NAME BRANDS: Cal State Northridge doesn’t play...

NAME BRANDS: Cal State Northridge doesn’t play what most consider to be a big-time brand of college basketball. But several of its opponents do. . . . Northridge’s schedule this season includes games against seven teams that last season qualified for the NCAA tournament of 64--UCLA, Alabama-Birmingham, Cincinnati, Xavier, Pepperdine, Cal and Washington State.

WOODEN’S WORDS: Has John Wooden, UCLA’s legendary former basketball coach, switched allegiances? No way. The Hall of Fame mentor merely will be the guest speaker at a fund-raiser for the Cal State Northridge team Nov. 6 as a favor to his friend, Northridge Coach Pete Cassidy. . . . CSUN and UCLA square off Nov. 26 in the season opener.

KING ARTHUR: Arthur Lee, above, senior guard from North Hollywood High and arguably the region’s top high school player, already has accepted a scholarship offer from Stanford after averaging 17.7 points, 4.5 assists and 3.3 steals last season. . . . Another who made his college choice before his senior season is Crescenta Valley High forward Brock Jacobsen, headed for the University of San Diego.

NBA STAYS: Local playgrounds aren’t a hotbed of pro talent. Only three NBA players have ties here. . . . Lucious Harris, in his second season with the Dallas Mavericks, attended Cleveland High. Isiah (J.R.) Rider of the Minnesota Timberwolves went to Antelope Valley College. Mitchell Butler, second-year guard with the Washington Bullets, attended Oakwood School.

DOUBLE TROUBLE: Harvard-Westlake High didn’t have much of a basketball program until Jason and Jarron Collins ducked in. . . . The twins, among the best players for their age in the nation, transformed the Wolverines into playoff contenders. Jason, 6-foot-8, averaged 16.3 points, 9.6 rebounds and 3.3 blocks per game. Jarron, 6-foot-7, averaged 10.3 points and eight rebounds as Harvard-Westlake went from a 5-20 season to 24-3. As sophomores, they have three more seasons of high school eligibility.