1999-2000 Men's Basketball Season Outlook
7/27/1999 8:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
#35 LONNY BAXTER
Sophomore . Forward/Center . 6-8 . 250 . Silver Spring, Md. . Hargrave Military & Anacostia
On Baxter: Honorable mention All-Atlantic Coast Conference freshman team selection who returns as Maryland's starting center . started 10 of the final 11 games of the 1998-99 season after the season-ending injury to senior Obinna Ekezie . started against Virginia on Feb. 6, 1999 in place of a healthy Ekezie and assumed the starter's role when Ekezie was lost for the season to a ruptured Achilles' tendon on Feb. 9 . the only game Baxter did not start over the last 11 games was on senior night as head coach Gary Williams inserted Brian Watkins into the starting lineup . Baxter averaged 8.9 points (2.1 points per game over his season average) and 4.6 rebounds (1.0 rebounds per game over his season average) after Ekezie was lost for the season . led the Terps in field goal shooting percentage with a .599 mark . his mark ranks as the eighth highest single-season field goal percentage in school history and the second highest by a Maryland freshman . only Brian Williams (.600) during the 1988 season recorded a higher shooting percentage as a freshman in school history . his 51 free throws tied for the 11th best single season total by a freshman while his 89 attempts is the eighth highest total by a freshman in school history . grabbed 116 rebounds which ranks as the 14th best single-season effort by a Maryland freshman .blocked 24 shots and was credited with 22 steals which rank as the eighth and 13th highest freshman totals, respectively, by a Maryland freshman.
As a Freshman: Honorable mention All-ACC freshman team selection who
averaged 6.8 points (sixth on the team) and 3.6 rebounds (fifth on the
team) during his first collegiate season . established a school record
by making a perfect 10-of-10 shots from the field against North Texas on
Dec. 23 . . scored his career-high of 28 points against North Texas as
he was perfect from the field ... he became the first player in school
history to make more than a perfect eight-of-eight from the field in a
single game . his perfect percentage (1.000) tied head coach Gary
Williams, among others . Williams was a perfect eight-of-eight against
South Carolina on Dec. 10, 1966 . came within four made shots of tying
the all-time school record for consecutive shots made in a season with
15 . he made his final shot against Princeton on Dec. 19 and all 10 of
his attempts against North Texas before missing his first shot against
South Carolina State on Dec. 27 .. also tied the school record for
consecutive field goals made during a single game (10) against North
Texas . the record is also held by Barry Yates against Miami (Fla.) on
Dec. 29, 1970 and Keith Gatlin against Clemson on Feb. 17, 1985 . shot
.545 (18-of-33) against the eight ranked teams on Maryland's schedule .
shot 50 percent or better from the field in 20 of his 32 games for the
season and was perfect from the field in four different games . was a
perfect two-of-two from the 3-point arc during his first season . first
career bomb came against Florida State on Jan. 27 at home and helped
Maryland extend a lead from one point to four with 5:31 remaining in the
first half . connected from long range against Clemson in Cole Field
House as the Terps defeated the Tigers, 77-60, on senior night .
Maryland was undefeated, 2-0, when Baxter hit a 3-point shot . was also
a perfect eight-for eight from the free throw line against North Texas .
his 28 points came in only 18 total minutes ? an average of 1.6 points
per minute . was a perfect five-of-five from the field in both halves .
averaged double figures, 11.0 points, in two games against Duke .
reached double figures in points (10) for the first time in an ACC game
against the Blue Devils on Jan. 3 and scored 12 as the Terps played in
Durham on Feb. 3 . first career start came against Virginia on Feb. 6 .
responded to the surprise start with 14 points, five rebounds, two
steals and one blocked shot in a career-high 26 minutes . learned after
pre-game warm-ups on game day that he would gain his first career start
. said head coach Gary Williams: "The change was based on two things.
We were flat and Baxter had played well. I told the guys earlier in the
year, if you work hard, you'll get the opportunity. With Lonny, the way
he's been playing was good enough to merit a start." . said Baxter: "I
saw my name on the board and I had to get ready. I wasn't scared at
all. I just knew what I had to do. I had to play hard. We needed it."
. Baxter scored nine of his 14 points during the first five minutes of
the second half when Maryland extended its lead to 17 . brought the
house down with a slam dunk on a feed from All-American Steve Francis as
the trailer on a three-on-one break with 5:28 remaining in the game .
scored back-to back double figure points against Duke (12) and Virginia
(14) on Feb. 3 and Feb. 6 . became the full-time starter against NC
State on Feb. 10 after Obinna Ekezie was injured on Feb. 9 . scored
seven points and grabbed four rebounds in 21 minutes of play against the
Wolfpack . scored what turned out to be the game-winning points on a
layup with 16:10 remaining . his layup broke a tie and put Maryland up
7-5, giving the Terps a lead they would not relinquish . scored four
second-half points on two field goals to extend Maryland's lead . 10
points, four rebounds, a career-high four blocked shots, three steals
and a career-high three assists against North Carolina as Maryland won
in Cole Field House on Feb. 13. . played a career-high tying 26 minutes
and battled the taller Tar Heel post players, Brendan Haywood and Kris
Lang, the entire time . helped limit Haywood and Lang to 21 total points
in 57 combined minutes . scored 18 points against Florida State in his
first ACC Tournament game in 24 minutes of play . was nearly perfect
from the field (six-of-eight, .750) and the free throw line
(six-of-eight, .750) as the Terps advanced to the tournament semifinals
for the fifth consecutive season . totaled 24 points, nine rebounds and
was seven-of-13 (.538) from the field in the ACC Tournament . scored 16
against Creighton as the Terps defeated the Blue Jays to advance to the
"Sweet 16" of the NCAA Tournament for the fourth time in the last six
years . shot six-of-nine (.667) from the field as he scored 16 points in
14 minutes . scored what proved to be the game- winning point on a free
throw with 18:47 remaining in the first half . gave Maryland a 4-3 lead
and an advantage they did not give up . scored 12 second-half points as
the Terps took the win and moved out of Orlando, Fla., and into
Knoxville, Tenn. . recorded 28 points and 15 rebounds in three games
during the NCAA Tournament . averaged double figures, 10.4 points per
game, in five postseason games (two in the ACC Tournament and three in
the NCAA Tournament).
ACC Statistics
\-3-POINT-\ OFF DEF TOT
YEAR G-GS FG-FGA .PCT FG-FGA .PCT FT-FTA .PCT PTS-AVG REB REB REB-AVG PF-D AST TO BLK STL MIN
1998-99 15-5 41-70 .586 2-2 1.000 12-27 .444 96-6.4 22 33 55-3.7 43-0 10 24 14 7 278
CAREER 15-5 41-70 .586 2-2 1.000 12-27 .444 96-6.4 22 33 55-3.7 43-0 10 24 14 7 278
NCAA Tournament Statistics
\-3-POINT-\ OFF DEF TOT
YEAR G-GS FG-FGA .PCT FG-FGA .PCT FT-FTA .PCT PTS-AVG REB REB REB-AVG PF-D AST TO BLK STL MIN
1998-99 3-3 9-19 .474 0-0 .000 10-15 .667 28-9.3 6 9 15-5.0 11-0 2 2 0 0 42
CAREER 3-3 9-19 .474 0-0 .000 10-15 .667 28-9.3 6 9 15-5.0 11-0 2 2 0 0 42
Overall Statistics
\-3-POINT-\ OFF DEF TOT
YEAR G-GS FG-FGA .PCT FG-FGA .PCT FT-FTA .PCT PTS-AVG REB REB REB-AVG PF-D AST TO BLK STL MIN
1998-99 32-10 82-137 .599 2-2 1.000 51-89 .573 217-6.8 40 76 116-3.6 75-0 18 29 24 22 463
CAREER 32-10 82-137 .599 2-2 1.000 51-89 .573 217-6.8 40 76 116-3.6 75-0 18 29 24 22 463
#21 LaRON CEPHAS
Redshirt Junior . Forward . 6-7 . 223 . Wilmington, Del. . The Sanford School
On Cephas: Is in his third full year in the Maryland program after sitting out the 1996-97 season as a redshirt . joined the Terp program for the second semester of the 1996-97 season and practiced and traveled with the Terps throughout the second semester . has fully recovered from knee surgery which he underwent in May of 1998 and will be at full strength for the 1999-2000 season . signed with the Terps during the spring semester of 1996 and entered the university for the spring semester in 1997 ... a redshirt junior who enters the 1999-2000 season with two years of eligibility remaining.
As a Redshirt Sophomore: Enjoyed his finest statistical season as he scored a career-high 21 points and averaged 1.4 points in 15 games played . underwent knee surgery in May following his redshirt freshman season and did not regain full mobility until midway through the season . his surgery severely limited his minutes throughout the season . scored his career-high of seven points as Maryland defeated NC State in Cole Field House on Jan. 10 . made a career high three field goals as he shot a perfect three-of-three against the Wolfpack . was the Terps' leading scorer off the bench as he played only six minutes in the victory . averaged 1.2 points per minute . his six minutes played against the Wolfpack marked the second-most he has played in an ACC game . scored three points each in back-to-back games against UMBC on Nov. 17 and Hofstra on Nov. 20 . played his season high of nine minutes against AU Puerto Rico in the first round of the Puerto Rico Shootout . helped Maryland to the victory with three points, one assist and one steal . grabbed one rebound and was credited with one steal as the Terps defeated Pittsburgh to win the championship of the tournament . scored four points against Georgia Tech as Maryland won at home on Feb. 21 . played a career-high four ACC Tournament minutes in the Terps' victory over Florida State . played in a career-high two NCAA Tournament games as the Terps advanced to the "Sweet 16" for the second time in his career . hit 3-point shots against Hofstra, AU Puerto Rico and NC State . first career 3-point shot came against Hofstra . tied his career high with one free throw against both UMBC and North Texas.
As a Redshirt Freshman: Appeared in 21 games and averaged 4.5 minutes
... was slowed early in the season after he underwent surgery for a
hernia on Nov. 19 ... he returned to practice on Dec. 2 after missing
two full games ... did not return to full strength until the Terps' game
against UMBC on Dec. 13 ... scored his career high of four points,
grabbed his career high of nine rebounds and played his career high of
22 minutes against UMBC ... his four points against UMBC came on a
career-high two field goals made and his nine rebounds came on a
career-high three offensive rebounds and a career-high six defensive
rebounds ... also added his first career assist, first career blocked
shot and first career steal against the Retrievers ... may have been at
his best as the Terps defeated then No. 1 North Carolina, 89-83 in
overtime, on Jan. 14 ... played four crucial minutes at the end of the
first half in place of Maryland's foul-troubled front court ... was
inserted into the lineup for All-ACC performer Rodney Elliott with 3:43
remaining in the half and the score tied at 32 ... he finished the half
on the court and Maryland went into the lockerroom with a four-point
(41-37) lead ... scored two points and grabbed three rebounds against
Arizona in the NCAA Tournament on March 19 ... grabbed three or more
rebounds six times during the season ... his ACC rebounding high of
three came against Duke on Jan. 3 and Georgia Tech on Jan. 21 ...
averaged 4.8 rebounds in four consecutive games in December with nine
against UMBC, three against UNC-Asheville on Dec. 22, four against
UNC-Wilmington on Dec. 27 and three in his first career ACC game against
Duke ... displaying his rebounding prowess, he was the only player on
the team with more rebounds (30) than points scored (7) during the
season.
ACC Statistics
\-3-POINT-\ OFF DEF TOT
YEAR G-GS FG-FGA .PCT FG-FGA .PCT FT-FTA .PCT PTS-AVG REB REB REB-AVG PF-D AST TO BLK STL MIN
1998-99 6-0 5-6 .833 1-1 1.000 0-0 .000 11-1.8 0 1 1-0.2 5-0 0 1 0 0 17
1997-98 12-0 0-6 .000 0-0 .000 0-0 .000 0-0.0 2 7 9-0.8 12-0 0 3 0 1 38
CAREER 18-0 5-12 .417 1-1 1.000 0-0 .000 11-0.6 2 8 10-0.6 17-0 0 4 0 1 55
Overall Statistics
\-3-POINT-\ OFF DEF TOT
YEAR G-GS FG-FGA .PCT FG-FGA .PCT FT-FTA .PCT PTS-AVG REB REB REB-AVG PF-D AST TO BLK STL MIN
1998-99 15-0 8-18 .444 3-5 .600 2-4 .500 21-1.4 1 4 5-0.3 8-0 1 1 1 1 45
1997-98 21-0 3-21 .143 0-1 .000 1-4 .250 7-0.3 8 22 30-1.4 20-0 1 10 2 2 94
CAREER 36-0 11-39 .282 3-6 .500 3-8 .385 28-0.8 9 26 35-0.9 28-0 2 11 3 3 139
#5 JUAN DIXON
Redshirt Sophomore . Guard . 6-3 . 152 . Baltimore, Md. . Calvert Hall
On Dixon: Earned honorable mention ACC All-Freshmen honors as he averaged 7.4 points and 2.6 rebounds during his inaugural collegiate season, 1998-99 . led all ACC freshmen in steals (50) and steals per game (1.5) . his 50 steals ranks as the second best single-season effort by a Maryland freshman behind only Johnny Rhodes' 71 during the 1993 season . became the first freshman in school history to lead the Terps in free throw percentage (.830) . his 36 3-point shots made ranks tied as the second best effort by a Maryland freshman . his 97 attempts from beyond the arc also ranks second among all freshmen in school history . Johnny Rhodes (59-173) is the freshman leader in both categories during the 1993 season . among the freshman leaders in the ACC in 3-point shooting . his 36 3-point shots made ranked fourth while his .371 shooting percentage ranked second only to Chris Dawson of Wake Forest among all conference freshmen.
As a Redshirt Freshman: Honorable mention ACC All-Freshman team
selection . his 7.4 points per game average ranked fifth on the team and
first among freshmen . began the season on fire with 14 points in his
first game against Western Carolina on Nov. 14 and double figure scoring
in seven of his first 10 career games . proved to be the Terps' top free
throw shooter over the course of the season and earned the banquet award
as the team's best free throw shooter . was perfect eight times during
the season including four-of-four against AU Puerto Rico in the Puerto
Rico Shootout and five-of-five against No. 5 Kentucky in Rupp Arena .
his longest stretch without missing was 12 consecutive dating from
Maryland's victory over Duquesne on Nov. 23 through the Terps' Puerto
Rico Shootout championship clinching victory over Pittsburgh on Nov. 28
? a span of four games . shot 80 percent (eight-of-10) from the line
against the nine ranked teams on Maryland's schedule . was nearly
perfect, seven-of-eight, against DePaul in the championship game of the
BB&TClassic . his 14 points against Western Carolina came on an amazing
3-point shooting display as he made four-of-seven (.571) shots from
behind the arc . also grabbed a career-high nine rebounds, dished off
two assists and had two steals against WCU . hit his first career
3-point shot only 10:52 into his first career game . made at least one
3-point shot attempt in his first nine games and was the team leader at
that point with a .500 shooting percentage (17-34) from beyond the arc .
three or more 3-point shots made came against Western Carolina, No. 10
UCLA, Wake Forest at home, Princeton, and Wake Forest on the road .
Maryland was 4-1 when Dixon hit three or more 3-point shots . scored his
career high of 18 points at Wake Forest on Jan. 31 . tied his effort
with four 3-point shots made against the Demon Deacons in a team-leading
effort . was one of two times during his freshman season that he led the
Terps in scoring (also against AU Puerto Rico on Nov. 26) . scored 14
points as Maryland defeated AU Puerto Rico in the first round of the
Puerto Rico Shootout . was four-of five from the field and a perfect
four-of-four from the free throw line . scored in double figures in all
three games of the Shootout as the Terps won the championship . averaged
12.3 points, 2.0 rebounds and 3.7 steals and shot 60.0 percent (12-20)
from the field in the Terps' three-game sweep . was also a combined
seven-of-13 (.538) from the 3-point arc as the Terps defeated AU Puerto
Rico, No. 10 UCLA and Pittsburgh . added 14 points in 16 minutes against
Wake Forest in Cole Field House on Dec. 3 in his ACC debut and 12 points
against DePaul in the championship game of the BB&T Classic on Dec. 8 .
hit two game-clinching free throws to lead Maryland past Virginia on
Jan. 7 in Charlottesville . his two free throws came with 3.4 seconds
remaining and put the Terps up 77-71 . his free throws made the game a
two-possession affair . scored 11 first-half points to help the Terps
past the Cavaliers in Cole Field House on Feb. 6 . hit three 3-pointers
and a 2-point jumper within a span of 5:35 to help Maryland to a 44-32
halftime lead . his first 3-pointer (with 10:32 remaining) gave the
Terps a 19-18 lead, he then hit a short jumper (with 8:28 remaining) to
give Maryland another lead, 23-21, he then extended Maryland's lead to
28-24 (with 5:52 remaining) with a second 3-pointer and put the Terps up
by seven, 31-24, (with 4:57 remaining) with his third 3-pointer of the
half . scored what turned out to be the game-winning basket as the Terps
defeated Georgia Tech in Atlanta on Feb. 21 . hit a four-foot jumper to
give the Terps a 29-27 lead with 4:27 remaining in the first half .
Dixon was fouled on the play and hit the ensuing free throw to extend
the Terps' lead to 30-27 . beginning with Dixon's jumper, the Terps
outscored the Yellow Jackets, 21-4, over the remainder the half .
enjoyed a stellar first NCAA Tournament as he averaged 6.0 points, 2.3
rebounds and 12.7 minutes per game as the Terps advanced to the "Sweet
16" for the fourth time in six years . his NCAA Tournament high of seven
points came against Creighton in the second round . played an NCAA
Tournament career high of 17 minutes, scored five points and added one
assist against St. John's.
ACC Statistics
\-3-POINT-\ OFF DEF TOT
YEAR G-GS FG-FGA .PCT FG-FGA .PCT FT-FTA .PCT PTS-AVG REB REB REB-AVG PF-D AST TO BLK STL MIN
1998-99 16-0 37-82 .451 13-39 .333 13-16 .813 100-6.3 8 24 32-2.0 30-0 17 19 1 15 220
CAREER 16-0 37-82 .451 13-39 .333 13-16 .813 100-6.3 8 24 32-2.0 30-0 17 19 1 15 220
Overall Statistics
\-3-POINT-\ OFF DEF TOT
YEAR G-GS FG-FGA .PCT FG-FGA .PCT FT-FTA .PCT PTS-AVG REB REB REB-AVG PF-D AST TO BLK STL MIN
1998-99 34-0 85-192 .443 36-97 .371 44-53 .830 250-7.4 28 60 88-2.6 59-0 47 50 1 50 505
CAREER 34-0 85-192 .443 36-97 .371 44-53 .830 250-7.4 28 60 88-2.6 59-0 47 50 1 50 505
#20 MATT HAHN
Senior . Guard . 6-0 . 162 . Columbia, Md. . Atholton
On Hahn: A three-year varsity letterwinner who will add depth to Maryland's backcourt . returns as Maryland's lone senior and will play a valuable leadership role both on the court and in the lockerroom . has seen his playing time increase over the course of each of his three years in the program . has worked on every part of his game and continues to be one of the team's hardest workers . a member of three NCAA Tournament teams at Maryland who has helped the Terps advance to a pair of "Sweet 16" appearances with his hard work in practice . Maryland is 26-2 (and has won 18 consecutive games) over the course of his career during games in which he has earned playing time.
As a Junior: Played in a career-high 14 games and established career highs in nearly every statistical category . earned more minutes as a junior (43) than he did during his freshman and sophomore seasons combined (32) . established career highs for games played (14), field goals made (three), field goal percentage (.750), free throws attempted (nine), offensive rebounds (one), defensive rebounds (five), total rebounds (six), assists (13), steals (two) and minutes played (43) . scored two or more points in a career-high four games . played his career high of six minutes as Maryland defeated NC State on Jan. 10 in Cole Field House . scored two points and was credited with a career-high two steals as the Terps defeated the Wolfpack . tied his career high with four ACC appearances for a total of 14 minutes . in addition to NC State, he also earned playing time against Wake Forest (four minutes), Georgia Tech (three minutes) and at Florida State (one minute) . career high of three assists came against AU Puerto Rico in the first round of the 1998 Puerto Rico Shootout and in Maryland's victory over North Texas in Cole Field House . his previous career high had been one assist on several occasions . recorded multiple assists in a career-high four games . was a perfect two-for-two from the field against ACC teams . scored two points each against NC State and Georgia Tech . his two assists against NC State is his career high for assists against an ACC team . scored the first ACC Tournament point of his career against Florida State in the 1999 quarterfinal round victory by the Terps . grabbed his career high of two rebounds against North Texas . earned playing time in the NCAA Tournament for the first time as Maryland defeated Valparaiso in the first round of the 1999 tournament . played the final two minutes of the Terps' 82-60 victory over the Crusaders.
As a Sophomore: Played in 11 games, nearly triple the amount he played during his freshman season, and averaged 1.0 points per game . established career highs for 3-point field goals made (one), free throws made (six) and free throw percentage (.750) . scored his career high of five points against Mt. St. Mary's in Cole Field House on Nov. 22 ... his five points against the Mount came on three-of-four shooting from the free throw line and a perfect one-of-one from the field ... scored his first career 3-point shot as Maryland defeated UNC-Asheville on Dec. 22 ... was three-for-four from the line in his first two appearances of the season against Mt. St. Mary's and Florida International on Nov. 25 ... his six free throws made and eight free throws attempted in his first two appearances of the season were more than he had made and attempted during his entire freshman season ... shot 75.0 percent from the free-throw line for the season ... played season-high five minutes and scored three points against UNC-Asheville ... scored three points or more on three different occasions (Mt. St. Mary's, Florida International and UNC-Asheville) ... credited with four assists - one each against Florida International, UNC-Wilmington, Duke and Temple ... his assist against Temple in the Baltimore Arena was of the sensational behind-the-back highlight film variety which resulted in a slam dunk by Terence Morris ... played in four ACC regular season games and Maryland's ACC Tournament quarterfinal round victory over Georgia Tech in Greensboro, N.C.
As a Freshman: Played in four games during the season while scoring
four total points ... season high of two points came during the season
opener against Howard on Nov. 26 and on Dec. 23 against Lafayette ...
scored his first career field goal against Howard as the Terps won in
Cole Field House ... was a perfect two-for-two from the free-throw line
against Lafayette ... recorded his first career rebound against Howard,
his first career assist against Chicago State and his first career steal
against Penn in a game played in the Baltimore Arena ... played a season
high of two minutes in each of the four games in which he appeared -
Howard, Chicago State, Lafayette and Penn ... Maryland was undefeated
(4-0) in the games in which Hahn appeared.
ACC Statistics
\-3-POINT-\ OFF DEF TOT
YEAR G-GS FG-FGA .PCT FG-FGA .PCT FT-FTA .PCT PTS-AVG REB REB REB-AVG PF-D AST TO BLK STL MIN
1998-99 4-0 2-2 1.000 0-0 .000 0-1 .000 4-1.0 0 1 1-0.3 0-0 3 1 0 2 14
1997-98 4-0 0-0 .000 0-0 .000 0-0 .000 0-0.0 0 0 0-0.0 0-0 1 0 0 0 6
1996-97 DNP
CAREER 8-0 2-2 1.000 0-0 .000 0-1 .000 4-0.5 0 1 1-0.1 0-0 4 1 0 2 20
Overall Statistics
\-3-POINT-\ OFF DEF TOT
YEAR G-GS FG-FGA .PCT FG-FGA .PCT FT-FTA .PCT PTS-AVG REB REB REB-AVG PF-D AST TO BLK STL MIN
1998-99 14-0 3-4 .750 0-0 .000 4-9 .444 10-0.7 1 5 6-0.4 1-0 13 8 0 2 43
1997-98 11-8 2-8 .250 1-5 .200 6-8 .750 11-1.0 0 0 0-0.0 1-0 4 2 0 1 24
1996-97 4-0 1-2 .500 0-0 .000 2-3 .667 4-1.0 0 1 1-0.3 1-0 1 0 0 1 8
CAREER 29-0 6-14 .429 1-5 .200 12-20 .600 25-0.9 1 6 7-0.2 3-0 18 10 0 4 75
#33 MIKE MARDESICH
Redshirt Junior . Center/Forward . 7-0 . 255 . Boston, Mass. . Worcester Academy
On Mardesich: Expected to be a major contributor to Maryland's rotation for the third consecutive season ... as a redshirt junior, he is in his fourth year in the program and his third as one of the Terps' top players ... signed with Maryland during the fall 1995 signing period ... decided to redshirt the 1996-97 season after consultation with the Maryland coaching staff and his family ... 21 blocked shots last season ranks as the 12th-best single- season total by a Maryland sophomore ... his 41 career blocked shots entering his junior season leave him only nine from becoming one of only 23 players in school history with 50 or more blocked shots ... has more blocked shots after two seasons than only eight of the players who rank in the school's top 10 in all-time career blocked shots ... has played in 66 consecutive games entering his redshirt junior season, every game of his career ... has totaled 255 rebounds during his first two seasons, an average of 3.9 per game ... a strong offensive rebounder, he finished among the Terps' top four in offensive rebounds and the team's highest percentage of offensive rebounds.
As a Redshirt Sophomore: Averaged 3.4 points and 3.4 rebounds as Maryland advanced to the "Sweet 16" of the NCAA Tournament for the second time during his career ... credited with 21 assists (0.6 apg) and a career-high 21 blocked shots (0.6 apg) ... tied his career high with 12 points against both Western Carolina on Nov. 14 in the season opener and on Dec. 23 against North Texas ... tied his career high with five field goals made in both games ... 12 points against Western Carolina came in only 17 minutes played ... was five-of-eight (.625) and a perfect two-of-two (1.000) from the free throw line as the Terps defeated the Catamounts, 113-46, in Cole Field House ... also recorded seven rebounds, one assist and one steal in one of the top games of his career ... nearly perfect from the field (five-of-six, .833) in scoring 12 points in 15 minutes of playing time as Maryland defeated North Texas, 132-57, on Dec. 23 ... was again perfect from the free throw line (two-of-two, 1.000) and tied his season high with two blocked shots against the Mean Green ... also a season-high tying two assists as Maryland won at home ... double figure scoring with 10 points against Florida State on Jan. 27 ... marked the fourth time during his career that he has scored in double figures during an ACC game ... 10 points came in 10 minutes played to give him an average of 1.0 points per minute against the Seminoles ... shot five-of-six (.833) from the field, had one blocked shot and one steal as the Terps defeated the Seminoles at home for the fifth consecutive season ... grabbed his season high of nine rebounds as the Terps defeated South Carolina State on Dec. 27 ... grabbed a career high of six offensive rebounds as he came within one rebound of tying his career high of 10 which came twice during his redshirt sophomore season ... averaged 5.5 rebounds, 1.0 blocked shots and 18 minutes per game as the Terps advanced to the ACC semifinals for the second time during Mardesich's career and school-record fifth consecutive time ... five rebounds against Florida State in the quarterfinal round and an ACC Tournament career high of six rebounds against North Carolina on March 6 ... averaged 3.0 points and 2.0 rebounds as the Terps advanced to the NCAA Tournament "Sweet 16" ... career NCAA Tournament high of 22 minutes against Valparaiso in the first round of the tournament ... his 22 minutes was the most of any Terp post player and he was among the reserve leaders in scoring with six points ... recorded his NCAA Tournament career high of two blocks against the Crusaders ... the 22 minutes played also tied his season high which also came against North Carolina on Feb. 13 ... played 46 total minutes (an average of 15.3 minutes per game) during the NCAA Tournament ... averaged 3.0 points and 4.3 rebounds as Maryland won three games and the tournament championship of the 1998 Puerto Rico Shootout ... best outing during the tournament was a seven-point, eight-rebound effort during the championship game against Pittsburgh ... his six defensive rebounds against the Panthers ranked as his season high ... tied his career high with three free throws made against Princeton marking the second time during his career that he had hit three free throws in a single game.
As a Redshirt Freshman: Averaged 5.4 points (tied for sixth on the team)
and 4.3 rebounds (fourth on the team) while playing in all 32 games ...
averaged 18.2 minutes per game and played in double-figure minutes in 29
of Maryland's 32 games ... was at his season best as he helped lead the
Terps past No. 1 North Carolina in overtime in Cole Field House on Jan.
14 ... scored his career high tying and ACC career high of 12 points
while grabbing a team-high nine rebounds in front of a supercharged home
crowd ... played a season-high 34 minutes, was five-of-nine from the
field, had three assists, no turnovers and committed only one personal
foul ... started and played all five minutes of the overtime period and
scored two points as Maryland outscored North Carolina, 13-7, to gain
the victory ... it was a Mardesich put-back off a Rodney Elliott miss
that tied the game with 46.2 seconds remaining and sent the game into
the extra session ... he played the final 2:27 of regulation and the
entire five minutes of the overtime period during which the Terps
outscored the Tar Heels, 17-11 ... played a large part in holding the
UNC front line of Antawn Jamison, Vince Carter and Makhtar Ndiaye to a
combined three offensive rebounds ... for the season, the Tar Heel trio
averaged a combined 6.9 offensive rebounds per game ... said Mardesich
after the victory over North Carolina, "This is just an unbelievable
feeling. I never thought it would happen two years ago. But this is
reality time. Everything is starting to sink in." ... against No. 13
Florida State on Jan. 7, he scored six points and grabbed a career-high
10 rebounds in his best outing of the season ... Mardesich grabbed a
career-high tying five offensive rebounds and scored what proved to be
the game-winning basket in the second half ... with just over 12 minutes
remaining, Mardesich followed a miss by Obinna Ekezie to bring the Terps
to within one at 47-46 ... scored what proved to be the game-winning
basket (after the Terps had trailed by as many 12 points in the second
half) as he scored on a dunk after Laron Profit drove the right
baseline, drew the defense and dished off to him ... the basket gave the
Terps their first lead of the second half, 50-49, and they never trailed
again.
ACC Statistics
\-3-POINT-\ OFF DEF TOT
YEAR G-GS FG-FGA .PCT FG-FGA .PCT FT-FTA .PCT PTS-AVG REB REB REB-AVG PF-D AST TO BLK STL MIN
1998-99 16-0 21-60 .350 0-0 .000 6-14 .429 48-3.0 19 23 42-2.6 26-0 8 17 7 6 193
1997-98 16-0 39-88 .443 0-0 .000 7-15 .467 85-5.3 19 46 65-4.1 36-1 10 16 11 3 310
CAREER 32-0 60-148 .405 0-0 .000 13-29 .448 133-4.2 38 69 107-3.3 62-1 18 33 18 9 503
Overall Statistics
\-3-POINT-\ OFF DEF TOT
YEAR G-GS FG-FGA .PCT FG-FGA .PCT FT-FTA .PCT PTS-AVG REB REB REB-AVG PF-D AST TO BLK STL MIN
1998-99 34-0 48-137 .350 0-0 .000 19-36 .528 115-3.4 49 68 117-3.4 55-0 21 34 21 15 457
1997-98 32-0 72-170 .424 0-0 .000 28-45 .622 172-5.4 47 91 138-4.3 63-2 26 42 20 10 582
CAREER 66-0 120-307 .391 0-0 .000 47-81 .580 287-4.3 96 159 255-3.9 118-2 47 76 41 25 1,039
#15 DANNY MILLER
Sophomore . Guard . 6-8 . 205 . Mt. Holly, N.J. . Ranconas Valley
On Miller: Displayed his exceptional talents and future potential as a member of the Terps' nine-man rotation during the 1998-99 season . was one of only two Terp freshmen to play in all 34 games during the season and averaged 4.2 points and 2.1 rebounds . his 13 3-point shots made ranks tied for the 13th best single season total by a freshman in school history while his 39 3-point shot attempts ranks as the fifth highest total by a Maryland freshman . Miller's 34 steals ranks as the eighth highest total by a Terp freshman . was named to Dick Vitale's Division I All-Miller team during the season.
As a Freshman: Averaged 4.2 points (seventh on the team) and 1.0 steals
(sixth on the team) while playing in all 34 games and averaging 14.3
minutes per game . playing time increased as the season went on .
averaged 13.4 minutes in the first 22 games of the season, 16.9 in the
final 10 games of the season, 20.2 over the last five, and 21.0 in the
Terps' three-game NCAA Tournament run . double figure minutes came in
the last 14 games of the season . one of only five ACC freshmen to play
in 34 or more games during the 1998-99 season . Miller (34 games played)
was joinedby teammate Juan Dixon (34), Kris Lang of North Carolina
(34), Will Solomon of Clemson (34) and Corey Maggette of Duke (39) as
the freshmen who earned the most playing time in terms of number of
games during the season . ranked fifth among all league freshmen with a
.482 field goal shooting percentage . found his stroke from the field as
the season went on, eventually ranking among the team and conference
freshmen leaders . shot .513 (20-39) from the field in the last 10 games
of the season after shooting .423 (22-52) in the first 22 games . shot
.571 percent in the ACC Tournament (eight-of-14) . may have been at his
best in the Terps' five postseason games as he averaged 7.6 points and
2.6 rebounds while averaging 20.2 minutes played as Maryland advanced to
the semifinals of the ACC Tournament and to the "Sweet 16" of the NCAA
Tournament . played 101 total minutes and totaled 38 points, 13
rebounds, seven assists and 11 steals . ranked fifth among all Terps and
first among bench players in scoring during the postseason .burst onto
the national scene with a six-point performance in No. 2 Maryland's
victory over No. 5 Stanford in the first round of the BB&T Classic in
Washington, D.C. . hit 3-pointers on successive possessions to help the
Terps recover from a 20-12 disadvantage to a slim, 20-18 disadvantage .
Miller hit his first 3-pointer at the 8:34 mark on an assist from senior
guard Terrell Stokes and nailed another at the 7:56 mark directly off a
steal by Stokes . Miller's two 3-pointers began a five-minute, 19-6 run
which saw the Terps go from eight points down to five points up at the
3:33 mark . Maryland led 39-32 at the half . Miller made one of the most
important defensive stops of the season late in the second half against
the Cardinal . with the Terps up 52-51 with 5:43 remaining, Miller
blocked a potential go-ahead shot attempt by Mark Madsen which turned
into a layup for Terp All-American Steve Francis at the other end .
Stanford never regained the lead after that play and Maryland won the
game, 62-60 . scored his career high of 14 points in the Terps' victory
over AU Puerto Rico in the opening round of the Puerto Rico Shootout .
his 14 points tied him with fellow freshman Juan Dixon for team and
game-high scoring honors . scored his career high of six field goals on
his career-high nine field goal attempts against AUPR . averaged 5.3
points, two rebounds and 0.7 steals in three games as Maryland won the
tournament championship . double figure scoring came in back-to-back
games of the ACC Tournament against Florida State (10 points in 20
minutes) and No. 15 North Carolina (11 points in 18 minutes) . shot
eight-of-14 (.571) from the field at the ACC Tournament . nine of his 11
points came during the Terps' second half comeback attempt against North
Carolina . credited with a steal that began Maryland's comeback with
7:18 remaining in the half . hit a 3-point shot at the 5:54 mark to
bring the Terps to within 14 at the 5:54 mark . recorded his second of
three steals during the game only 13 seconds later to gain back
possession for the Terps . recorded his third steal within a two minute
period and fed Steve Francis for a layup to bring the Terps to within
11 at the 4:59 mark .. another Miller assist to Francis closed the gap
to eight at the 2:33 mark, and a Miller jumper closed the gap to four
with 26 seconds remaining . the rally will long be remembered as one of
the greatest in ACC Tournament history . scored 11 points against
Virginia (including eight in the first half) as Maryland defeated the
Cavaliers in Cole Field House on Feb. 6 . was again big from beyond the
arc as a first half 3-pointer helped the Terps forge a 13-13 tie with
13:17 remaining in the first half and another from long range helped the
Terps build a much-needed 14-point lead (44-30, 1:30 remaining, first
half) as halftime approached .in between, he banked home a layup to
stretch a Terps lead to three with 10:14 remaining . a late 3-pointer
gave the Terps breathing room down the stretch (82-72 with 1:10
remaining in the game) in the Terps' 88-72 victory . career high of
seven rebounds came against Hofstra on Nov. 20 . grabbed five or more
rebounds on five occasions ? Maryland was 5-0 in those games . ACC
career high of five rebounds against Florida State as Maryland won in
Cole Field House on Jan. 27 . career-high of four assists came in home
games against North Texas and Florida State . career-high three steals
against Western Carolina in his first collegiate game on Nov. 14, in the
ACC Tournament against North Carolina and in the NCAA Tournament against
Creighton.
ACC Statistics
\-3-POINT-\ OFF DEF TOT
YEAR G-GS FG-FGA .PCT FG-FGA .PCT FT-FTA .PCT PTS-AVG REB REB REB-AVG PF-D AST TO BLK STL MIN
1998-99 16-0 15-35 .429 6-16 .375 7-14 .500 43-2.7 6 18 24-1.5 26-0 24 12 3 11 200
CAREER 16-0 15-35 .429 6-16 .375 7-14 .500 43-2.7 6 18 24-1.5 26-0 24 12 3 11 200
Overall Statistics
\-3-POINT-\ OFF DEF TOT
YEAR G-GS FG-FGA .PCT FG-FGA .PCT FT-FTA .PCT PTS-AVG REB REB REB-AVG PF-D AST TO BLK STL MIN
1998-99 34-0 53-110 .482 13-39 .333 25-47 .532 144-4.2 24 48 72-2.1 57-1 44 38 8 34 487
CAREER 34-0 53-110 .482 13-39 .333 25-47 .532 144-4.2 24 48 72-2.1 57-1 44 38 8 34 487
#4 EARL BADU
Sophomore . Guard . 6-0 . 167 . Baltimore, Md. . St. Frances Academy
On Badu: A walk-on member of the team who will add depth at the guard position . was a member of the team during the 1998-99 season but did not see any action . was added to the team following walk-on tryouts and began practicing immediately ... as a walk-on he has accepted the task of motivating his teammates, being a strong and hard-working practice player, and coming to practice every day ready to help push the Terps' starters . traveled with the team during the second half of the season . enrolled at Maryland for the fall semester 1997 and was a student for the entire 1997-98 academic year but did not participate in intercollegiate athletics . has three years of eligibility remaining at the start of the 1999-2000 season.
At St. Frances Academy: A four-year varsity letterwinner at the point guard position . averaged a career-high 18 points and four rebounds per game as a junior during the 1995-96 season . was an All-Baltimore County first-team selection and played in the Charm City Super 50 Tournament during the 1995-96 season . helped lead St. Francis to the Baltimore Catholic League Championship with a 32-7 record during the 1996-97 season . St. Frances compiled a 113-23 record during his four years on the varsity . competed against current Terp Juan Dixon and was a teammate of Temple's Mark Karcher in high school . played in the Baltimore area Catholic League which is regarded as one of the top high school conferences in the nation.
Personal: Born Feb. 22, 1979 . full named is Earl Badu . Earl is the son of Afra and Yaw Badu . earned membership in the National Honor Society . was a member of the Student Government Association and the principal's advisory committee at St. Frances . enjoys drawing.
#25 STEVE BLAKE
Freshman . Point Guard . 6-3. 175 . Miami Lakes, Fla. . Oak Hill Academy
Academy (Va.)
On Blake: "Steve's a natural leader. You give him the ball and everyone on the court seems to know that he's the point guard, the guy in charge, the floor general. He makes everyone around him better. If a teammate is open, he will find a way to gethim the basketball," said Louis Wilson, who coached him during the 1999 Capital Classic All-Star game . All-America honorable mention selection following his senior season by USA Today . named the runner-up for the "Mr. Basketball" award in the state of Virginia following his senior season at Oak Hill . ranked as the second best prep point guard by recruiting analyst Bob Gibbons . ranked as the sixth best point guard entering the collegiate ranks this season by recruiting expert Brick Oettinger . named as the 44th best overall player in the prep class of 1999 by Recruiter's Handbook and the ACC Area Sports Journal . in the final game of his high school career, Blake led a team of ACC future stars past a team of future SEC stars, 145-115, in Reynolds Coliseum on the NC State campus in the Fila/USA Hoops Challenge . displayed his awesome potential as he led all players with 10 assists and six steals while adding four points in 22 minutes of play . was a strong candidate for MVP honors and the top defensive player throughout the game . as a starter in the Capital Classic, he had five points, two steals and one assist . his assist total should have been higher but his exquisite variety of passes to teammates in scoring position were often dropped . helped lead the Capital team to victory for the first time since former Terp All-American Joe Smith led the Capitals to victory in 1993 . finished his high school career with an amazing 100-4 record.
At Oak Hill: The starting point guard and averaged 8.8 points and 7.3 assists as Oak Hill was named the high school national champion by USA Today, ESPN and the Associated Press . Oak Hill continued the outstanding Warrior tradition with a perfect 31-0 record, becoming the school's third undefeated team in the last nine seasons . Oak Hill defeated seven of the top 25 nationally ranked teams during the season . scored 16 points and added 10 assists as Oak Hill defeated Mt. Zion (N.C.) to win the championship of the Reebok Invitational/Las Vegas Holiday Tournament . named to the all-tournament team at Las Vegas . averaged 6.3 assists in three games as Oak Hill won the Glaxo-Wellcome Holiday Tournament in Raleigh, N.C. . credited with six assists as Oak Hill defeated Christ the King (N.Y.) in the championship game . season-high 13 assists came at Minnetonka (Minn.) High School on Jan. 30.
At Miami Senior: The starting point guard at Miami Senior High School as a junior . led Miami Senior to a 36-1 record and the 6A Florida state championship . team was ranked No. 4 in the final rankings by USA Today . was an All-America honorable mention selection by USA Today, all-state second team selection, all-county first team choice and a member of the state championship series all-tournament team . all-tournament team selection at the Iolani Tournament (Hawaii) . was selected to the all-tournament team and named the most valuable player at the Chelsea Tournament (Boston) . scored 14 points - 12 from 3-point range - as Miami won the 1998 state championship . scored 17 points for Miami Senior as the Stingerees defeated Dillard in the Wilt Chamberlain Rising Star Shootout with the tournament's namesake in attendance.
At Miami Killian: Played on the varsity as a freshman and sophomore at Miami Killian . starting point guard and led Killian to a 33-3 record and to the semifinals of the 6A state tournament . the first point guard to take Killian to the state semifinals in 19 years . named to the state championship series all-tournament team and was an all-state honorable mention selection . earned all tournament team honors in the junior Orange Bowl Classic as a freshman and sophomore . all-county first team as a sophomore and second team as a freshman.
International: Helped lead the United States to a gold medal in the1998 Junior World Championship qualifying tournament prior to his senior season at Oak Hill ... played in all six games of the tournament and averaged 14.5 minutes per game . tied for the team lead in assists with 20, an average of 3.3 per game . credited with a team-high four assists in the gold medal game against Argentina . tied for the team high in assists against Canada with four, against Cuba with four, and against Brazil with five . tied for the team assist lead with Florida's Mike Miller . scored a personal best eight points against Canada in the first game of the tournament . scored on five-of-nine free throws against Canada .. . was a perfect two-of-two from the free throw line in the gold medal game against Argentina . selected as a member of the U.S. Junior World Championship Team which played in Portugal in July of 1999.
Personal: Born Feb. 26, 1980 in Hollywood, Fla. ... Steve is the son of Richard and Cindy Blake . he is the youngest of four ... three older sisters . a member of the National Honor Society and graduated fourth in his senior class at Oak Hill . played in the Charlie Weber Invitational Tournament in Cole Field House prior to both his junior and senior years in high school.
#45 TAHJ HOLDEN
Freshman . Forward . 6-10 . 235 . Little Silver, N.J. . Red Bank
Regional
On Holden: "He's just a very big wing. You don't find many guys at 6-9, 220 pounds who can shoot the three. He's very difficult to defend and can put the ball on the floor and blow past you. He's matured and developed more each year and he just loves the game," said his high school coach Steve Johnson . selected all-state by the Associated Press . an all-state second-team choice following his senior season by the Gannett newspaper chain . all-state fourth team by New Jersey Hoops . played in the New Jersey Scholastic Coaches Association All-Star game following his senior season . ranked as the 48th best prep player entering the collegiate ranks for the 1999-2000 season by the ACC Area Journal and Recruiter's Handbook
At Red Bank: A three-year starter at Red Bank Regional . Red Bank was ranked as the top public high school team in the state of New Jersey during his senior season . ranked 14th in the final poll of the 1999 season by New Jersey Hoops . an All-Shore first-team selection as a senior by the Asbury Park Press . named the area high school player of the year by the Asbury Park Press following his senior season . scored 1,025 career points to rank in the top 10 in school history . averaged 14.6 points on 52 percent field goal shooting to go along with 8.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game . scored a season-high 24 points in a Shore Conference Tournament victory over Lakewood . had 23 points and eight rebounds against Gainesvile (Fla.) on Jan. 24 and 16 points and 11 rebounds against Matawan on Jan. 22 . had 19 points, six rebounds and five blocked shots against St. Patrick's of Elizabeth in the Reebock Prime Time Shootout on Feb. 14 . scored team-high 21 points against Chester on Feb. 15 . had 24 points, 11 rebounds, six assists and five blocked shots against Lakewood in the Shore Conference Tournament semifinals . hit two pressure-packed free throws with 23 seconds remaining in the Shore Conference championship game to lead Red Bank to a 44-43 victory over Christian Brothers Academy . Holden's shots propelled No. 12 ranked Red Bank past No. 3 ranked CBA . scored a game-high 18 points to go along with four rebounds and three assists .. anchored the Red Bank defense which held CBA scoreless over the final 4:32 of the game . blocked a career-high nine shots against Neptune in the state tournament quarterfinals . nearly lifted Red Bank to victory in the state tournament semifinals with a 13-point performance againstColonia . put the Buccaneers ahead, 63-62, with two free throws with 1:58 remaining on the clock . Colonia hit a desperation 3-pointer at the buzzer to win the game . averaged 14.4 points, 6.8 rebounds, three assists and two blocked shots in leading Red Bank to a 20-9 record as a junior . also made 36 3-point shots as a junior . named All-Jersey Shore third-team as a junior . led Red Bank Regional to the Central Jersey Group III championship game as a junior . helped lead the U.S. to a gold medal at the 1998 World Youth Games in Moscow during the summer prior to his senior season . shot 13-of-21 (.619) from the field, grabbed 12 rebounds, had seven assists, six steals and five blocked shots to lead his AAU team ? the Central Jersey Hawks ? to the championship game of the AAU national tournament and was named AAU All-America first-team . ranked as the nation's 46th best prep product entering his senior season by Fastbreak Magazine.
Personal: Born Jan. 17, 1981 ... full name is Tahj Jarrod Holden ... Tahj is the son of Debbie Holden . was Student Council President as a senior . a semifinalist in the National Achievement Scholarship Program.
#12 DREW NICHOLAS
Freshman . Guard . 6-3 . 165 . Hempstead, N.Y. . Long Island Lutheran
On Nicholas: "He's probably the most consistent player I've had in big games. The phrase 'complete player' comes to mind and I'd have to say he's the best," said his high school coach Ronn Hall . averaged 24.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 3.7 steals per game as a senior and shot a spectacular 57 percent from the floor, including 66 percent from two- point range and 47 percent from 3-point range . hit 75 3-point shots during his senior season . scored 1,011 career points . earned the Richard Sandler Award as the top player in Nassau County following his senior season . the award is presented annually by Newsday and has previously been awarded to collegiate stars Zendon Hamilton of St. John's in 1994 and Wally Sczerbiak of Miami (Ohio) in 1995 . Nassau County Player of the Year and All-Long Island first-team selection by Newsday .named a tri-state legend by the New York Daily News following his senior season . recent honorees on the legend team are 1999 National Player of the Year Elton Brand of Chicago Bulls, Tim Thomas of Villanova and the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks and Ron Artest of Bulls . was honored as a member of the legend team at Madison Square Garden on April 29, 1999 prior to a New York Knicks vs. Philadelphia 76ers game.
At Long Island Lutheran: All-state Class A selection by the N.Y. state sportswriters association . all-city first-team selection by the New York Post following his outstanding senior season . named the MVP of the Sugar City Classic as he led Luthern to the tournament championship in Savannah, Ga., his senior season . scored 39 points and was named the Nassau County team MVP of the 10th annual Lupus All-Star Basketball Classic prior to the start of his senior season . scored 31 second-half points as he attempted to pull Nassau back into the game in the closing minutes . scored 18 points and won the 3-point shooting contest at the same event in 1997 . was a giant in the 1999 state federation Class A Tournament semifinals against Rice of Manhattan on March 26, 1999 with career-high 33 points on 12-of-23 shooting (.522) from the field to go along with six rebounds and two steals . Rice, which was ranked No. 2 in the nation at the time of the game, outslugged Lutheran, 75-65 . Nicholas scored 17 of his game-high 33 points in the first half as Lutheran held an eight-point advantage at the intermission . totaled 33 points, 14 rebounds and nine assists as Luthern defeated Providence Day School of Raleigh, N.C., on Feb. 15 of his senior season . scored 26 of Lutheran's 51 points against Marist of New Jersey in the Nike Super Six Tournament at Madison Square Garden on Jan. 17, 1999 . was nine-of 21 from the field and four-of 11 from 3-point range against Marist, which won the game 58-51 . displayed his defensive abilities late in the game as he drew two fourth-quarter charges which fouled out Marist star Rashid Dunbar . scored a game-high 27 points (including three 3-pointers) to lead Lutheran past Uniondale on Dec. 21, 1998 in a non-league contest . 25 points against St. Dominic (including three 3-pointers) in a 74-57 victory on Jan. of February . Nicholas hit a pair of free throws with less than three minutes to play as the Crusaders pulled away for the victory . was a three-year varsity letterwinner (and two-year starter) at Lutheran and played on three teams which advanced to the state federation Final Four . Lutheran's 1997 team won the state championship title as it defeated the Ron Artest-led LaSalle Academy team in the semifinals and Robeson of Brooklyn in the championship game . was an All-Long Island second team honoree as a junior when he averaged 18 points per game . led the Crusaders to the state federation championship game with a 23-point performance in the semifinal round against Grady High School of Brooklyn . added 26 points in the title round against Rice . a crowd favorite as he played as a member of the United States team at the annual Capital Classic All-Star game at MCI Center following his senior season . was the most productive of the three future Terps in the game as he scored 13 points and added three assists.
Personal: Born May 17, 1981 ... full name is Andrew Lawrence Nicholas ... Drew is the son of Yvonne and Darryl Nicholas . a brother, Chris, also played for Lutheran and starred collegiately at Colgate . Drew was a ballboy for the Crusaders ... former St. John's standout and current Chicago Bull Bill Wennington and former Arizona star Khalid Reeves played prep ball at Lutheran . played in Cole Field House for the first time during the 1998 Charlie Weber Tournament.
