Sondheimer: Freshmen making a big impact in Southland basketball
Freshman point guard Phillip Reed Jr. of Palisades entered high school ready to sink or swim against stronger, more experienced college players.
“I wanted to jump in head first,” he said.
His progress is similar to other freshmen with the opportunity to produce immediately. The early days of adjustment and uncertainty are behind us. With each match, confidence grows and the signs of real potential can be seen like the sun rising in the morning.
“Pressure is a privilege. That’s how I look at it,” Reed said. “It’s not really pressure. It’s a challenge.”
He has been preparing for this moment since he was 4 years old. He lives in Compton and is taking online classes to attend Palisades, using his extra time during the day to train with his father, a former Inglewood High School football player. Her mother was also an athlete at West Virginia Tech.
In Palisades’ first few games, Reed saw the challenges. “Everyone is a lot stronger than me, so it was using my IQ,” he said. “It’s a little more physical.”
The 6-foot-3 Reed can do everything a point guard is supposed to do: dribble, make shots from anywhere on the court, be a distributor when needed. He averages 16 points and 10 rebounds.
The Southland is full of promising freshmen guards, and they know each other, having played with or against each other for years.
“Everyone in this freshman class pushes each other to be better,” Reed said.
Some other first-year guards making an immediate impact:
Freshman guard Will Conroy Jr. of Village Christian.
(Craig Weston)
Will Conroy Jr., village Christian: He had a high game with 41 points. His father is an assistant at USC, so he has benefited from coaching and plenty of examples of how to advance. He arrived Friday averaging 27 points. He’s probably the No. 1 freshman in California.
Conroy earned a victory over Crespi early in the season by calmly firing a shot in the final seconds. His ability to handle pressure was impressive.
Freshman guard Quali Giran from Long Beach Millikan.
(Steve Galluzzo)
Quali Giran, Long Beach Millikan: From the first game, he lived up to the hype of a freshman ready to contribute immediately. He averages 24 points.
Zach Arnold, San Gabriel Academy: On a team with a 6-11 center, it’s Arnold’s contributions against top opponents that have been most impressive. He helped his team beat No. 2 Redondo Union.
Tariq Johnson, Servite: There was no hesitation in getting the ball to Johnson on the first drive and making him the leader on the field. He averages 17 points.
Darrellreon Morris, Saint Pius X-St. Mathias: Watch him show his maturity by setting up star guard Kayleb Kearse for shots.
Braylon Sherwood, Chaminade: The 6-6 Sherwood is averaging 13 points and has helped Chaminade win 18 of its first 19 games.
Travis Walton Jr., Eastvale Roosevelt: Coming off the bench, Walton has had several impressive games and is still adjusting to the physicality of playing against top opponents. He’s the son of a former Michigan State star and a gym rat who coach Johnny Dukes said “is going to be a heck of a player when it’s all said and done.”
JoJo MarilessDamien: He now starts for 17-4 Damien. He can shoot and is unselfish with his passing skills.
