Arenas Enjoying Leap Year at Arizona

A smorgasbord of notes, quotes and opinions from across the San Fernando Valley and surrounding communities:

A month into college, former Grant High basketball player Gilbert Arenas already has made a positive impression at Arizona.

Besides dunking repeatedly in pickup games at McKale Center, Arenas ran a mile with other Arizona players and won by half a lap.

“He actually slowed down,” assistant coach Jay John said. “It was quite impressive.”

A running and conditioning program has helped the 6-foot-3 Arenas increase his vertical jump. He will play shooting guard for the Wildcats.

“I think the sky’s the limit,” John said. “He does amazing things athletically that combined with his skills make him quite blessed.”

Arenas is still adjusting to dorm life, rooming with freshman guard Jason Gardner from Indiana.

“I was taking a shower across from the dorm,” Arenas said. “I go in with a towel and sandals. I left my key in the room and my roommate wasn’t there. I had to walk down three flights of stairs in a towel to get my key, and when I was coming up somebody pulled my towel off, so I had to walk naked all the way to my room.”

Arenas returned home last weekend to visit his father for a few days, but he’s eager to start basketball practice on Oct. 16.

“I think I’m going to get playing time,” he said.

Based on his pickup-game skills, Arenas should have no problem.

“I dunked six times today,” he said.

Arenas usually plays against former Bell-Jeff guard Ruben Douglas, a prolific shooter himself.

Asked who wins in his daily battles with Douglas, Arenas said, “We’re going back and forth. We always guard each other.” . . .

The Collins twins from Harvard-Westlake are still growing, even though they’re 20 years old. Stanford lists Jarron at 6-11 1/2 and Jason at 7-0.

Jarron is a junior and Jason is a freshman eligibility-wise after injuries sidelined him the last two seasons. Jason is finally healthy and in terrific shape. Jarron played for an all-star team in Italy in August and averaged double figures in scoring. . . .

Before Aaron Bobik of Newbury Park suffered a broken right wrist last year that sidelined him for the entire season, he was considered one of the most promising basketball players in the region.

Bobik, a junior, is starting to play again after his wrist was in a cast for eight months. He has grown to 6-3 and remains a player to watch. He needs to regain his quickness and make up for lost time, but few work harder. . . .

Branduinn Fullove, Simi Valley’s All-Southern Section senior guard, has recruiting visits planned to UC Santa Barbara and Wyoming. . . .

Sophomore point guard David Gale of Buckley is making steady improvement. He led his team to a gold medal in the Maccabi Youth Games last summer and is holding his own against players from larger schools in club competition. . . .

The injury-riddled Harvard-Westlake girls’ basketball team could be helped by two 5-8 freshmen, Lindsey Medders and Daniela Butte. “I’ve been impressed with both,” Coach Brian Taylor said. . . .

Sophomore Adam Geery of Kennedy is a quarterback in training. Known more for his pitching skills in baseball, Geery had no football experience when he joined the team this season. Even though Geery rarely plays, offensive coordinator Fred Grimes said, “He’s the best 10th grader we’ve had in a long time.”

Coaches are thrilled with Geery’s strong arm and attitude.

Geery seems to have the perfect personality to be a quarterback--he’s a leader and a character. His distant cousin is actor Leonardo DiCaprio. He’s never met DiCaprio, but that doesn’t prevent Geery from impressing girls with his famous relative.

Next season, he’ll take over for Ruben Zaragoza as Kennedy’s starting quarterback. . . .

Defensive tackle Travis Johnson of Notre Dame might be an All-American, but he has played poorly the last two seasons against Alemany. In the Knights’ 24-21 loss to Alemany on Friday, Notre Dame defensive coordinator Joe McNab became so frustrated with Johnson he yelled, “Do something!” . . .

Former Providence High star Jeff Cirillo has quietly become one of the best hitters in baseball. He batted .326 for the Milwaukee Brewers, tying him for fifth in the National League. He has hit better than .300 in three of his six major-league seasons, raising his career average to .307. Not bad for a 29-year-old former Valley boy who was always underrated because he went to a tiny high school in Burbank. . . .

Baseball Coach Chris Johnson of Valley College is going to have to find a place in the lineup for freshman Steve Kracow, an All-City outfielder from Chatsworth. He has been impressive in fall ball. . . .

California is making a strong bid to sign All-City infielder Conor Jackson of El Camino Real. . . .

Former Crescenta Valley pitcher Jordan Olson is playing for Los Angeles City College. . . .

Pierce College could have the best four-man pitching rotation in the region with Wes Crown (Kennedy), Jack Cassel (Kennedy), Traviss Hodge (Highland) and Doug Slaten (Venice). . . .

For those who want a lesson in what it takes to succeed, keep track of junior basketball player Kingsley Anyanwu of Crespi. On a hot summer day, Anyanwu worked out on the outdoor courts at Cleveland. There were no private coaches in sight. He wasn’t shooting baskets, free throws or playing a game of one-on-one. By himself, in anonymity, he repeatedly dribbled the ball up and down the court.

“What are you doing?” he was asked.

“I’m working on my dribbling,” he said.

That’s an athlete working hard to improve.

Eric Sondheimer’s local column appears Wednesday and Sunday. He can be reached at (818) 772-3422 or eric.sondheimer@latimes.com