Most Valuable Players

	Democrat Photo by Rob Potter MVPS IN ACTION: Dorthel Seibles of Livingston Manor, left, puts up a shot against Becky Evans of Roscoe during the Section IX — Class D championship game at West Point’s Christl Arena earlier this month. Roscoe’s Alexis Eggleton is between the two players while Mary Kate Johnston looks on at right.

Evans, Seibles Share MVP Title

By Rob Potter
SULLIVAN COUNTY — March 31, 2000 -- One player was her team’s leading scorer and helped that squad capture the Western Sullivan League and Section IX — Class D titles.
The other player reached the 1,000-point plateau and contributed greatly to her team, which finished the season as the Section IX — Class D runner-up.
No question about it, Becky Evans of Roscoe and Dorthel Seibles of Livingston Manor were extremely valuable to the Lady Blue Devils and Lady Wildcats, respectively, over the course of the 1999-2000 basketball season.
For that reason, the two outstanding senior centers were chosen as co-Most Valuable Players of the Western Sullivan League during a meeting of league coaches last week.
“I was pleased that both were selected,” said Roscoe coach Becky Ahart. “It’s very fitting that the two of them were honored by being chosen most valuable player.”
Evans, who finished her varsity career with 884 points, averaged 18.4 points, 13.4 rebounds, 3.8 steals and 2.4 assists per game in the 1999-2000 campaign.
“Becky was a total team player,” Ahart explained. “She scored her points and grabbed a lot of rebounds, but she was always concerned about her teammates and how the team did. She and her teammates set goals at the beginning of the season and they went out and accomplished them.”
Those goals of course were capturing the last-ever WSL crown and claiming the Class D title as well.
While Evans said she was “very happy” to learn of her MVP status, it was not a specific goal she had set for herself.
“It feels good to be co-MVP, but I never went out for a game thinking that I had to score this many points or grab this many rebounds,” she said. “I was thinking about what I could do to help our team win.”
Evans, who was a WSL first-team selection a year ago, gave a lot of credit for her co-MVP accolade to her coaches and fellow Lady Blue Devils.
“Ms. Ahart was there to help whenever I needed it,” Evans commented. “And Mr. [assistant varsity coach Christopher] Russo gave me some pointers. It was nice having a woman coach and a man coach; the two points of view helped a lot.”
Like Evans, Seibles was a first-team all star last season. The 1999-2000 season, however, was the first one where Seibles was a full-time starter for the Lady Wildcats. As a sophomore, she came off the bench and last year she shared starting assignments with Leyna Madison.
Seibles made the most of her increased playing time as she averaged 21.1 points and 13.9 rebounds a contest, leading the team in both categories. And she finished her stellar career with 1,001 points.
Manor coach Gail Whaley was not too surprised that Seibles was recognized by the league coaches.
“When you think about MVP, you think about who helped their team the most and that criteria certainly applies to Dorthel,” said Whaley. “She was a team leader and a very hard worker.”
Seibles said she thought there was a chance she would win the award, but wasn’t totally sure.
“I was excited when I found out about it,” she said. “I thought Becky (Evans) was going to get the award. We are both deserving of the award and I’m glad the (league) coaches didn’t have to choose between us.”
Like Evans, Seibles was quick to point out that her teammates and coaches “helped me out quite a lot.”
The co-MVPs faced each other in three games this season. And they spent a great deal of time in those contests trying to stop each other from scoring an easy bucket or snaring a key rebound.
So they each appreciate how the other plays the game.
“She’s a really confident player,” Seibles said of Evans. “She’s a solid player under the basket and is a good outside shooter.”
“She’s a very aggressive player,” Evans said of Seibles. “It’s very hard to stop her inside.”