Gist

COLLEGE PARK -- After startling home losses to Ohio and American, Maryland got the feel-good rout it had been coveting last night. The 76-46 smackdown of Delaware set things right in Terrapin Nation, if only for a night. This was the sort of game the Terps had expected against nonconference foes this season, a dominating performance keyed by offensive rebounding and pressure defense. The Terps (7-6) out-rebounded the Blue Hens 57-25. Twenty-two of Maryland's rebounds were on the offensive end, and the Terps scored 42 points in the paint compared with 14 for Delaware (4-7)

A 31-year-old man who was beaten with a tree branch Tuesday morning in Northwest Baltimore has died of his injuries, and police added his name yesterday to the list of this year's homicides, bringing the total to 268. The victim was identified as Quentin Reddicks-Flowers of the 2400 block of Francis St. in West Baltimore. Police said two witnesses saw him get tackled, punched and beaten about 11:45 a.m. in the 4000 block of W. Rogers Ave. Officers found a bloody tree branch nearby. Police said Reddicks-Flowers died at Sinai Hospital at 11:15 p.m. Wednesday That same day, police detectives arrested Jermaine Cornish, 17, of the 5500 block of Gist Ave., and charged him with first-degree murder.

COLLEGE PARK -- With 2:38 left to play, Maryland junior forward James Gist showed off his school-record 36-inch vertical leap and slammed in an uncontested dunk with both hands and an equally monstrous roar. It was the finale to his career-high 25-point performance on 10-for-11 shooting from the field, leading Maryland to an 80-65 win over Georgia Tech last night at Comcast Center. Gist, who was averaging 11.5 points, was his own inside-out combination last night, soaring over the Yellow Jackets for dunks and blocks, and even adding a three-pointer.

THROUGHOUT THIS year, I have watched the Dutterer Family Park blossom with grandeur like the flowers that once filled the field owned by the Dutterer family.First came the ball fields and then a walking path that weaves around the 6 1/2 acres. Then came the play equipment, the new trees and the park benches.In April, brick columns and a wrought-iron arch heralding "Dutterer Family Park" appeared, followed by wooden signs that document a little of Westminster's past as well as a tribute to the park's future.

FiresNew Windsor: Firefighters responded at 9: 16 p.m. Thursday to a fire alarm in the 1800 block of Old New Windsor Pike. Units were out 41 minutes.New Windsor: Firefighters from New Windsor, Reese, Westminster, Union Bridge and Gamber responded at 3: 46 p.m. Thursday to a school fire in the 1100 block of Gist Road. Units were out one hour.

To ease traffic after Carroll County Farm Museum's July Fourth celebration and fireworks Sunday night, the following traffic patterns and parking restrictions will be in effect:Center Street and Kate Wagner Road will close at 8: 45 p.m. to incoming traffic.No parking along Center Street, Gist Road or Kate Wagner Road will be permitted.All traffic leaving the museum lot will use two lanes and be directed out Center Street toward Route 140. Vehicles will be allowed to turn left onto Green Street and Main Street or proceed to Route 140.East Main Street and Green Street will be closed to through traffic between South Center Street and Washington Road.

To help traffic move smoothly after the Carroll County Farm Museum's July 4th celebration and fireworks Saturday night, the following traffic patterns and parking restrictions will be in effect:Center Street and Kate Wagner Road will close at 8: 45 p.m. to incoming traffic.No parking along Center Street, Stoner Avenue, Gist Road or Kate Wagner Road.All traffic leaving the Farm Museum lot will use two lanes and be directed out Center Street toward Route 140. Vehicles will be allowed to turn left onto Green Street and Main Street or proceed out to Route 140.East Main Street and Green Street will be closed to through traffic between South Center Street and Washington Road.

Eileen Dutterer Gist, a Westminster florist and community volunteer, has been named Westminster Rotary Club's Outstanding Citizen for 1997.During an awards dinner, Gist was lauded as an ethical businesswoman and significant volunteer. In the florist industry, she is active in the regional and national levels of the Florist's Transworld Delivery Association.Dutterer's Flower Shop has decorated the Maryland governor's mansion and presidential inaugural activities.Gist is active in Westminster Soroptimist Club, Carroll Lutheran Village, Westminster city and merchants organizations, Carroll County Chamber of Commerce and the Maryland State Board of Education.

FireWestminster: Firefighters from Reese assisted Westminster at 03 a.m. Thursday, responding to a chimney fire on Pennsylvania Avenue. Units were out 10 minutes.Westminster: Firefighters responded at 2: 30 p.m. Thursday to a carbon monoxide alarm on West Main Street. Units were out 28 minutes.Westminster: Firefighters from Reese, Gamber and Reisterstown in Baltimore County assisted Westminster at 12: 32 a.m. Thursday, responding to smoke in a building in the 200 block of Memorial Ave. Units were out 36 minutes.

By day, Norm Brubeck is a quiet family man who runs a consulting business from his Baltimore home. By night, he becomes a heartless torturer and a cynical archbishop -- roles that suit his towering physique and which he plays with relish onstage in the Baltimore Opera Company's production of Puccini's "Tosca.""Usually, I'm the executioner or the cop or the guy who stands in for Mr. Big," says Mr. Brubeck, 66, who reckons he has appeared in more than two dozen operas since about 1980. "There's TC certain stereotyping going on, which is quite proper because that's the way they cast these roles.

When a retired Dennis Gist got tired of "walking from room to room" in his Upper Marlboro home, he took a state social services job working with troubled youth. He didn't want to put on a suit and tie every day again; he just wanted to do some good in the world. Now his wife, also retired from another job, works across the hall, making financial arrangements for long-term care of poor elderly residents. The Gists are at the forefront of a recession - the ranks of the needy have swelled at social services departments as more residents seek food stamps, cash assistance or other help - and now the economic downturn has come to their household.

COLLEGE PARK - Dave Neal and his fellow Terrapins know what fans and the media were saying about them before the basketball season began. They know Maryland, which has missed the NCAA tournament three of the past four seasons, was selected by pundits to finish at or near the bottom of the Atlantic Coast Conference after losing shot blockers and double-digit scorers James Gist and Bambale Osby to graduation. At least so far, the Terrapins have managed to use all those gloomy predictions as incentive.

Greivis Vasquez walked through the runway to the Maryland locker room and left others to observe the madness unfolding behind him. James Gist squatted under the basket near the Terps bench, hands clasped over his head, also unable to look. But they both had to hear all the whooping and hollering and slapping of sneakers at the opposite bench, where the Clemson players had swarmed to celebrate. There was no other noise to drown them out. Comcast Center was as silent and shocked and hurting as the players were.

COLLEGE PARK-- --Not too long after he arrived on campus, in the final exhibition game before his freshman season officially began, James Gist took a bounce pass from teammate Chris McCray. Without breaking stride, Gist bowled over a defenseless 6-foot-6 forward and threw down a nasty two-handed dunk. The crowd exploded, and McCray would later call it "one of the craziest dunks I've ever seen." It was Gist's much-anticipated introduction, and Maryland basketball fans who were already expecting the second coming of Chris Wilcox went home drooling over what Gist might someday blossom into.

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- Maryland coach Gary Williams came into Lawrence Joel Coliseum last night with a fading basketball team and a voice that matched. In the course of a 74-70 win over Wake Forest, both were revived. Senior forward James Gist emerged from his late-season slump, scoring a career-high 31 points and pulling down 11 rebounds to help the Terps break a two-game losing streak. Clemson@Maryland Sunday, 7:30 p.m., Comcast SportsNet, 1300 AM, 105.7 FM Records: Clemson (20-7, 8-5 ACC)

COLLEGE PARK -- If a sequence could summarize Braxton Dupree's freshman season at Maryland, it happened in the second half of Wednesday night's home loss to Virginia Tech. Dupree appeared to run out of steam, and Terps coach Gary Williams ran out of patience. Given a chance to play in the first half because of foul trouble to seniors James Gist and Bambale Osby, Dupree responded. On one play, he ripped down a rebound and fired an outlet pass to Greivis Vasquez, who hit a three-pointer.

GOLDEN OLDIES The 1958 Maryland team, the first Atlantic Coast Conference team outside the state of North Carolina to win the league's postseason tournament, was honored at halftime of yesterday's game. Twelve of the team's surviving members, as well as coach Bud Millikan, took part in the ceremony. FLU BUG CATCHES UP Freshman swingman Cliff Tucker missed the game with the flu. Tucker was the first player sidelined by the worst flu outbreak to hit the College Park campus in more than 10 years.

COLLEGE PARK -- When Gary Williams celebrated his 600th career victory Wednesday night at Boston College, it was senior forward James Gist who gave the Maryland coach the game ball in the dressing room afterward. Gist gave his coach, and his team, another gift last night: Maryland@Duke Wednesday, 7 p.m., ESPN, 1300 AM, 105.7 FM Records: Maryland (16-8, 6-3 ACC); No. 2 Duke (21-1, 9-0 ACC)

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- The Maryland Terrapins beat North Carolina on ESPN Classic on Friday night, the memorable Len Bias-led overtime victory from 22 years ago in a then-brand-new Dean Smith Center. It was the last time Maryland had upset a No. 1-ranked North Carolina team on its home court and, realistically, most figured that it would be the only win for the Terrapins this weekend. This season's Terps now have their own contribution to ESPN Classic, an 82-80 shocker yesterday over the top-ranked and previously unbeaten Tar Heels that silenced an announced 21,033 and immediately turned around what had been a shaky season in College Park.

Blacksburg, Va. -- Maryland men's basketball coach Gary Williams has pleaded all season for patience - from the fans, from the media, even from himself. It has to do with the fact that he is working with the youngest team he has had during his 19 years in College Park and three decades as a Division I head coach. One thing is clear as the Terps return to Atlantic Coast Conference play this afternoon here against Virginia Tech: Williams has plenty of company in coaching such neophytes. In fact, the Terps (10-6, 0-1 ACC)