LJ b BB: The center of it

Jett Wilson, during a timeout
in the Vikings' 51-41 win
over Eastlake Nov. 30.
(Photo by Ed Piper)
 

By Ed Piper

This reminiscence may sound like an attempt to bring attention to me, but I'm going somewhere with it.

When I played basketball in my later teens and early 20's, my friends and I would drive anywhere for a good pickup game.

On one occasion, Brian, Dave (I think), and I went to an open gym on a Saturday at Loyola Marymount College in Los Angeles, an hour's drive from my family home in Camarillo. There was a lot of waiting to get onto the court, as teams of four or so played winners in half-court ball.

This day, the former roommate of Dave Cowens, the Celtics' center in the 80's, when he was a collegian at Florida State was there. This guy was 6'2", still in decent condition, and could jump out of the gym.

So, I remember playing some of my best pick-up ball, because I was motivated against players who were far better than me and who were a challenge to play against.

I'm 6'5", and my reach is longer than my height. That's a pretty good height for playground--there might be some guys 6'7" or so, but 6'5" usually put you up there among the tallest.

You could have a great time, for the love of the game and the pleasure of playing ball, in circumstances like that. I had a good outside shot, and I could rebound. I wasn't the quickest defender, but I was adequate and I could block shots.

Which moves me to our present setting. With all due respect, in view of my background driving distances, if necessary, to face basketball players much better than myself, I have never understood the idea of just shooting in one's backyard or playing at the La Jolla Recreation Center if that meant playing against so-so players who weren't going to force you to extend your game.

I'm sure there have been great players who have hung out at the Rec Center, but I got the idea over the years that it was more a social thing among friends or older men who were way past playing age--not enough to give a younger, striving player enough competition to improve.

Mind you, I moved to San Diego after my youth, so I never played ball at the Rec Center. I was long done playing basketball competitively by the age I was when I moved here.

So, I want to tie this into the present edginess of the La Jolla High boys basketball team. It comes from players who don't play like what I'm imagining goes on at the La Jolla Rec Center. They kind of bring a snarl, and they aren't afraid to foul. They don't apologize for fouling.

Your typical La Jolla High basketball player hasn't played this way. It has been too tame, and too much--for some of them in the past--a product of "shooting in my backyard", where there is no competition. I'm not referring to any of the present players in the program. This goes back a few years.

And do you know who brings that bone-jarring, not-afraid-to-foul attitude? In the person of Jett Wilson, a recent arrival to Coach Paul Baranowski's program. I didn't know who he was, but a parent passed on the word from his son(s) that "he's good".

My first exposure to the young man was the Vikings' three games in the season-opening San Diego Tip-off Challenge at Montgomery High School. Jett fouled out all three games. I thought, "Hmmm, this is different." Later, I thought, "What if your team needs you at the end of games, but you've fouled out? So, how are you going to help them then?"

Baranowski, during that first tournament, told me, "He brings aggressiveness. I like that." He also said something about helping Jett channel the aggressiveness a little more so that he could be even more effective a contributor than he already was.

I met Jett at the recent water polo alumni day. He and teammate Max Raulston came to the pool, partly to watch Max's brother, Cole, who was goalie for the Vikings. How are you settling in? Jett took my question to mean in school, so he answered, "I feel welcome. I like the school." I had meant the team, but this was fine.

I referred to his aggressiveness. I didn't say, "Hey, are you going to foul out every game from here on?" That would have been pretty in-your-face the first time you meet someone. He said, "Yeah, I play pretty aggressive."

He was a little nervous. But that's okay. It's not everyday that high school athletes have a stranger who is a reporter ask them questions. He hadn't really been able to see me around the playing floor too much, as his teammates have.

This aggressiveness, or aggression--I'm picturing Jett literally body-to-body, guarding in a very physical way an opponent on University City two nights ago--he doesn't let it go--is bringing out the chip on the shoulder that Behzad Hashemi, a fellow guard, already had.

The two are the face of this not-nice-guy/not-La-Jolla-Rec-Center Viking team that is beginning to evolve in the young season. It didn't look as menacingly effective when Baranowski's team lost those three games in a row to start the season.

Now, with back-to-back wins over University City at home, then Eastlake in the opening round of the Hilltop Invitational (Fri., Nov. 30), Jett the Menace (it doesn't work as well as Dennis the Menace) and Behzad the Belligerent and the rest are bringing a little attention.

Manny Silva, a long-time coach in San Diego, now an assistant at Hilltop, said late in the Vikings' upset win over a disgruntled Eastlake team, "I was wrong. La Jolla outplayed them."

Wilson hasn't fouled out in either of the wins. But he still brings the hip check and the feisty manner.

And Baranowski likes the less-kind, less-gentle Vikings. Too nice, sometimes, in the past.