Geary Lives Up to Early Expectations : Mater Dei: Senior guard’s journey takes him from standout freshman at Ocean View to league MVP for Monarchs.

The high school basketball career of Mater Dei’s Reggie Geary got off to a rather tumultuous start.

Oh, things seemed to be going fine in the beginning. As a freshman, he was a starter on the Ocean View junior varsity and the team’s best player. School records seemed destined to fall during the next three seasons.

Then, the court was pulled out from under him.

Geary was ruled ineligible late in his freshman season because it was determined his primary residence wasn’t within the Ocean View boundaries.

“I was devastated,” Geary said. “I couldn’t believe what was happening to me because I really didn’t know what was going on.”

Three years, one transfer and countless dunks later, Geary has put the past behind him. He has found a home at Mater Dei--where the school boundaries are as limitless as his abilities.

It’s been a smooth ride ever since.

Geary, a 6-foot-3 senior guard, has lived up to much of the promise he showed as a freshman. He’s just done it in a different uniform.

Last season, Geary averaged 13.4 points and was named the Angelus League’s most valuable player after leading the Monarchs to their ninth title in 10 years.

No. 10 is a distinct possibility, as the Monarchs--with Geary--are overwhelming favorites this season.

“Reggie is a great athlete who’s becoming a great basketball player,” Mater Dei Coach Gary McKnight said. “He’s become a leader, a guy who will take control of a situation. He’s a quality player all the way around.”

Geary has always awed people--especially those recruiting him--with his talent.

He’s a nightmare defender, with flailing arms and lightning quickness. He’s the quintessential transition player--as in take the ball and go very, very fast. He’s a go-to-the-hoop guy, whose drives to the basket usually end with a monster dunk.

Geary’s flashy play and competitive personality make him extremely visible on a basketball court. Arizona Coach Lute Olson certainly noticed and then won the recruiting battle, as Geary has signed a letter of intent to play for the Wildcats next season.

“Coming to Mater Dei really was the best thing that could have happened to me,” Geary said. “I’ve learned to play the game here. In junior high, I was just better than the other kids and that was enough. On this level, you have to do more.”

Geary had only two years of organized basketball behind when he enrolled at Ocean View. However, he was so impressive as a freshman that he was immediately placed on the junior varsity.

He did not disappoint.

“Reggie dominated every game,” Ocean View Coach Jim Harris said. “It was incredible to watch him. The other team would have the ball and the next second Reggie had a steal and a layup. He had big-time raw ability.”

In one game against Marina, Geary followed a teammate’s miss with a two-handed slam. It brought the small crowd and the Marina coach to their feet.

“He just walked toward the stands and said real loud, ‘Our guys can’t even shoot and they have guys who can dunk,’ ” Harris said.

Off the court, things weren’t so smooth. There were accusations that Geary did not live within the Ocean View boundaries.

His parents are divorced. His father, Reginald, lives in Huntington Beach. His mother, Lydia, lived in Westminster and is now in El Toro. Geary said he lived with his father, but visited his mother often.

An investigation by Huntington Beach district and Southern Section officials determined his primary residence was not within the school boundaries.

“He lived there, he just didn’t live there enough,” Harris said at the time.

Geary was ruled ineligible and the Seahawks’ junior varsity had to forfeit 14 victories.

Harris said he tried to get Geary to remain at Ocean View, but Geary wanted to leave. Geary said Harris suggested he should look into attending Mater Dei.

Either way, Geary left Ocean View in February and enrolled at Mater Dei.

Geary has flourished with the Monarchs. He began to refine his abilities. He has worked on everything from his defense to his shooting, improving all the time.

“All I could do was run and jump,” Geary said. “I learned that wasn’t enough at Mater Dei.”

From defense to ballhandling, Geary has smoothed the rough edges. He has also developed the intangibles, like leadership and poise.

“He can still run and jump, but he’s filled in the other stuff,” McKnight said.

And the ride has been much smoother.