By ROBIN FAMBROUGH

Written for the LSWA

Few players start for four years on a high school basketball team in one of Louisiana's top two classifications. No one had ever done that and helped their team to state titles in each class. That all changed this year when Lester Earl helped lead Glen Oaks to a Class 5A title that followed two Class 4A titles.

A string of other honors have followed for the 6-foot-9 senior post player who led his Baton Rouge team to an astounding four-year record of 104-29. Included in those totals were marks of 16-1 in the playoffs and 32-2 in district play.

Earl is a Parade All-American, Louisiana's Gatorade Circle of Champions Player of the Year and a finalist for the James A. Naismith Award given to the nation's top high school basketball player. His school even retired his number 50.

There is one more honor to add. Earl has been named Louisiana's Mr. Basketball for all seven classifications by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association.

"Being called the best player in your own state is special," Earl said. "When I was freshman I just wanted to come in and win and help make Glen Oaks a better team. I never dreamed of anything like all this."

Glen Oaks coach Harvey Adger says Earl has done both. Earl averaged 24 points and 15 rebounds as a senior season despite missing a series of early season games with a knee injury. Earl capped his career by scoring 29 points and pulling down 24 rebounds in an 82-58 victory over Rummel in the 5A title game.

"Lester Earl is an outstanding basketball player, but the thing I like to point out is that he's an even better person," Adger said."Since he came here Lester has worked very hard to improve as a player and a person. He's set a good example for the other players and he's a team player. He understands that it takes five and sometimes 10 or 12 guys to make up a real team."

Earl likes to smile and has an outgoing personality that complements his aggressive on-court persona. However, Earl is modest when asked about his impressive career totals. He finished with 2,763 career points, 1,915 career rebounds and 625 blocked shots.

"I got to score a lot of points and get a lot of attention," Earl explained. "But I really couldn't have done it without my teammates. They (teammates) are the reason I did so well. They gave me so many opportunities. People talk about Lester and Glen Oaks winning. It was really the other way around."

Adger likes to point out the ways Earl has improved his game from the time he entered Glen Oaks as a willowy freshman. The GOHS coach says Earl's drive to improve may be perhaps even more important than any single component of his game.

"We always say that you play like you practice," Adger said. "With Lester, you get a true picture of that.

"When the guy other people say is your best player goes out there diving on the floor for every loose ball and hustles down the court every time puts it pressure on those other players. They know they need to work hard, too."

There were two things Earl knew he needed to improve on prior to his senior season. One was physical strength and the other was post play in halfcourt situations. So he added a few pounds of muscle, a short-range jumper and a baby hook shot.

Those minor adjustments helped make Earl one of the nation's top seniors, according to a number of recruiting services.

Don't expect Earl to get complacent and spend too much time basking in the limelight.