Consistent with his play on the court as one of the section's elite point guards, Russell has taken control.

"Chris is always the first one to do things for my dad," Taran Malhi says.

"We feel it's only the right thing to do," says Russell, whose custom-made Nike shoes have "TEAMMALHI" inscribed on the inside of a Velcro strap. "We know what Taran has gone through. We know his dad fought so hard for his life for two years, and the only thing he wanted to see was a smile on his family's face.

"Their family went through a lot, needed support, and we feel we're the closest to them."

Navey Malhi has sold "TEAM MALHI" bracelets for $3 while raising money for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

"I had a goal for $200," she says. "And I raised over $400. I had no idea. It's amazing.

"This isn't just a team; it's a family. And this family helped my brother fulfill his promise."

It's the highlight of a basketball career that couldn't have been predicted for Malhi, whose parents were raised in England, where soccer reigns, and whose both sets of grandparents were from India.

"I'm not the best player out there," he said of a team best identified by such stars as Russell, Silverstrom, Adam Armstead and Calvin Young.

Yet Malhi is a starter of a state sixth-ranked team that will play Westchester-Los Angeles today at 7 p.m. in the first round of the Southern California Regional D-I Open Division tournament.

He's a role player, and a good one.

Above all, he kept his word. And he had help.

"What these guys have done for me has been phenomenal," he said. "Honestly, words can't describe it. It's been amazing, just great, for my dad to live on through us."