Hard Work Helps Gaines Reach a Turning Point

If anyone wants to start an argument among a group of high school basketball coaches, ask the question, “Who’s the second-best point guard in Southern California?”

No discussion is needed about who’s No. 1 because that distinction belongs to Compton Dominguez sophomore Brandon Jennings, who’s already being recruited by UCLA and Arizona.

But there are lots of candidates vying for No. 2.

Is it junior Kamyron Brown of Santa Ana Mater Dei? He’s an excellent ballhandler, unselfish passer and determined defender who can score when needed.

Is it junior D.J. Gay of Sun Valley Poly? He scored 31 points against Dominguez and 48 points against Carson last week.

Is it junior Daniel Hackett of Bellflower St. John Bosco? He has committed to USC and made all 14 of his free throws last week against Torrance.

Is it senior Derek Glasser of Lakewood Artesia? He directed the Pioneers to an upset of preseason No. 1 Los Angeles Fairfax.

Is it sophomore Larry Drew Jr. of Woodland Hills Taft? His combination of dribbling and shooting skills should make him a three-time All-City selection.

Is it senior Ahmaad Cook of Westchester? He has the Comets off to a 4-0 start with a victory over Dominguez.

Is it junior Ryan White of Granada Hills? He’s a transfer from Texas averaging 27.9 points after eight games.

A point guard from the San Bernardino County community of Phelan, Harrison Gaines of Serrano, is thrusting himself into consideration because of his steady improvement and keen sense of what role he must play on the court.

Last season, the 6-foot, 160-pound Gaines averaged 23.4 points as a sophomore. During the summer, he went to the Stanford camp and got to play against Chris Hernandez, the Cardinal’s All-Pacific 10 Conference point guard.

“I was trying to get past him, and he kept bumping me off the dribble,” said Gaines, who has helped Serrano to a 7-1 record and is averaging 20.3 points and 6.1 assists. “I couldn’t go anywhere. Then, at the Adidas camp, I’d get the first step with my quickness, then a little bump would throw me off. That’s when I knew I had to come back [stronger] in the fall.”

Gaines still needs more upper-body strength to deal with muscular defenders when he drives the lane. And his free-throw shooting is erratic. But he has terrific three-point shooting skills, knows how to break down a defense and seems to have an ideal understanding of the mental requirements needed to play point guard.

“You have to be a leader,” he said. “You have to be a coach on the floor. You have to be able to communicate with your teammates. They have to trust you. You have to always want the ball in your hands. You have to take charge.

“You have to get your teammates involved, score when you need to and be a tenacious defender on the other team’s ballhandler. You have to have a ‘I-want-to-take-over attitude’ to be a good point guard.”

Too many aspiring point guards worry about their scoring average, resulting in missed opportunities for teammates and constant bickering with their coach. Sacrifice is part of the point guard mentality, something Gaines is learning.

“There are times I have shots that might be a good look for me that I have to pass up because I know my teammate will score, and that in turn will help them want to play defense,” Gaines said. “You have to sacrifice your game. That’s the big thing I’ve had to learn for the better of the team, and that gets you wins.”

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Agoura pulled off the biggest upset of last week with its 74-73 victory over Los Angeles Crenshaw in the Montclair Prep tournament. Senior guard Connor Faught scored a career-high 37 points.

“It was real cool,” Faught said of the victory. “We were ecstatic.”

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Jonathan Chu of Alhambra Keppel should be invited to the next three-point shooting contest. He made 12 three-pointers and finished with 42 points in Keppel’s victory over Montclair last week.

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It has been bombs away for Pasadena La Salle (6-0), which allows senior guard Ben Brekke to shoot from almost anywhere on the court.

Brekke is averaging 20.2 points and has made 23 three-point shots. He made 103 last season.

“This kid has unbelievable range,” Coach Steve Goldstein said.