SoCalHoops High School News

Simi Tournament: Gilbert Arenas Scores
52 Points In Third Place Game--(Dec. 6, 1998)

We had intended the headline for this one to read "Simi Wins It's Own Tournament, Defeating Santa Clara" but after reading about the Grant Lancers' win in the third place game, and Gilbert Arenas' (6'-4" Sr. SG) performance, we just couldn't resist.

Sure, Simi won it's own tournament, defeating Santa Clara 82-76.  Sure Rafael Berumen scored 33 points and grabbed 11 rebounds.  And sure, Simi is now 4-0 on the year.  

But the really big news was another one of those all-everything performances from Arenas. Grant beat Camarillo, 79-38.  In addtion to scoring 52 points, Gil, who has signed to play for Arizona next season, had eight rebounds and six steals. Daniel Tarr scored 13 points for Grant (3-1), which took command with a 21-4 run in the first quarter.  Wow, wish we could have seen it. Kyle Lassiter scored 15 points for Camarillo, which is now 2-2 on the year. 

In the title game, Simi trailed by 12 points late in the first half,  but they caught Santa Clara, 51-51, with 2:15 to go in the third quarter after
a 22-14 scoring run.  Simi gained a six-point lead but Santa Clara pulled to within 70-67 with four minutes to play on a basket by Nick Jones before the Pioneers pulled away for good.  Berumen scored 15 points in the first half for the Pioneers, but B.J. Ward countered with 14 points for Santa Clara and the Saints built a 36-24 advantage near the end of the second quarter.  Santa Clara held a 37-28 lead at halftime.  The Pioneers rebounded in the second half behind Berumen and Branduinn Fullove, who had 16 of his 20 points in the final two quarters.  Fullove had nine points and Berumen eight in the third quarter, when the Pioneers outscored the Saints, 30-16.  Ward finished with 24 points and Jones had 21 for Santa Clara.

Fifth Place Game:

Pasadena Marshall 68, North Hollywood 62--Jason McKissick scored nine of his 19 points and Eric Roller had six of his nine points in the fourth quarter but the Huskies' rally fell short in the fifth-place game.   McKissick's basket drew North Hollywood (1-2) to within 58-57 with 2:34 to play, but two baskets by Jason Sanford and two free throws helped the Eagles (3-1) regain control.  Chris Bennett of Marshall had 20 points and eight rebounds, and
Ray Phifer added 12 points.

Seventh Place Game:

South Gate 64, Notre Dame-Sherman Oaks 55-- Ronald Johnson, a 6-5 senior swingman, continued his early season scoring onslaught with 35 points and 13 rebounds as South Gate (2-2) overcame a 19-13 first quarter deficit to nail down seventh place at Simi Valley High. Johnson has accumulated 131 points in four games for a 32.8 average. Dante Ward scored all 14 of his points in the second half to help Notre Dame cut an 18-point, third-quarter deficit to five, but the Knights fell in the seventh-place game. Notre Dame (1-3) built an early 13-point advantage without starters Ward, Brandon Griffin and Chris Williams, who arrived late after taking the Scholastic Assessment Test. 

Ninth Place Game:

El Camino Real 71, San Fernando 52--Justin Saad-Anthony scored 20 points and the Conquistadores (2-1) took ninth place.  Jason Tubbs had 16 points for San Fernando (1-2).

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