6-foot-9 center Dustin Villepigue.

``It's only natural that people are going to make that connection, Jered with his brother and Ryan with his dad,'' Simi Valley coach Christian Aurand said. ``So it's really great to see both of them creating their own footprints.''

It's especially pleasing for Aurand, who played under Bradshaw when he was at Simi Valley and has known Ryan since he was born. In addition, guys like Weaver and some of his teammates participated in the Pioneers' youth programs over the years, meaning Aurand's known most of them since they were youngsters.

``It's pretty amazing to see how quickly it all turns over,'' Aurand said.

FOREIGN EXCHANGE

He has a funny-sounding name and he comes from a country some people even don't know exist, but one thing's for sure about Reseda High guard Sergie Lepiashinski: The guy can play basketball.

In case you haven't noticed, the 6-foot-4 junior guard has been a scoring machine lately, exemplified by the 46 and 34 points he poured onto Chatsworth and El Camino, respectfully - on the same day mind you - at the War of the Floor tournament.

The back-to-back, eye-opening performances left more than a few people wondering just who the heck Lepiashinski was. After all, he doesn't even show up on the preseason roster first-year Reseda coach Mike Wagner sent out to newspapers.

``Actually, he just fell onto my lap when he showed up to school in September,'' Wagner said.

Lepiashinski and his family recently moved to the San Fernando Valley from tiny Belarus, an Eastern Europe nation that formerly was a part of the Soviet Union. Turns out, back in Belarus, Lepiashinski was a member of the country's Olympic-development program. Wagner had no idea what he had until practice started.

The first sign Reseda had something special was when Wagner put the team through a 3-mile run to assess each player's physical shape. Lepiashinski finished the long run first among his teammates, and when Wagner asked him if everything was OK, the newcomer responded: ``No problem coach. In my country, we run in snow.''

Now everybody knows.

``Well it's pretty obvious he has tremendous offensive skills,'' Wagner said. ``And the scary thing is, he's only going to get better. He's just now beginning to understand he has four other teammates that can help him, and once he figures out how to use them to enhance himself and the team, he'll be even better.''

Like most foreign players, Lepiashinski needs to work on his defense, as was evidenced against Chatsworth when he scored 46 but was torched by Shayne Berry for 43. ``He still doesn't understand playing defense,'' Wagner said.

LET'S DECIDE IT ON THE FLOOR

It's a debate that has raged on the last few years, from players to coaches to fans. Which league is better, the Mission or the Marmonte?

Finally, we can come to some sort of conclusion. The two leagues will meet in a one-day, winner-take-all extravaganza Saturday, Jan. 6 at Crespi High.

It's the brainstorm of Crespi coach Dick Dornan, who pulled things together with the help of coaches from both leagues. Unfortunately, because of prior commitments, not every school will be represented. Chaminade, Loyola and Moorpark were all scheduled to play in other tournaments, although they should be available to participate next season. Calabasas, which joins the Marmonte League next year, rounds out the classic.

``It's a chance for the fans to see some of the top teams in the area in one setting on one day,'' said Dornan. ``Even just in terms of some of the best players. You've got some outstanding individuals on hand.''

Dornan's got a point. Six of the 10 teams in the Daily News weekly rankings will play, and star players like Simi Valley's Dustin Villepigue, Notre Dames' Cody Pearson and Mike Luderer, Crespi's Andre Moore, Newbury Park's Aaron Bobik and Thousand Oaks' Kyle Kegley get to strut their stuff.

WHATEVER IT TAKES

Sylmar coach Bort Escoto changed things prior to the Spartans' 57-55 first-round win over Houston Christian in the Las Vegas Holiday Prep Classic Monday. Rather than put Sylmar through the usual taxing, emotional pregame routine, Escoto eased up and let the Spartans go through a fun, laid-back warmup, much like the ones they did during a successful summer campaign.

``As coaches, we made an adjustment not to be so serious - not that we were throwing discipline out the window - and let them relax,'' Escoto explained. ``We wanted them be be more loose.''

Whatever Escoto did, it worked. The Spartans upended highly touted Houston Christian on a late basket by Ernest Williams.

Escoto is open to continuing the new pregame approach.

``It may be tougher for my assistants to make the change than myself,'' Escoto said. ``But heck, if it means a win for us, I'll wear a darned clown costume at the games.''

For all of us, lets hope it doesn't come to that.

UP TO HIS USUAL TRICKS

News flash: Taft of Woodland Hills sophomore guard Steve Smith now concedes football is his first love. Smith reached that conclusion after his utterly dominant first year on the Toreadors varsity football team this season. Smith said when he gets to college - in three years - he'll focus on football. ``I like the mental challenge of football,'' Smith said.

In the meantime, Smith will play both sports at Taft, and after the impressive start he's off to in basketball thus far, some local coaches probably wish the 6-3 guard would just concentrate exclusively on football right now.

They shouldn't hold their breath. Smith said he still loves playing basketball, and by the numbers he's putting up so far it's obvious he hasn't lost any of the skill that made him one of the best players in the area last year as a freshman.

Through seven games, Smith is averaging more than 18 points, including a huge effort against Carson when he had 10 rebounds and 32 points on 14-of-18 shooting.

Taft, after losing a number of key players to graduation, including 6-9 center Gregg Guenther, is off to a encouraging 5-2 start.

DAILY NEWS TOP TEN

1. Notre Dame 6-0

2. Simi Valley 8-0

3. Crescenta Valley 12-1

4. Thousand Oaks 6-2

5. Agoura 8-0

6. Newbury Park 7-2

7. Camarillo 7-2

8. Moorpark 8-0

9. Taft 5-2

10. Muir 6-1

SEVEN-DAY FORECAST

--Bound to happen: Crespi's Andrew Moore will break out of a season-long shooting slump in time to carry the Celts to the Hart tournament championship.

--Potential hero: Simi Valley's Dustin Villepigue, who has averaging 26 points and 13 rebounds, will dominate inside the paint and the Pioneers will advance deep into the Nike San Diego Prep Classic.

PLAYER WATCH

KEYLE KEGLEY

--School: Thousand Oaks

--Year: Senior

--Position: Guard

--The essentials: 6-5, 190

--The skinny: Kegley is one of the region's top shooters, but in addition to possessing a classic jump shot straight off the set of Hoosiers, this guy can flat out score. Jumpers, drives to the basket, points in transition, Kegley knows how to find the basket for the Lancers (6-2), one of the favorites to win the Marmonte League title. Kegley is drawing interest from numerous college teams, but to make the transition to the next level, he needs to get stronger, improve his overall quickness and get dedicated to defense. He shows a good work ethic, so Kegely will do what he has to.

KEEPING TABS

--Player/Position: Ruben Douglas, Guard

--High School: Bell-Jeff of Burbank

--Current team: The University of New Mexico 

--Update: Douglas, who transferred to New Mexico from Arizona last season,

is eligible to play starting tonight against Furman. Douglas had to sit out the first six games as part of transfer rules. The 6-foot-5 guard is expected to be the Lobos top player and scorer once he gets into game shape.

CAPTION(S):

2 photos, 4 boxes

Photo: (1) Simi Valley's Jered Weaver

Phil McCarten/Staff Photographer

(2) Newbury Park's David Garza (left) and Crespi's Derrick O'Dwyer

Eric Grigorian/Special to the Daily News

Box: (1) DAILY NEWS TOP 10 (see text)

(2) SEVEN-DAY FORECAST (see text)

(3) PLAYER WATCH: KEYLE KEGLEY (see text)

(4) KEEPING TABS (see text)