Player of the Year
Vicki Brick, McDonogh, Sr., G: There wasn't anything the Eagles did not achieve with Brick at the helm. The 5-foot-6 point guard kept the Eagles at No. 1 in The Sun's poll for the entire season, leading them to a perfect record (26-0), a fourth straight Association of Independent Schools championship and a No. 25 national ranking in USA Today. During Brick's career, the Eagles have gone 88-8, winning their last 44 in a row. A three-time All-Metro first teamer and last year's All-Metro Player of the Year, Brick finished her career with 1,942 points -- the best in McDonogh history. This season, she led the team in scoring (22.3), field-goal percentage (53.8) and steals (5.5) and contributed 2.8 assists and 4.4 rebounds. She turned the ball over just 2.4 times a game -- an exceptional statistic for a point guard. A stellar defender who got most of her points on penetration, Brick used an explosive first step to beat opponents on the drive, but she could also outmaneuver girls six or eight inches taller for second-chance shots. Brick scored in double figures in all but one game, hitting a career-high 40 points in the AIS semifinal victory over Bryn Mawr. She finished with 27 points, five rebounds, three assists and three steals in the 58-44 title-game victory over No. 3 Roland Park. Brick has signed early to play at Maryland.
Coach of the Year
Wardell Selby, Dunbar: Few coaches faced a tougher job than Selby when he took over the struggling Poets girls program three season ago. In the shadow of a larger-than-life boys program, the girls basketball team had not known success since the early 1980s. Selby changed that. Last season, the Poets had their first winning record in a decade and this season, they posted the best girls record in school history, 19-4. The Poets also cracked The Sun's Top 20 poll for the first time, rising as high as No. 12 before settling at No. 14. Selby started just one senior and had two freshmen among his top six players, but the Poets still were the second-best team in the city behind perennial power Western. Despite their youth, the Poets gave eventual city champ Western a run for the top spot in the city and they gave eventual Class 2A state champ Parkside a run for the regional title. Selby, who has coached girls basketball at every level from recreation to college in the last 20 years, has instilled a new confidence in the Poets as well as a new work ethic and a new determination.
The first team
Chante Alexander, Milford Mill, Sr., F: A second-team All-City/County pick last year, the 6-1 Alexander has been the primary factor behind the Millers' four straight county titles. Although she missed the postseason after tearing knee ligaments during the county championship game, Alexander had a strong regular season for the No. 9 Millers (22-5), averaging 12 points and nine rebounds in a balanced offense. Alexander signed early with James Madison.
Greichaly Cepero, McDonogh, Sr., C: The 6-3 Cepero arrived from Puerto Rico to fill a void in the Eagles' inside game. An exceptional athlete, she averaged 10 points and 7.3 rebounds, but those numbers are deceptive. Cepero averaged 13 points and 9.9 rebounds against locally-ranked and top-notch out-of-town teams. She had 20 points against No. 7 Mercy and 18 points and 17 rebounds against Sidwell Friends, the only team the Eagles lost to last season. Cepero, an All-Metro volleyball player, will play both sports at Nebraska.
Mandakova Clark, Milford Mill, Jr., G: When Clark was on her game, there was no one better offensively. She averaged 26.4 points and shot 49 percent from the field, including 36 percent from three-point range. Clark dazzled fans with her smooth three-pointers, no-look passes and behind-the-back dribbles, but she also emerged as a clutch defender. She converted two steals to seal the 66-60 regional title over Fallston and converted another to assure a 69-66 state semifinal victory over defending Class 3A champ Wheaton. A second-team pick last year at Woodlawn, the 5-8 Clark also averaged 6.5 rebounds, 3.8 steals and 3.7 assists.
Latia Few, Western, Sr., G: At 5-4, Few was the smallest starter for the No. 8 Doves (24-4), but she made the greatest contribution. Her 13-point scoring average led a balanced Doves team to their third straight city championship and to the Class 4A state title game. Most of her points came on three pointers, as she hit 45, shooting 42 percent from behind the arc. She also contributed 4.5 assists, 3.0 steals and 4.2 rebounds. Some of her best efforts came early in the postseason when she scored 28 in the city title victory over No. 19 Walbrook and 17 in the regional opener against Perry Hall.
Betsy Gaines, Roland Park, Sr., G: A repeat first-teamer, the 5-6 Gaines became the Reds' all-time career scoring leader with 1,359 points. This season, she led the AIS runners-up in scoring (15.0), assists (4.0) and steals (3.0). Some of her best performances came in the 50-team Shake & Bake Tournament in New Orleans the last week of December. She led the No. 3 Reds (20-7) to the title game and made the All-Tournament team. In the AIS final against No. 1 McDonogh, Gaines had 11 points and four steals. An All-Metro performer in three sports, Gaines signed early to play lacrosse at North Carolina.
Denise King, Seton Keough, Jr., G: For the second year in a row, King led the No. 2 Gators (27-5) to the Catholic League tournament championship. Her 13.9 points per game and tenacious defense led a balanced team that completed a rare sweep of the league tournament and regular-season titles. Some of her best efforts came in critical league matchups against No. 4 St. Mary's, as the Gators won two of three meetings, including the title game. King had 20 points in the first meeting, 19 in the second and 14 in the 46-36 final. The 5-8 King was an All-Metro selection last year.
Jamie Vogtman, Mercy, Sr., C: A two-time All-Metro first-team pick, the 6-0 Vogtman became the first player in Magic history to reach the 1,000 mark in both career points (1,752) and rebounds (1,021). She led the No. 7 Magic (21-12) this season with 17.3 points and 8.5 rebounds and was second on the team in steals. Versatile and consistent, Vogtman scored in double figures in all but one game. She missed three games late in the season with torn ligaments in her left thumb, but she rebounded to score 24 points against No. 11 St. Frances in the Catholic League tournament quarterfinal.
Sarah Walsh, Seton Keough, Sr., C: The 6-0 Walsh enjoyed a breakthrough season and was a major factor in the Gators' Catholic League championships. A battling, scrapping force on the inside, Walsh averaged 7.6 points and led the team with 9.2 rebounds. She also had one block and two steals per game. On a team loaded with talented outside shooters, Walsh contributed whatever was needed inside. Her best game may have been the second meeting with No. 4 St. Mary's in which she didn't score a point but had 16 rebounds. She scored a career-high 34 points against No. 15 Spalding.
LaKesha Wills, Dunbar, Jr., C: The best player in the Poets' rising program, the 5-10 Wills was exceptional with the ball inside. She led the team with 19.9 points and 12.4 rebounds. She also hit seven three-pointers and averaged 2.0 assists per game. Her best effort came in a Mayor's Academy tournament victory over Newport in which she had 26 points and 18 rebounds. Wills scored a career-high 40 vs. Patterson. A leader on a young team that reached the Class 2A regional final, Wills could also dominate the inside defensively with her deceptive quickness.
The girls teams
Player of the Year: Vicki Brick, McDonogh
Coach of the Year: Wardell Selby, Dunbar
First team
Name, School, Class, Position
Chante Alexander, Milford Mill, Senior, Forward
Vicki Brick, McDonogh, Senior, Guard
Greichaly Cepero, McDonogh, Senior, Center
Mandakova Clark, Milford Mill, Junior, Guard
Latia Few, Western, Senior, Guard
Betsy Gaines, Roland Park, Senior, Guard
Denise King, Seton Keough, Junior, Guard
Jamie Vogtman, Mercy, Senior, Center
Sarah Walsh, Seton Keough, Senior, Center
LaKesha Wills, Dunbar, Junior, Center
Second team
Stacie Allen, Woodlawn, Senior, Forward
Elisha Carter, Eastern Tech, Senior, Guard
Ashlee Courter, Mercy, Senior, Guard
Joy Gorham, Western, Junior, Forward
Connie McCullough, Edmondson, Junior, Forward
Dena McGriff, Walbrook, Senior, Guard
Jazmine Norton, McDonogh, Senior, Guard
Quante Toney, Milford Mill, Junior, Guard
Kelsey Twist, Roland Park, Sophomore, Forward
Shanell Watson, St. Frances, Junior, Guard
Team selection
The Baltimore Sun 1998-99 All-Baltimore City/County boys and girls basketball teams were selected by Derek Toney and Katherine Dunn, respectively, after consulting with The Sun staff and area coaches.
Pub Date: 3/16/99