SIMI VALLEY BEATS ROYAL ON LATE SHOT\SIMI VALLEY 64, ROYAL 63.

Byline: Bill Schlotter Daily News Staff Writer

Pero Vasiljevic scored a near majority of the Simi Valley points.

Tony Campanario scored the three that made the difference.

With three seconds left and the Pioneers trailing by two points, Campanario's last-ditch 3-point try slipped through the net to give Simi Valley an impressive 64-63 upset of its cross-town rival, Marmonte League-leading Royal, in front of about 500 charged-up fans in Simi's Tom Harmon Gym.

After Campanario's score, the No. 3-ranked Highlanders (12-5, 5-2) tried twice to get off a desperation shot of their own. But both times the ball was intercepted by one of the Pioneers (12-5, 4-3), who find themselves back in the running for the Marmonte League title as the race hits the halfway post.

"That was a big-time shot," Dean Bradshaw, coach of the No. 8-ranked Pioneers.

Campanario said plans made in a timeout called for him to get the inbounds pass, then try to get it to Scott Blough or 6-foot-9 center Vasiljevic, who already had a game-high 31 points.

"The play was supposed to isolate either Scott or Pero, but they were both double-teammed," Campanario said. "Coach said if that happened and I had a shot, take it."

He did. And when it started to come down on the mark, he was beyond belief.

"I just said, 'Oh, my God, oh my God, oh my God,' " Campanario said.

"It was the most unbelievable feeling - the last second, our cross-rivals: It doesn't get any sweeter than that."

Yes, it does.

Campanario said the victory was even more important because of the hard feeling caused when teammates Scott Schnetzler and EriK Plummer transferred to Royal last year.

"We were pretty disappointed," Campanario said. "This date has been circled on our calendars ever since the transfers and we've been waiting and waiting for this day to come."

The Pioneers got out to an early lead on the play of Vasiljevic, who was a force both inside and out all night.

"I don't mean to brag, but I just felt I couldn't miss tonight," said Vasiljevic, who had three 3-pointers in addition to his tough inside points.

With 25 seconds left, it appeared Royal had the game won. Nick Flanagan, who led the Highlanders with 21 points, made a final free throw to give his team a 63-61 lead and the Highlanders denied Simi a decent shot over the next 22 seconds.

Then Campanario broke their hearts.

The Pioneers' win drops Royal back into a tie with Agoura for first place.