S.V. STAR HITS THE BOOKS RENEWED FOCUS ON CLASSES HELPS AS PLAYOFFS APPROACH.

Byline: Sean Ceglinsky Staff Writer

Michael Rodgers has never had a problem focusing or applying himself when it comes to basketball. Scoring, rebounding and blocking shots are things he has always done in order to be the best.

Putting forth a similar effort in the classroom, however, is another story. That is, until now.

The Simi Valley senior is hitting the books equally as hard as he is hitting the boards, and the Pioneers (19-7) are poised to make a deep run in the postseason as a result.

``He's mature now,'' Simi Valley coach Christian Aurand said.

The same couldn't be said for Rodgers this time last year. Sure, he showed glimpses of potential as a junior, averaging seven points and eight rebounds per game. But things soon fell apart.

He was ruled academically ineligible late in the season and missed the final three Marmonte League games, as well as the Southern Section Div. I-A playoffs. Simi Valley reached the semifinals, where it lost 47-43 to Marina of Huntington Beach.

All Rodgers could do was wonder what could have been.

``I let my teammates down. Majorly,'' Rodgers said. ``It was embarrassing to me, my family and our program. Basketball is important, but school is way more important.''

Lesson learned.

His GPA is up 1.5 points this year to 3.3 and the determination to improve off the court has transpired into a breakout season on it.

At 6-foot-5 and 205 pounds, Rodgers possesses the size and athleticism most high school kids don't have, giving him a distinct advantage down low in the paint.

He is shooting 61 percent from the field and averaging 15.3 points and 10.8 rebounds per game this season. Rodgers has been an imposing figure on the defensive end of the floor, too, averaging 2.3 blocks per game, tops among all big men in league play.

``Rodgers has a great deal of potential,'' Royal coach Craig Griffin said. ``He's the most athletic guy in our league, by far. He's one of those players you have to account for at all times.''

The playoff pairings will be announced today and Simi Valley's opponent needs to devise a good game plan to defend Rodgers because he and his teammates could be sending a team home earlier than expected.

``I'm not going to lie, Mike is the team. This is his team,'' Simi Valley guard Caise Burris said. ``He's scoring baskets, getting rebounds. We know he's going to come out and do his job every game. He's our leader.''

Rodgers' game is impressive, to be sure. However, it's not quite good enough in the eyes of the powers that be, at least at this point, anyway.

He hasn't drawn much, if any, interest from prospective Division I programs and will most likely end up at a community college next year. Perhaps it's the best move for him, though.

There are still facets of his game that need work, particularly his free-throw shooting. Rodgers is making 48 percent of his attempts from the line, a percentage that could easily be better with more concentration.

``He has a nice stroke,'' Aurand said.

There's also the issue of his perimeter play, which has been nonexistent so far because of his effectiveness with his back to the basket.

His range, currently 12-15 feet, must improve for him to make an impact at the next level, where he should see plenty of minutes as a wing player.

Rodgers, however, isn't going to shy away from a challenge anymore. Take for instance his re-dedication to academics.

Therefore, it's reasonable to expect him to do whatever it takes to develop into a complete player, and a better individual, too.

``Anything you do in life, whether it be basketball or school, you have to be focused,'' Rodgers said. ``I learned the hard way. But, I'm a better person for it.''

Sean Ceglinsky, [phone]

sean.ceglinsky(at)dailynews.com

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Simi Valley High senior Michael Rodgers has been paying closer attention to his school work after difficulties last season.

Tom Mendoza/Staff Photographer