Boys player of the Year

Marc Falcone, Liberty, Jr., C: One of only two returning starters, his play improved dramatically this season. He led the county in scoring at 16.7 points per game, and shared the lead in rebounding at 9.5. As a sophomore, he had averaged 10.0 points and 6.4 rebounds. The team showed improvement, too, going from one victory to six. In settling into his role, he had the county's highest individual scoring effort (32 against Frederick), and ended with four of the top nine scoring performances. He led the county in field goals (152), and was among the leaders in blocked shots (four a game) and shooting percentages from the field and the foul line. "This year was a lot more intense, and it helped me improve," he said. "We had only one senior, so the rest of us kind of came along together. I kept working harder every day. Sometimes, you don't realize how hard you have to work. Next year, with more experience and even better attitudes, we should do much better."

Boys coach of the Year

Dave Byers, Westminster: In successive seasons, he has won two county championships with two entirely different teams. A year ago, five senior starters went 16-9, losing the regional final to Annapolis in overtime. This year, he began with five seniors who had had limited playing time, worked through some late-season adversity that cost the team four players, including two starters, then regrouped to take No. 4 Meade (21-2 at the time) to overtime before losing their regional semifinal by a point. The final record was 15-9. The team won five in a row in December and four in a row in January, including a win over South Carroll when the Cavs were 8-2. The Owls had one of their finest games when they bounced back from a Liberty loss to rout South Carroll, 60-44, in a game that determined the county champion. Byers is a graduate of Westminster and Towson State, and spent seven years teaching and coaching at Francis Scott Key before moving to Westminster 21 seasons ago. "There are not a lot of natural players, so the biggest thing I try and do is teach how to play the game," he said. Against county opposition, he has had 19 winning seasons and won or shared 14 county titles. This season, he had the added experience of coaching his son, Jon-David, who earned a place in the starting lineup. "Overall, we grew in a lot of ways, came through adversity, and I'm very proud of them," the elder Byers said. "Jon-David was a unique experience for me. With others, if things weren't going well, they could go home and get support. Not only did he have to ride home with me, but the next morning, he'd wake up, and I'd still be there."

The team

Billy Bowman, Westminster, Sr., G: The team leader shot 49 percent from the field in averaging about eight points, was among the county's top 10 in assists and fourth in steals at 2.1 a game. Following the dismissal of four teammates in mid-February, he picked up his game, producing two of his best scoring efforts (15 and 12). His ball-handling and speed enabled him to thwart opposing teams trying to press the Owls. "In the beginning, people didn't think we'd be very good, and later, nobody gave us a chance," he said. "It wasn't until the last few games they realized we could play."

Jon-David Byers, Westminster, Soph., G: He earned a starting role and finished among the county leaders in points (second on the team with an 11-point average), assists and steals. He had 58 three-pointers (36 percent) and had a single-game high of 24 points. He was an 81 percent foul shooter. "He understands what we want to do, sees the floor well, and does not make many mental mistakes," said coach and father David Byers.

Nick Hohenwarter, Westminster, Jr., F: He used his height to lead his team and be among county leaders in points (12.2) and rebounds (6.2). Unlike most big men, not only was he comfortable shooting from outside, but he made 35 three-pointers. He was a 75 percent foul shooter. "We proved we could play well when we all played together. I learned a lot, and think I improved all around," he said.

Adam Hynes, South Carroll, Jr., F: His best scoring effort came in the final game, as he got 27 in a regional loss to Kennedy. This enabled him to finish second in the county with a 13.8 average. He finished with 146 field goals and shot 49 percent from the field. "We had high hopes at the beginning of the season but had a couple of dry spells," he said. "We lost some games we shouldn't have, too." The Cavs were 8-2 in mid-January, then lost successive overtime games, and finished the regular season losing four of their last five.

David Keefer, South Carroll, Sr., F: Better known as a two-time All-County football selection, he proved his court worthiness with defense and a good shooting eye. Two playoff efforts (8-for-14 from the field) enabled him to edge Falcone for the county leadership in field-goal percentage, .534 to .532. He also was among the county leaders in steals. Despite his bulk (225 pounds), he showed good agility, fit well into the team framework, and perhaps most importantly, did a lot of the hard-nosed work that often gets overlooked.

Sam McGrane, South Carroll, Sr., C: The tallest player in the county, he had single-game highs of 29 (Urbana) and 24 (Wilde Lake). He ended with averages of 13.7 points and 7.6 rebounds (about the same numbers he had a year ago), placing among the county's top three in both categories. One of his best all-around games came in a 25-point win over Damascus, where he had 20 points, 12 rebounds, five blocks and five steals. He was solid as a shooter, too, hitting 49 percent from the field, and leading in free throws made and attempted (95-for-164 for 58 percent).

The boys team

Player of the Year: Marc Falcone, Liberty

Coach of the Year: Dave Byers, Westminster:

Name, School, Pos., Ht., Class

Billy Bowman, Westminster, Guard, 6-1, Senior

Jon-David Byers, Westminster, Guard, 5-8, Sophomore

Marc Falcone, Liberty, Center, 6-8, Junior

Nick Hohenwarter, Westminster, Forward, 6-7, Junior

Adam Hynes, South Carroll, Forward, 6-3, Junior

David Keefer, South Carroll, Forward, 6-1, Senior

Sam McGrane, South Carroll, Center, 6-8, Senior

Team selection

The Baltimore Sun 1998-99 All-Carroll County boys and girls basketball teams were selected by John W. Stewart after consulting with The Sun staff and area coaches.

Pub Date: 3/16/99