Cook's work is never done

BY SEAN CEGLINSKY, Staff Writer

A grueling two-hour basketball practice at Renaissance Academy High in La Canada finished less than half an hour ago and Justin Cook is sitting hunched over on a bench in the locker room, wiping the perspiration off his face and shoulders with a towel.

Just behind him, his teammates are beginning to slowly file out of the gym and into the parking lot to head home for dinner.

Cook follows suit minutes later, grabs a quick bite to eat at his house and then he's off. Out the front door, he walks to the 24 Hour Fitness in Altadena, about a block away, to work out for another two-plus hours on his ball-handling skills and perimeter jumper.

"I'm willing to do whatever it takes to become better," Cook said.

"I don't mind working hard. It's normal. It's all part of the routine."

If his early season success is any indication of what's in store for the future, opponents had better be prepared with a game plan to stop the 6-foot-2 junior guard, who's averaging 23 points, nine rebounds, seven assists and three steals for the Wildcats (8-1) this season.

"I never have to push Justin do things," Wildcats coach Sid Cooke said. "He goes hard all the time."

"If there's one thing I know, it's that he always gives 100 percent.

It doesn't matter if it's practice or a game. There's no questioning his work ethic. He's driven. He's got something to prove."

It's not as if Cook is an unknown commodity. He took over the starting point guard responsibilities as a freshman and averaged 10 points and seven assists while guiding the Wildcats to the Southern Section Div V-A title game, where they lost, 67-37, to perennial powerhouse Price of Los Angeles.

Cook averaged 15 points, five rebounds and five assists a season ago despite being plagued by bothersome ankle and knees injuries.

Unfortunately, Renaissance Academy ran into Price � again � in the finals and suffered a 39-point setback to the eight-time defending section champions.

Things figure to be different this time around for Cook and company.

The Southern Section realigned its playoff format this year and the Wildcats, who are playing a freelance schedule, will most likely end up playing in V-AA when the postseason rolls around in February.

Price moved into Div. III-A.

"We like our chances this season," Cooke said. "We'll go as far as Justin takes us."

That was apparent at the Burbank Tip-off Classic earlier this month.

Cook averaged 20 points and was named the tournament's most valuable player after guiding the team to a 51-44 victory over Burbank in the championship game.

Two weeks later, he had 25 points as Renaissance Academy extended Simi Valley, ranked No. 9 by the Daily News, to overtime before losing, 91-83, in pool play of the Winter Slam Jam Tournament.

"He's a complete player," Simi Valley coach Christian Aurand said.

"He can put the ball on the floor, shoot it well from the outside and he knows when to make the extra pass."

"The thing that impresses me the most is his poise. Nothing bothers him. He's just a very good all-around player. One of the better young guys we've seen."

It's somewhat surprising that Cook hasn't generated much interest from Division I scouts considering how productive he's been in his stint as a three-year starter. Perhaps it's because he attends Renaissance Academy, a small private school with no more than 75 students.

"He can fill up the stat line, there's no doubt about it," Cooke said.

Or maybe it's due to the fact that most recruiters are too busy making trips out West in an attempt to woo fellow area underclassmen Larry Drew of Taft of Woodland Hills and Campbell Hall of North Hollywood's Jrue Holiday with offers on a weekly basis.

"There's no pressure on Justin right now and that's just fine,"

Cooke said. "He's flying under the radar but it won't be that way for much longer. Not with the way he's playing. "

In the meantime, it's business as usual for Cook which means practices with his Wildcat teammates from 3 to 5 p.m. on a daily basis followed by a voluntary workout at the local gym down the street, sometimes until 10 p.m.

"Sometimes, they try to kick me out of the 24 Hour Fitness by turning the lights off," Cook said jokingly. "Nothing is going to stop me from working hard though. It's something that comes natural to me.

It's automatic. "

Apparently so.