Anderson Gives Grant a Lift

Devastated by the death of his grandmother last month, all-league guard DeWayne Anderson of Grant High withdrew from everyone.

He disappeared from the basketball team for three weeks, not knowing how to cope with his grief.

“I felt nothing was important,” he said.

Just when he was ready to turn in his uniform for good, several teammates talked to him during a lunch break.

“I was on the edge,” he said. “I really didn’t have a passion and basketball keeps me going.”

Anderson returned to the team on Jan. 11 and what a difference he makes. On Friday night, he scored 21 points to help offset a 31-point performance by Cecil Brown of Canoga Park and lead the Lancers to a 69-66 victory in a Sunset Six League game at Grant.

Mike Charleston scored 14 points and had 17 rebounds, and Gino Riney added 14 points for Grant (15-6, 5-1 in league play), which trailed most of the game until Brown was forced to the bench with 2:49 left in the third quarter because of foul trouble.

Without Brown and his 32.7 scoring average, Canoga Park (11-10, 4-2) fell apart. In 2 1/2 minutes, the Hunters went from a one-point lead to a nine-point deficit. And it got worse.

Grant opened a 63-49 advantage with six minutes left. Then Brown went on an 8-0 scoring tear.

Josh Geiger’s three-pointer with 30 seconds left pulled the Hunters to within 68-66. A free throw by Chris Robinson with 20 seconds left put Grant on top, 69-66.

After Riney missed a free throw with six seconds left, Brown got the rebound and tried to dribble up court. He was surrounded by Grant defenders and never got off a shot.

“We had four guys on him, plus we had a couple guys out of the snack bar and the tuba player,” Coach Howard Levine said.

Anderson said Brown’s critical absence was “like a power play in hockey.

“When he’s out, I feel we have the edge,” Anderson said.

Said Hunter Coach Ralph Turner: “The kids feed off him and his energy. Without him, they didn’t feel that energy and went flat. It’s a tough loss.”

Levine called Brown the region’s best offensive player since his own Gilbert Arenas. He scored 12 of Canoga Park’s 18 fourth-quarter points.

Kevin Bernard of Grant caused a scare at the end of the third quarter when he fell and suffered a dislocated knee. Paramedics were called and transported him to a hospital.