Player of the Year

Lauren Martin, Glenelg, Sr., G: Martin ended "a dream season" Saturday night at UMBC with the Class 1A state championship, a fitting way for Howard County's all-time leading scorer to finish her career. "It's definitely a great way to go out," Martin said. A three-time first-team all-county selection, Martin needed 391 points this season to break the mark of 1,676 points set by Mount Hebron 1982 graduate Doreatha Beck. The 5-foot-7 guard scored 477 points, including a game-high 22 in the championship game win over Allegany, to finish with 1,763. She scored 272 points and was the county's 10th-leading scorer as a freshman at Glenelg. She attended River Hill her sophomore year and scored 596 points, averaging a county-best 23.8 a game. She returned to Glenelg last season and again was the county's top scorer with 418 points and a 17.4 average. Not surprisingly, Martin, who averaged 17.6 points this season, led the county in three-point baskets the last four years. She had 54 as a freshman, when she was a second-team all-county selection, then 57, 50 and a county-record 78 this season. That's 239 three-pointers. Martin also led the team this season in assists (6.6 per game), steals (5.2) and free-throw shooting percentage (77.6) and was the second-leading rebounder (7.7). Her statistics were impressive, but Martin's value can't be measured solely by numbers. Her experience, knowledge and savvy made her the perfect floor leader. "She's the general. She runs the show," Glenelg coach Ciaran Lesikar said. And like a coach on the floor, Martin always tried to make her younger teammates better. "She was consistently teaching and passing on her experience to the others," Lesikar said. Martin was known early in her career simply as a shooter. But through hard work she improved her ball-handling, rebounding and defense to become a solid all-round player. Not a naturally gifted athlete, it is a credit to Martin's work ethic and desire that she has come so far. "It's really been an honor to coach her," Lesikar said. "A kid like that really doesn't come along that often."

Coach of the Year

Ciaran Lesikar, Glenelg: Aggressive. Loud. Demanding. Did we forget anything? "He's really intense," said guard Martin. To the paying customer, Lesikar is all those things. "That's all the people see and it gives him a bad rap sometimes because they don't get to know the full person," Martin said. "What people don't see is that he knows when to have fun and when to give us a break." Lesikar has improved the Gladiators in each of his three seasons, and this year's team (26-1) earned the school's first basketball title when it defeated Allegany, 70-57, for the Class 1A championship. Glenelg was making its fourth state appearance and third in the final. "From the beginning of the season, the goals were county, region, state and [going] undefeated," Lesikar said. He said it was "very disappointing" losing to Centennial in the regular-season finale, but that it "really focused us on the other." He added that winning the state title was "just phenomenal; I couldn't be any happier," and that at the same time it was a big relief. "We were feeling a lot of pressure mostly because we did not want to let the girls down," Lesikar said. "We knew we had the talent to do it." Lesikar, a two-year starter at Centennial before graduating in 1984, credits much of the program's success to his assistant Chad Meushaw. "He's not a 'yes man,' and that's so important for an assistant," Lesikar said. A 1990 graduate of McDonogh, Meushaw "was a friend of a friend" whom Lesikar asked to help when he took the Glenelg job. Now, Lesikar says: "I couldn't imagine doing this without him." Meushaw is the team's rebounding coach. "That's his No. 1 emphasis because we decided that was such an important part of the game," Lesikar said. Martin called Lesikar "one of the best coaches I've ever had. Not only because of his knowledge of the game but just the way he can deal with kids. He's definitely taught me a lot. He tells me things not in a critical way but in a positive way. And he's open to suggestions, which is another thing that makes him a good coach."

The first team

Kris Brust, Glenelg, Sr., C: When she transferred from Seton Keough two seasons ago as a sophomore, Brust was an average player. But she was determined to improve and had the good fortune to work with Coach Lesikar, a post player in high school and college who had a lot to offer. The result was a steady and significant improvement, culminating with a fine state tournament performance last weekend in which she scored a team-high total of 41 points in two games as the Gladiators captured the Class 1A state title. "She works so hard," Lesikar said. "In practice, she is very intense on herself. She won't stop. It's been very rewarding for [assistant coach] Chad [Meushaw] and I to see her develop as a player and a person over the last three years." Brust, 6-2, led the team in scoring (19.1), rebounding (13.5) and field-goal accuracy (61.8 percent). She finished her career with 1,096 points, and set rebounding records for a season (365) and career (811). "One-on-one teams cannot guard her because she can use her right or left hand without a difference," Lesikar said. "This year, she's been very consistent and has hit the basket when we needed it." Brust has improved her hand strength and is stronger overall. She also is a smarter player. "Her ability to recognize thedouble- or triple-team and pass the ball out has really improved," Lesikar said. "She catches the ball now and doesn't hesitate to pass it out." Lesikar commended Brust on doing exactly that in the state championship. "She made smart decisions," Lesikar said.

Rayna DuBose, Oakland Mills, Soph., C: The 6-2 DuBose became one of the dominant inside players in the county. She averaged 16.3 points, 11.7 rebounds and three blocks per game, all team highs. "She was a steady player, someone you could always rely on," said Oakland Mills coach Kim Rosado. "Our girls knew if they got the ball to her it would end up being points." DuBose was "very coachable," Rosado said, and "when you said something she seemed to absorb it right away." A good athlete, DuBose knew how to use her height. "She's a very smart player," Rosado said. "She's savvy, and has the mechanics to do the right things." DuBose had a season-high 28 points against Howard, and twice scored 27, the second time in an upset win over Mount Hebron in the regular-season finale. Rosado said DuBose was "a leader without having a title" by just "her presence" on the court. And she added that DuBose is "a natural" player. "I have no doubt that if I told her to play point guard she could do it," said Rosado, whose team finished 10-13 overall and 9-9 in the county. "She's a good, all-around player that just happens to be tall and plays the inside."

Ashley Evans, Centennial, Soph., G: The only player to start every game for the Eagles, the 5-6 Evans had a team-high 15.7 scoring average and set a school record with 64 three-point baskets. "The thing she does best is score points," said Centennial coach Dave Greenberg. "She was the kid people tried to stop, and yet she still came up with these numbers." Evans shot 37 percent from the three-point circle and tied a school record by shooting 81 percent from the free-throw line. She also was the team's third-leading rebounder (4.4). Evans twice had games where she had six three-point baskets, including the Eagles' loss to Central in the Class 2A, South Region final. In a memorable game on Feb. 18 against Mount Hebron, Evans made three straight three-point baskets in the fourth quarter to help rally the Eagles (23-3 overall, 17-1 league) from a nine-point deficit to victory. "I think she's as good a shooter as anyone in the area," Greenberg said. And the hard-working Evans helped the Eagles even when she wasn't scoring. Opponents spent a lot of time keying on her and that led to better looks for her teammates. Greenberg said Evans had "a terrific year" and hopes she can improve in the off-season on her ball-handing. "That will make her much more of a threat," Greenberg said. "It will give her other options to make her a better overall offensive player."

Tia Richardson, Centennial, Sr., F: "She's always been a terrific athlete, and this year she really became a great leader and took over games at the end," said Coach Greenberg. "At times, she refused to let us lose." Richardson, a four-year varsity player and three-year starter, was the difference in three narrow victories this season against Mount Hebron. In the first contest, Centennial scored the last nine points of the game -- seven by Richardson -- and won, 45-39. In the second game, the Eagles scored the last nine points and Richardson had the final six, including two free throws with five seconds left that meant a 55-53 win. Late in the fourth quarter of a playoff game, Richardson grabbed a loose ball under her offensive basket and went strong to the hoop to score. The basket gave Centennial a five-point cushion and it won by nine. Richardson was first on the team in rebounding (7.9 average) and second in scoring (9.9) and steals (4.0). "Her best assets are her athletic ability and strength, and her skills have gotten better," Greenberg said. "She definitely cut down on her turnovers and got herself under better control. She has become a better finisher." In her four seasons, the Eagles have earned two county titles, reached the region finals twice and the state tournament once. "She's had a great career for us and helped turn things around," Greenberg said.

The girls teams

Player of the Year: Lauren Martin, Glenelg

Coach of the Year: Ciaran Lesikar, Glenelg

First team

Name, School, Class, Position

Kris Brust, Glenelg, Senior, Center

Rayna DuBose, Oakland Mills, Sophomore, Center

Ashley Evans, Centennial, Sophomore, Guard

Lauren Martin, Glenelg, Senior, Guard

Tia Richardson, Centennial, Senior, Forward

Second team

Bryanna Herring, Wilde Lake, Junior, Center

Thandi Howell, Long Reach, Senior, Guard

Erin Jaschik, Mount Hebron, Sophomore, Forward

Lauren Kickham, Mount Hebron, Junior, Forward

Keiko Miller, River Hill, Sophomore, Forward

Stacie Tokasz, Centennial, Senior, Guard

Team selection

The Baltimore Sun 1998-99 All-Howard County boys and girls basketball teams were selected by Rick Belz and Stan Rappaport, respectively, after consulting with The Sun staff and area coaches.

Pub Date: 3/16/99