Oswaldo Jiminez/The Gazette The 1999-2000 All-Star/Gazette Girls Basketball Team (From left): Vernessa Neamo, DuVal; Chinny Nwagbo, DuVal; Nancy Taylor, Fairmont Heights; Rebekkah Brunson, Oxon Hill; Co-Coach of the Year Debra Anderson, Oxon Hill; Co-Coach of the Year Walter Clark, DuVal; Tiffany Stansbury, Riverdale Baptist; Joi Jefferson, Riverdale Baptist; Katrina Martin, Seton; Cotelia Bond-Young, Seton. Not pictures: Kiki Wimbush, Suitland and Candace Sutton, Largo.

During the 1999-2000 season Prince George's County girls basketball teams fared quite well, winning a state championship, a national private school title, and earning a state finals berth. Therefore, it's no surprise that the All-Star/Gazette girls first team is comprised half of players from those schools. This group proved themselves throughout the season, as did the All-Star/Gazette Co-Head Coaches of the Year.

Co-Coach of the Year

Debra Anderson, seventh year

Oxon Hill

In her seventh year at the helm of the Clippers girls team, Anderson guided Oxon Hill to a 21-5 record and its fourth Class 4A South Region title and third state championship game appearance. Although the Clippers fell to Arundel in the state championship, Anderson deserved immense credit for getting the Oxon Hill team that far.

Twice during the regular season Oxon Hill was thumped by league champ Largo, but the Clippers upset the Lions 50-49 in the region final at Prince George's Community College. In the region semifinal game, Oxon Hill downed two-time defending state champion Suitland.

Co-Coach of the Year

Walter Clark, 10th year

DuVal

At the outset of the season, Clark wondered how to motivate the Tigers, the defending state 3A champs. After DuVal got off to a mediocre 3-3 start, including two losses to Riverdale Baptist, Clark apparently pushed all the right buttons. The Tigers won their final 21 games and culminated the season with their second consecutive state championship, downing North Region champ Milford Mill Academy of Baltimore for the second straight year. DuVal trailed 23-17 at halftime of that contest, but Clark's squad held the Millers to 10 second-half points by applying a suffocating pressure defense.

Girls Player of the Year

Rebekkah Brunson

Oxon Hill

Although she had already secured a basketball scholarship to attend Georgetown University this fall, Brunson certainly could not be accused of resting on her laurels as a senior. Oxon Hill's 6-foot-2 inch center not only led the squad by averaging 23.5 points, 16 rebounds and 3.5 blocked shots per contest, she literally carried the Clippers on her back during their playoff run. Brunson scored 29 points, including the game winner, in the Clippers' 50-49 come-from-behind victory over Largo in the 4A South Region final.

First Team

Vernessa Neamo

Senior

DuVal

An integral member of the Tigers' two-time defending 3A state championship squad, the 5-9 Neamo is equally as formidable on defense as she is on offense. Last season's All-Star/Gazette Player of the Year was second on the team in scoring average (15.0) and rebounding (9.0) and led the club in steals (4.0). In the state championship game against Milford Mill, the George Mason University-bound Neamo provided both an offensive and defensive spark for the Tigers, scoring 21 points, blocking seven shots and making six steals.

Chinny Nwagbo

Senior

DuVal

Another key member of the Tigers' two-time 3A state champs, Nwagbo led DuVal in both scoring and rebounding this season. The 6-0 forward, who is headed for Syracuse on a basketball scholarship this fall, averaged 17 points, 12 rebounds, two steals and two assists per game for DuVal in her senior year.

Candace Sutton

Senior

Largo

Like Brunson, Sutton was one of the county's most dominant players in the low post. The 6-5 North Carolina-bound senior led the Lions to a 22-3 record and an appearance in the 4A South Region championship game. Sutton averaged 17 points, 12 rebounds, three blocks and two steals per contest and proved to be a force on both the offensive and defensive ends of the floor.

Joi Jefferson

Senior

Riverdale Baptist

One of the main cogs of the Crusaders machine that went 26-1 and captured its third straight National Association of Christian Athletes title, Jefferson led the Crusaders with 14.8 points per game. The 5-9 senior scored 18 points and added nine steals in Riverdale Baptist's 113-26 victory over Shenandoah (TN) in the NACA championship game. She is headed to play at Northeastern University in Boston.

Tiffany Stansbury

Junior

Riverdale Baptist

One of the premier players on one of the county's top programs, Stansbury averaged 15 points, 12 rebounds, four steals and two assists per game this season. The 6-3 center played well on both ends of the floor throughout the season for the Crusaders. Perhaps her best game of the season occurred against Largo in the title game of the International Association of Approved Officials tournament last December when she outscored and outrebounded Candace Sutton.

Nancy Taylor

Senior

Fairmont Heights

Taylor proved to be one of the more versatile players in the county. The Hornets 5-11 forward led Fairmont Heights to a 12-0 start and a an eventual County 2A/1A League title by playing all five positions on the floor for head coach Barbara Tyner. Taylor led the 17-5 Hornets by averaging 20 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and three blocks per game. Taylor is considering attending Canisius, St.Peter's, Coppin State and Bowie State

KiKi Wimbush

Senior

Suitland

The county's most prolific scorer, Wimbush concluded her high school playing days by averaging 25 points, eight assists, six rebounds and five steals per game for the Rams. Although Suitland was denied its third straight 4A state title, the 5-8 Wimbush guided the Rams to an 18-4 season and an appearance in the region semifinals. She was a key member of the 1999 state champs after leading Potomac to the State Class 2A semifinals in her sophomore year.

Katrina Martin

Senior

Seton

Martin, a mainstay for the Roadrunners, ended her career with outstanding numbers, averaging 20 points and 10 rebounds per game for the WCAC runner-ups. And had last her shot, which bounced on the rim for an eternity, fell down in the final seconds against St. John's in the WCAC final , the Roadrunners would have won the title. The 5-10 forward earned a reputation as a rugged inside player. Martin, has already committed to Drexel University. She scored over 2,000 points and grabbed over 1,000 rebounds during her four years.

Cotelia Bond-Young,

Sophomore

Seton

The 5-7 guard rung up 15 points per game and averaged over five assists per contest for the Roadrunners. During many situations this past year, Seton went to Bond-Young when it needed a big basket. Her quickness and overall offensive skills often forced opposing teams to resort to gimmick defenses.

All-Star/Gazette Second Team

Candice Wilkins, Senior Gwynn Park

Deidra Moore, Senior, Laurel

Sarah Jenkins, Senior, Riverdale Baptist

Jen Baker, Senior, Riverdale Baptist

Lynette Clark, Senior, DuVal

Pria Stellmacher,Senior, Suitland

Angel McNatt, Senior, High Point

Crystal Washington, Senior, McNamara

Donna Williams,Senior,Gwynn Park

Jet Lopez,Senior, Oxon Hill

Honorable Mention

Adrienne Harris, Largo

Orlandrea Moore, Crossland

Vickie Briscoe, Riverdale Baptist

Charmaine Carr, Gwynn Park

Terrelle Waller, Riverdale Baptist

Andrea House, Largo

Kim Holston, Bladensburg

Charetta Oliver, Oxon Hill

Jennie Brown, Seton

Melanie Dent, Roosevelt

Joy Mascetti, Bowie

Ebony Hollingsworth, Suitland

Nadiyah Simms, Central

Khalika France, McNamara

Adija Beaty, Parkdale

Erin Winston, Seton

Candace Howard, Bladensburg

Candis Brooks, Roosevelt

Nicole Hinton, Parkdale

Lynette O'Reggio, Seton

Boys Basketball

All-Star/Gazette Hon. Mention

B.J. Haigler, Central

Jordan Collins, DeMatha

Chris Clark, DuVal

Kevin Jolley, Fairmont Heights

Wes Key, Riverdale Baptist

Aaron Gill, Laurel

Tivon Cash, High Poimt

Patrick Atangana, Riverdale Baptist

Cortez Davis, Friendly

Brandon Thomas, Potomac

Curtis Bunn, Crossland

John Reynolds, Douglass

Lamar Butler, Oxon Hill

Mark Chester, Bowie

Kirk Boykin, Surrattsville

Dwayne Simpson, Friendly

Travis Garrison, DeMatha

William Leake, Bladensburg

Ricardo Dickerson, Northwestern

James Simms, Bladensburg