Gist

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.

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 - Maryland freshman forward James Gist is likely out and junior point guard John Gilchrist is questionable for the National Invitation Tournament opener tonight against Oral Roberts at Comcast Center, Terrapins coach Gary Williams said yesterday. Gist bruised his left knee while diving for a loose ball in practice March 7 and did not play in the Terps' Atlantic Coast Conference tournament game against Clemson on Thursday. Gilchrist sprained his left ankle late in the first half against Clemson and played less than three minutes in the second half.

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.

COLLEGE PARK -- Every day in practice since his freshman year, Maryland senior forward James Gist has looked with envy at the banners of honored jerseys hanging from the rafters at Comcast Center. "I want to have my name up there," he said. It's a lofty goal for someone who never thought he would go to college, let alone play Division I basketball. The game was once something that kept Gist out of trouble. Now, he said, Maryland basketball is his life. "It means everything," Gist said.

COLLEGE PARK - One by one, reporters filed in and found their way to the far corner of the Maryland men's basketball team's locker room, where the object of their attention was a wide-eyed, 6-foot-8 freshman with an innocent smile. About an hour earlier, James Gist, whose play behind closed practice doors was already the talk of preseason, staged a coming-out party of sorts. His 13-point effort (on 6-for-7 shooting) Saturday was highlighted by a thunderous two-handed dunk over a 6-6 Carleton University defender, a play that teammate Chris McCray called "one of the craziest dunks" he's ever seen.

COLLEGE PARK -- After just two exhibition games, we still don't know all that much about the Maryland basketball team, but it's probably safe to say at least three things. The Terps can shoot three-pointers. They still don't know who their point guard is going to be. Sophomore James Gist is growing up awfully fast. Maryland didn't exactly dominate in an 89-59 victory last night over Virginia Union at Comcast Center, despite what the final score would indicate, but the game did contain just enough moments of athletic brilliance to make you forget most of the bad. Gist, the 6-foot-8 forward from Good Counsel, finished with 17 points, and he also grabbed 10 rebounds, but two of his dunks were the plays that lingered long after the final horn.

The Maryland Terrapins will begin defense of their Atlantic Coast Conference tournament championship tomorrow against Clemson at MCI Center possibly without one of their top frontcourt players. Freshman forward James Gist, who had a career-high 18 points in the Terps' 86-76 loss at Virginia Tech on Saturday, bruised his left knee while diving for a loose ball in practice on Monday and his status is day-to-day. "The team doctor characterized the injury as a bone bruise and indicated that there was no ligament damage," said Terps coach Gary Williams.

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.

College Park -- Maryland senior forward James Gist, the team's leading returning scorer and rebounder, and sophomore forward Landon Milbourne will be suspended for the Terps' regular-season opener at 8 p.m. Sunday against North Florida, coach Gary Williams said yesterday. Gist and Milbourne, both projected starters for tonight's 8 p.m. exhibition game against Concordia, participated in one day of the Maryland State 5-on-5 Tournament in Ocean City in April. By playing, they violated NCAA bylaw 14.7.

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)

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)

COLLEGE PARK - James Gist has been turning heads since joining the University of Maryland basketball team, and after his formal introduction to the Atlantic Coast Conference last night, the 6-foot-8 freshman reserve forward from Silver Spring has passed another test. Gist did not expect to play a career-high 31 minutes, nor did he figure to play long enough to get roughed up twice and still finish the game on the floor. But as the Terrapins' entire front line was collapsing in the face of foul trouble, Gist's role kept growing.

College Park -- In the aftermath of Maryland's embarrassing home losses to Ohio University and American last month, forward James Gist seemed to be taking much of the criticism for his lack of production, effort and leadership. Gist fouled out of both games, playing a total of 47 minutes, contributing 11 points and 10 rebounds. The only fourth-year senior on the team, Gist was seeing his final season as a Terrapin quickly slipping away. Duke@Maryland Tonight, 6:30, Comcast SportsNet, 1300 AM, 105.7 FM Records: No. 4 Duke (16-1, 4-0 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.