Reed, Sylmar Drop Curtain On Arenas’ Act

VAN NUYS —  Twenty-one points. Sixteen rebounds. Three blocked shots. Those are impressive basketball statistics for just about any player--unless his name is Gilbert Arenas.

Averaging 35.8 points per game, the Grant High senior left the court frustrated and dejected Wednesday after the Lancers proved no match for Sylmar in a battle for first place in the East Valley League.

Unsung Sylmar guard T.K. Reed held Arenas to four points on two-of-eight shooting in the first half, and he kept up the defensive pressure in the Spartans’ 63-50 victory.

“I knew he [Arenas] was going to try to shoot,” Reed said. “I tried to stay in his face the whole game. Everywhere he went, I went with him.”

Sylmar (19-5, 6-1) opened a 30-17 halftime lead, extended its advantage to 16 points through three quarters and never was threatened.

George Wrighster scored 24 points and Branden Jacobs added 15 points for the Spartans, who will play Grant (17-5, 5-2) again next Friday in a league finale at Sylmar.

Unless Arenas starts getting support from his teammates, the Lancers won’t have any chance in the rematch.

Asked what went wrong Wednesday, Arenas said, “Everything.”

Arenas received few screens and didn’t work very hard to get open in the first half as Reed successfully denied him the ball.

In the third quarter, Arenas came out more energized and forcefully sought the ball. He led a brief 7-0 Grant surge that cut Sylmar’s advantage to 36-28. Arenas picked up his fourth foul with 2:25 remaining in the quarter and never was a factor again.

“I think he gets a little frustrated when the defense is all over him,” Grant Coach Howard Levine said. “Offensively, we were disappointed. We weren’t moving well without the ball.”

The Lancers have done well against quality teams only when Arenas receives help, and there was none Wednesday. Guards Daniel Tarr and Rashad Winston and center Krishna Evans were ineffective against the taller, more aggressive Spartans.

And nobody could guard the muscular Wrighster, a 6-foot-4 senior who signed a letter of intent to play football for Oregon. Wrighster chose the Ducks because they intend to let him play basketball, too.

“I didn’t think Wrighster could shoot that well,” Levine said. “He’s an improving ballplayer.”

Wrighster believes he is a Pacific 10 Conference caliber player.

“I have no doubt in my mind,” he said.

After Grant made its run in the third quarter, Wrighster contributed five consecutive points to prevent any comeback.

But it was defense that won the game for Sylmar, and everyone in the gym knew Reed had performed his role to perfection.

Reed was a starting defensive back for Sylmar in football and he didn’t back down from the challenge of taking on Arenas.

“He knew he had a big job,” assistant coach Charles White said. “He prides himself on being the best defender in football and basketball in the Valley. He takes it personally.”