Senior’s Latest Project Is a Verbum Dei Title

Lowell Grissom, an 18-year-old senior at Los Angeles Verbum Dei, is an entertainment mogul in the making. He’s the co-chief executive of his record label. He has a clothing line. He’s singing, writing and producing on his first rap CD.

But this week, Grissom is putting aside those ambitions, turning off his cell phone and devoting his entire focus to Friday’s Division IV state championship basketball game against Alameda St. Joseph Notre Dame (28-6) at Arco Arena in Sacramento.

“No music this week,” he said. “It’s strictly about the game. This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for me.”

Grissom is a 6-foot-7 power forward and captain for the Eagles (21-9), who are bidding for their eighth state title. He’s averaging 14 points and 10 rebounds after moving from Fort Wayne, Ind., last fall to attend the alma mater of his father and uncle.

He had been lobbying his mother to make the move, not only because he was tired of the cold weather in Indiana but also so he and his co-chief executive, his older brother, could take advantage of the entertainment opportunities in Los Angeles.

“It was a great move for my clothing line and record label,” he said.

With Grissom, whose rapper name is L.O., The League Entertainment has a couple of R&B; groups and a rapper named Big Cas.

“I want to come up with something more creative and different than anyone else,” he said. “I want rock songs, R&B; and some pop to change it up.”

The highs and lows this basketball season have provided inspiration for Grissom.

The season started with Verbum Dei losing its top player, 6-9 junior center Amir Johnson, who transferred to Westchester. The Eagles struggled against strong competition in December before winning the Southern Section Division IV-A championship.

Last week, they won two Southern California Regional games on buzzer-beating shots. Grissom delivered on Thursday with 0.2 seconds left for a two-point victory over San Joaquin Memorial. Then Mike Pagan scored with two seconds left for a one-point victory over Santa Maria St. Joseph on Saturday.

“So far, we’ve learned to play together and forget about all the stuff going on around us,” Grissom said. “Early on, everyone was upset Amir left. We played a lot of good teams in [nonleague] that prepared us for now.”

First-year Verbum Dei Coach DeAnthony Langston has been thrilled with Grissom’s contributions.

“He’s the best power forward around,” Langston said. “He plays hard all the time.”

In November, Grissom wrote a song about Verbum Dei. Here are some of the lyrics:

C’mon, y’all, now it’s time to ball. You thought ‘cause one player left we wouldn’t make it at all.

... If it’s layups and dunks this team’s gonna get skunked. Don’t like faking but they fall for the pump.

Grissom would like to keep playing basketball in college, but is convinced he can make it in the entertainment business.

“I just need to work hard,” he said. “There’s no guarantee, but there’s a chance, and I’m going to go after it.”

Grissom and his brother are designing T-shirts for Friday’s game. They will read, “The Verb, We’re Back.”

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Los Angeles Fairfax, which plays Concord De La Salle in the state Division I boys’ basketball championship game on Saturday, has received a boost in the postseason from freshman guard JaShon Hampton and freshman forward Chace Stanback.

The 6-5 Stanback, who is 14, made two critical baskets to help the Lions rally from a 13-point deficit and defeat Etiwanda in the Southern California regional finals.

“I still feel like a freshman,” Stanback said, “but I play like a junior or senior.”

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League play begins in baseball for Southern Section teams this week, and Sherman Oaks Notre Dame (4-1) might want to break out some green uniforms for a Mission League opener against Encino Crespi (5-0) on Wednesday, St. Patrick’s Day, at L.A. Valley College.

The Knights need something to distract Crespi’s Trevor Plouffe, who has hit four home runs and allowed no runs in 11 innings, striking out 19.

Another top league opener involves Calabasas (4-0-1) playing host to Simi Valley (5-0) Wednesday in the Marmonte League.

Simi Valley junior catcher Bryan Anderson is establishing himself as a top college prospect for 2005. He’s batting .655 with five doubles and 10 runs batted in.

Pepperdine-bound Drew Saberhagen is expected to start on the mound for Calabasas.

Eric Sondheimer can be reached at [email protected].