There is another Baltimore freshman basketball sensation on the loose, and this one is playing under former Maryland assistant coach Billy Hahn at La Salle.

Gary Neal has been putting on a long-range show, hitting 12 of 24 three-point shots in just the second and third games of his collegiate career.

The three-point surges by the former Calvert Hall and Aberdeen star highlighted a two-game performance last week that produced 24 points in a 70-66 victory over Lafayette and 27 points in a 97-80 loss to Marist.

Both shooting displays featured Neal coming off the bench, just as he did in his first collegiate game against Delaware when he scored nine points.

"Gary is a tremendous shooter," said Hahn last night before La Salle (2-1) took on James Madison in Harrisonburg, Va. "I've followed him since the ninth grade at Aberdeen. Right now, he's not with our group that starts, but I might change that in another month."

Neal, 6 feet 4, averaged 20 points and 2.3 rebounds in those first three games, and he had three steals and one block.

In scoring 51 points in two games, he shot 40 percent from the field and was chosen Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week.

Neal is averaging 28.3 minutes a game and is 13 of 30 on three-pointers.

Homecoming

The Lebanon Valley women's basketball team, featuring three Baltimore-area players, comes to Johns Hopkins tomorrow night at 7 for a matchup with the Blue Jays.

Sophomore LVC starting point guard Crystal Gibson (Randallstown) has started off where she left off her freshman year, averaging 8.5 points and a team-leading 5.3 assists.

But 5-11 sophomore forward Tamika Rogers (Milford Mill) has been stealing some of the spotlight this season, shooting 59.4 percent from the field (19 of 32) and averaging 12.0 points and 7.0 rebounds.

Rogers has a team-leading seven blocks and has five steals. The third Baltimorean, freshman Nicole Dixon (Woodlawn), is playing 10.8 minutes a game, averaging 5.5 points and 4.0 rebounds.

Copeland on rise

Freshman Corey Copeland (Mount St. Joseph) is leading Eastern (Pa.) University in scoring with an 18.0 average after four games.

Copeland paced the Eagles with 16 points Monday night in a 56-52 victory over North Carolina Wesleyan, evening the Division III team's record at 2-2.

Senior stars

Walt Wagner (Annapolis) has been chosen the Defensive Most Valuable Player for the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy football team, which compiled an 8-3 record this season.

Wagner, a senior defensive end, averaged 1.9 sacks a game, which ranked 15th in the nation among Division III schools.

Wagner and USMMA (Kings Point) teammate, senior cornerback Eric Pickett (Annapolis), were both named to the Freedom Football Conference second team. Pickett led the Freedom Conference with 15 pass deflections and he had five interceptions.

McGarvey to rescue

Junior QB Sean McGarvey (Calvert Hall) was called on to start three games for Washington and Lee University this season, when starter Peter Dean went down with a knee injury midway through the season.

McGarvey responded with a strong performance in those three games, including a breakout game in a 26-14 victory over Sewanee Oct. 26 when he completed 25 of 46 passes for 301 yards and three touchdowns.

Have a Postcard? Contact Bill Free by e-mail at bfree706@hotmail.com or by phone at 410-833-5349.