CHATTER: ARENAS' FULLCOURT PRESS.

Byline: Lee Barnathan Staff Writer

What the Associated Press is saying about Grant High graduate Gilbert Arenas:

The third freshman starter last year, shooting guard Ruben Douglas (from Bell-Jeff), will have a hard time holding onto that job. Gilbert Arenas, a 6-3 freshman from North Hollywood, has been perhaps the most impressive player of all the Wildcats in the preseason.

Arizona coach Lute Olson said Arenas was a hidden gem in the Los Angeles area who didn't take part in too many workouts between his junior and senior seasons, when recruiting decisions are made.

``You talk with anybody in Southern California who has watched players there and they will tell you that he was maybe the biggest steal of the decade as far as how good he can be and how unknown he was at the end of the year,'' Olson said. ``That doesn't mean he won't have a tremendous amount of adjustments. He will have sizable adjustments to make in his game, but he has unlimited potential.''

Douglas has since quit the team, paving the way for Arenas to start. . . .

The L.A. Jr. Kings, a AAA Midget hockey team sanctioned by USA Hockey, reached the semifinals of the Marquette Electricians' Fall Classic, upsetting host Marquette in pool play. Local players include Adam Bartholomay of Agoura, who scored in the Kings' 5-2 victory. Bartholomay scored one of two goals in a 46-second span.

In addition, goalie Erick Hokum of Westlake earned the tournament's Most Valuable Defenseman trophy.

Other locals: forward Paul Medina of Thousand Oaks, defensemen Keith McWilliams of Valencia, Archie Dessert of Westlake and Scott Sargent of Calabasas. . . .

It's the time of year for letters of intent. Pepperdine has signed Tommy Rojas in baseball, a 6-foot-1 catcher from Henderson, Nev. The Waves also have commitments from basketball players Will Kimble, Robert Turner, Kristen Bowden, Shandrika Lee and Shannon Mayberry. Kimble is the lone forward. Turner and Lee are guards, and Mayberry and Bowden are centers. None are from the area.

Golfers Randy Creighton and Kate Waggoner also have signed with the Waves. Creighton is from Las Vegas and Waggoner hails from Littleton, Colo.

Over at USC, golfer Hunter Mahan, the American Junior Golf Association Boys' Player of the Year, signed, as did two middle infielders, Jonathon Brewster of Notre Dame and Michael Moon of Rancho Cucamonga.

Valencia baseball player Jeff Green signed with San Francisco. Softball pitcher Monique Lovell of Montclair Prep signed with Kentucky. Harvard-Westlake softball player Anna Russell committed to San Diego. . . .

The UCLA women's soccer team plays Saturday at No. 1-ranked Santa Clara. Intriguing matchup: UCLA defender Skylar Little marking her sister, forward Jacqueline Little. . . .

Granada Hills resident Charlie Burke won a basketball sharpshooting contest Sunday at Cypress College. Burke sank 21 of 25 shots from five designated locations on the gym floor. . . .

Kennedy High will hold its annual alumni soccer matches on Dec. 19 at the school. The boys play at 10 a.m. and the girls start at noon. Information: Vicki Wagenbach (girls), [phone] and Fred Singer (boys), [phone].