CHATTER: ARENAS' DAD FINDS HIS SON'S TALK AMUSING.

Byline: Vincent Bonsignore Staff Writer

Glibert Arenas Sr. knows his son well enough to know Gilbert Jr. wasn't about to let a chance to stir things up slip by at his introductory press conference with the Washington Wizards last week.

Arenas Jr., the former Grant High of Van Nuys and Arizona standout who recently signed a $68 million contract with the Wizards, told the Washington press the Wizards would make the playoffs this season.

His father, who was at the news conference and knew Arenas Jr. wanted to make a big splash, was nevertheless taken aback by the confident comments.

``I'm sitting there minding my own business when he says they're going to the playoffs,'' said the dad, laughing. ``And I just sort of cover my face with my hand thinking, `Gil, what are you saying?' ''

Arenas Sr. is used to his son making crazy statements, then backing them up. When Arenas Jr. slipped to the second round of the 2001 draft out of Arizona, he told Golden State Warriors reporters he'd be starting by midseason. It took a little longer then he expected, but Arenas Jr. did crack the starting lineup the last month of his rookie season.

``Shoot, he's always surprising me with things he says,'' Arenas Sr. said. ``I remember his first week at Arizona he said something crazy and I'm like, `Gil, I know it's pretty hot in the desert, but are you sure the heat isn't having some kind of effect on you?' '' ...

Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks golf coach Rob DiMuro and his wife, Kelli, the girls' basketball coach at Chaminade of West Hills, added another baby girl to the family when Alexis Marie was born Sept. 2.

It's the couple's second daughter - Aliya Rae was born 17 months ago - and they already are projecting ahead to the time when the sisters play on the same basketball team. ...

For most NBA players, the end of the season means exotic vacations lying on Caribbean beaches, their only cares being what time happy hour starts and whether they packed their favorite gold driver.

Jason Collins isn't your typical NBA player. Collins, the New Jersey Nets' backup center from Harvard-Westlake of Studio City and Stanford, takes his offseasons seriously.

In fact, since the Nets' season ended in June in an NBA Finals loss to San Antonio, Collins has been on the run as he tries to cram in one cause after another before reporting to the Nets next month.

At the end of the season, his schedule included representing the Nets during the NBA players union meetings in Las Vegas; running his basketball camp for children; speaking at the church his father attended since the elder Collins was a child in Troy, N.Y., and taking part in a camp in Maine that brought together Israeli and Palestinian students.

Collins also helped teammate Brian Scalabrine at the latter's basketball camp before returning home to California to spend time with his family and give his time to other camps and clinics.

``I guess it just fits with what I enjoy doing, and that's giving back as much as possible,'' Collins said. ``I'm blessed in that I have time to devote to helping people and different causes, and I try to use that time wisely. It's something I think is important, and I enjoy being able to help.'' ...

Softball standout Jaisa Creps, who graduated from Valencia High in the spring, has earned a spot on the Junior Women's National Team. She'll participate in the ISF World Championship in Nanjing, China, an eight-day international tournament beginning Oct. 12.

Creps, a freshman catcher at UCLA, survived two tryouts, first in Escondido before making the final cut in Salem, Ore. Hundreds tried out across the country.

Gerry Gittelson contributed to this report.

Vincent Bonsignore, [phone]

vincent.bonsignore(at)dailynews.com