marmonte wednesday games

SoCal High School & Prep Report

Marmonte League: Game Results and Highlights
From Wednesday's Games--(January 23, 1998)

There are some very tough teams in the Marmonte League, which stretches across Ventura County, and features two of the top teams in SoCal, Simi Valley and Newbury Park. Both of these teams competed in Las Vegas over the Holiday season at the Reebok Prep Classic, and both of them had mixed results. A week ago, Simi was the top rated team in the region, and Newbury Park was down around No. 7 on everyone's list. But oh, how the mighty are fallen. Newbury Park knocked off Simi, and then suddenly everything, including the Marmonte League title seemed wide open. This week, Simi Valley met Royal, while Newbury Park played Thousand Oaks. Neither of these games figured to be much trouble for either of the powers, and they weren't with Simi and NP winning handily. Other games were Westlake v. Agoura, and Channel Islands v. Camarillo. Here are the details from each game, played Wednesday, January 21, 1998:

Simi Valley 89, Royal 50

Simi Valley cashed in on open outside shots to blow the game wide open in the second quarter, and went on to beat host Royal 89-50 in Marmonte League play Wednesday. Simi Valley is now 17-3 overall, and 6-1 in league play, after one round of league play. Royal dropped to 6-12 overall on the season and 2-5 in league.

Royal's game plan had been to pack the defense down low and inside to stop Simi's Rafael Berumen (6'-9" Jr. C) and force other Simi Valley players to then shoot from the outside. We don't know where Royal coach Wiksell has been getting his scouting reports from, but he's obviously not been paying attention to what we've been writing about Simi here at SoCalHoops. Simi is a team which can hurt you inside and outside, particularly if Branduinn Fullove and/or Brett Michel are hitting on all cylinders.

The strategy worked for the first quarter, and Simi Valley was just 5 of 24 from the field. But then they started hitting their shots, and the result was a second-quarter run in which Simi outscored Royal 31-6, making 10 of 14, including six of their total of eight three pointers. Simi ultimately led 48-17 at the half.

Branduiunn Fullove had 21 points to lead Simi Valley. Point guard Shaun Michel did a good job of getting the ball to open players. All five Simi Valley starters scored in double figures. Brett Michel had 19 points, along with eight rebounds; Berumen had 17 points and 10 rebounds, Shaun Michel had 15 points and five assists, and Ian Boys had 13 points and eight rebounds.

Even though Royal's defense was working on Simi during the first quarter, Royal itself couldn't capitalize, and shot only 4 of 16 from the floor in the opening period. Royal also committed just a ton of turnovers in the game, and during the second quarter, eleven of its 18 offensive possessions ended in turnovers. If there was a bright spot for Royal it was Cam Dickson, who led all Royal scorers with 14 points. Chris Bader led Royal in rebounding with 7.

Westlake 66, Agoura 64

Joey Cuppari scored 27 points and Westlake hit its free throws down the stretch to edge Agoura 66-64 in Marmonte League boys' basketball Wednesday night. Westlake, which improved to 2-5 in league play, made 7 of 9 free throws and hit three 3-pointers in the fourth quarter. Agoura which dropped to 9-8 overall and 3-4 in league play, made just 4 of 9 free throws in the final period. Marcus Helfman led Agoura with 20 points.

Newbury Park 76, Thousand Oaks 50

Daniel Bobik scored 19 points, five rebounds and six steals to keep Newbury Park undefeated in league play at 7-0 and 16-4 overall. Newbury Park scored 46 points in the second half to run away from Thousand Oaks, which dropped to 6-12 on the year and 3-4 in league, was led by Tim Chevalier, Jason Dixon and Bas Van Rhee, who each scored 10 points.

Channel Islands 72, Camarillo 36

Dwight Sattiewhite scored 26 points and Channel Islands, which improved to 14-3 on the year and 5-2 in league play, jumped to an 18-3 first quarter lead en route to the victory. "I thought our defensive pressure in the first quarter was some of our best pressure in any league game," coach Gary Abraham said after the game. Jeff Stuteville scored 16 to lead Camarillo, which dropped to 6-10 on the season and is currently winless in league at 0-7.