Lakey Is Leaning Toward Vanderbilt

Russell Lakey, the Mission League player of the year for Harvard-Westlake High, is close to committing to Vanderbilt. He visited the campus last weekend and was impressed, according to Wolverine Coach Greg Hilliard.

“Definitely, he’s probably leaning Vanderbilt’s way,” Hilliard said.

Lakey is also considering Yale, Columbia, Pennsylvania and Cornell, along with Georgetown and Pepperdine.

* Jess Rodriguez has resigned as girls’ basketball coach at Bell-Jeff.

* Kelli Kobayashi, a sophomore guard for Cal State Los Angeles from Alemany, has received honorable mention on the All-California Collegiate Athletic Assn. women’s team.

* Tryouts for the Los Angeles team that will compete in the Maccabi Youth Games are set for Sunday at the West Valley Jewish Community Center, 22622 Vanowen Street.

Boys 13-14 will try out at 5 p.m., boys 15-16 at 6 p.m. and all girls at 7 p.m.

* Registration for the spring session of the ARC Instructional Basketball Academy will be held for boys and girls in grades 1-8 Saturday at 9 a.m. at North Hollywood High and 1 p.m. at Pierce College.

Information: (818) 995-3761.

SOFTBALL

* Cal State Northridge canceled today’s nonconference doubleheader against Arizona because of the rain-soaked condition of Matador Diamond.

The game possibly will be rescheduled.

SWIMMING

* Olympic gold medalists Tammy Cleland-McGregor and Heather Olson perform at 8 p.m. Saturday at Westwood Swimming Pool during the Olympic Spirit synchronized swimming event.

Also performing is Los Angeles Synchro, a team of girls 8-17, who compete in regional and national competitions. L.A. Synchro, which is coached by former Olympians Margo Thein and Becky Dryoen-Lancer, recently placed third in the junior zone meet in Scottsdale, Ariz., to qualify for the junior nationals in Buffalo, N.Y., on March 30.

Also performing is the Unsyncables master’s team, which is ranked No. 1 in the nation.

Admission is free.

“Olympic Spirit is a wonderful, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the community to come out and enjoy a spectacular synchronized swimming water show,” said Terea Kinney, Olympic Spirit creator.

“We are very excited to have the opportunity to have not one but two gold medal Olympians come to Los Angeles and perform in our show.”