2008-09 Basketball Player of the Year: Mater Dei's David Wear

It was difficult for David Wear to stand out on the Mater Dei basketball team. He was just one of five stars in the starting lineup, just one of five who are headed for top college programs. And there was a guy among the starting five who looked just like him - twin brother Travis.

But David Wear still stood out. He was the most consistent and sometimes the most spectacular player on a team that was consistently spectacular for most of the 2008-09 season.

"The best thing about him," Mater Dei teammate Gary Franklin said, "was that he is such a team player. As talented as he is, he's also very unselfish."

David Wear, a 6-foot-10 senior, was the leading scorer and leading rebounder on a team that was ranked No. 1 in the nation until the last two weeks of the season.

The No. 1 player on the No. 1 team is the No. 1 player - the Register's Orange County boys basketball player of the year.

The biggest goals eluded Wear and the Monarchs this season. They missed winning a CIF-Southern Section championship, having lost to M.L.King of Riverside in the CIF-SS I-AA final. And they did not repeat as a state champion, having been eliminated by Fairfax of Los Angeles in the CIF Southern California Regionals Division I second round.

But Wear can look back on a rewarding senior year.

"Overall," Wear said, "it was a great year and a fun year. We played some of the top teams in the country and we beat them. It's disappointing, the way it ended, but I still enjoyed it."

Most of all, Wear enjoyed his teammates.

"These guys were great teammates all year," he said. "We didn't have one argument or fight or anything like that."

His teammates enjoyed him, too.

"I'll probably miss him more off the court than on," said Franklin, a junior. "Tyler (Lamb, another junior) and I always hang out with the twins. We're at their house a lot of times. We'll miss them both."

Playing with twin brother Travis  in high school was a special time for David, but it continues. Travis, too, is headed to North Carolina.

"We enjoyed these four years at Mater Dei," David said. "It went by so fast."

David Wear led the Monarchs, who finished 31-2, with 16 points and eight rebounds a game. He shot 61 percent from the field, and led the team in minutes played. Only he and Franklin played in all 33 games.

"David was very consistent," Mater Dei coach Gary McKnight said. "Every day at practice, every night of a game. Extremely consistent."

And, McKnight added, extremely versatile.

"Sometimes he takes eight shots, sometimes he takes 15," McKnight said. "Whatever came his way, he took it. And he always brings the defense. He can guard the other team's small forward, their shooting guard or their center."

Now David is looking forward to the challenges of playing at one of the top college programs in the nation, North Carolina. He knows he will have to improve a great deal to contribute to the Tar Heels.

"My quickness needs to improve," David said, "because I'll be guarding small forwards in college next year. I need to improve my outside game, and just basically get more athletic for the next level."

Even with the great players and his twin on the team, David Wear probably will stand out at North Carolina, too.

Contact the writer: sfryer@ocregister.com