Simi Valley Not Perfect but Its Record Still Is

There were moments of chaos for Simi Valley High on Thursday night. Five-second violations. Passes thrown off the wall. Airballs from the free-throw line.

But this unbeaten team is showing it thrives on adversity. The Pioneers (6-0), behind a 27-point, 16-rebound performance from Dustin Villepigue, regained their bearings just in time to beat Chatsworth, 70-60, in the War on the Floor tournament at Chatsworth.

The Chancellors (4-4) fell behind, 59-42, late in the third quarter after a barrage of three-pointers from Jered Weaver and Ryan Bradshaw of Simi Valley.

Chatsworth tightened its defense, made Simi Valley rush shots and suddenly Chatsworth closed to within 65-60 with 1:46 left on a basket by Shayne Berry.

There was no panic in the Pioneers. Nick Grandchamp made two free throws, then a basket, and the Pioneers were home free. Not that Coach Christian Aurand didn’t do his share of sweating.

“I think we got caught up in the tempo of the game,” he said. “We lost focus and lost sight of our execution.”

Berry, one of the leading scorers in the City Section, made nine of 19 shots and scored 21 points. The Chancellors played without Coach Emad Whitney, whose fiancee was hospitalized with labor pains.

Simi Valley will have to do a better job handling a pressure man-to-man defense tonight when it plays unbeaten Dorsey (6-0) in a 7:30 pool-play game.

“We’re a real good half-court team and when we execute, I don’t think there’s anybody who can stop us,” the 6-foot-9 Villepigue said.

Simi Valley has an effective inside-outside attack, especially when Weaver and Bradshaw, who each had 12 points, are connecting from the perimeter.