Boys basketball: Freshmen standouts Joe Sterling and Alijah Arenas show plenty of skill in their showdown
Sterling #Sterling
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ENCINO — Crespi’s Joe Sterling and Chatsworth’s Alijah Arenas, two of the area’s best freshmen basketball players this season, squared off in a nonleague matchup Thursday night.
The Celts pulled away in the second half for an 76-46 win. Those in attendance got a glimpse into the future as they watched Sterling and Arenas go at it.
Both certainly know how to score, but they do it in different ways.
Sterling, who has been tasked to play point guard, scored 21 points and made three 3-pointers. The 6-foot-3 freshman has a feathery jump shot and great range, but his most impressive skill is in his ability to shoot off the dribble with consistency. The half-second transition from a player’s dribble to a jump shot is a very underrated skill. That transition is very polished for Sterling.
“He’s impressive overall,” Crespi coach Andrew Moore said. “He puts in the work. He was in the gym at 6 a.m. (Friday morning), less than 12 hours after the game the night before. All his work translates to his game.”
Sterling is averaging 21 points, five rebounds and four assists per game this season. He scored 36 points, with six 3s, in a win over Simi Valley last week while star sophomore Peyton White was sidelined.
“It speaks to his maturity,” Moore said of Sterling. “He’s been able to handle everything we’ve thrown at him.”
Crespi is off to a 10-1 start with a core of young players, including White and two other freshmen, Malakai Perrantes and Stephen Kankole. Tougher games are coming, especially in the Mission League.
“The final exams are coming. … It’s very clear how different it’s going to get,” Moore said.
Arenas, the son of former NBA standout Gilbert Arenas, scored 19 points in Thursday’s game. He scored 12 in the second quarter including a buzzer beater just before halftime for Chatsworth (2-4).
Arenas’ situation is much different than Sterling’s. The wiry, athletic and dynamic guard doesn’t have the support Sterling does. Arenas has to do it all.
For perspective, Arenas is the go-to scorer from the perimeter and handles the ball a majority of the time on offense. He also played underneath the basket in Chatsworth’s 2-3 zone defense. Nonetheless, Arenas’ skills are apparent.
He’s crafty with his dribble and can make contested shots from beyond the arc. The 6-4 guard had a 46-point game that included eight 3-pointers, in Chatsworth’s win over Vaughn. He tallied 35 points and 13 rebounds in a tight loss to North Hollywood and scored 27 in a win over Sun Valley Poly.
“He’s very special and dynamic,” Moore said of Arenas. “He can make shots from all angles and off balance. Clearly, his future is very bright. I was impressed. He played hard the whole game.”
Tarek Fattal has been covering sports for the Southern California News Group since 2015, primarily focusing on high school sports coverage for the LA Daily News.