EUGENE HARRIS

	Eugene Harris leads Allderdice in scoring at 18.0 ppg, good for No. 4 in the City League. (Annie O'Neill, Post-Gazette)

WHO IS HE? A 6-foot-1, 180-pound senior guard who has helped the Allderdice basketball team surge into a first-place tie with Peabody in the City League.

THE PAST WEEK: Harris had seven 3-pointers and 27 points in a 66-45 victory Tuesday against Brashear. He has averaged 20 points in the past three games.

SEASON: Harris is Allderdice's leading scorer with an 18.0 average. He is the No. 4 scorer in the City League and also leads Allderdice in steals with three a game.

ROLLING 'DICE: Allderdice has won 10 games in a row and Coach Buddy Valinsky said Harris is one of the main reasons.

"Since the Christmas break, he has really matured into a good basketball player," Valinsky said. "Maybe a light bulb just went on with him. ... Another big thing has been team chemistry. I think the last eight or nine games, the kids have figured out, 'OK, I have a particular role on this team and I have to stick with that.' There are roles with who is going to rebound, who is going to set screens and who is going to play defense."

FROM PERRY: Harris, a Point Breeze resident, transferred from Perry to Allderdice after his sophomore year. "I just had some personal problems," he said. "Back when I went to Perry, it was just on reputation. Everyone was like, 'Perry is good, Perry is good.' "

A 'MELO TYPE: Harris' teammates call him "Carmelo," after Denver Nuggets player Carmelo Anthony.

"I wear a headband like him and wear my socks like him," Harris said.

TITLE HUNT: Allderdice's last City League championship was 1988, but the Dragons are a serious contender this season.

"I think we're pretty good because we play together," Harris said. "That's what sets a lot of teams apart from being No. 1 or No. 9."

THE FUTURE: Valinsky believes Harris can play small-college basketball, but he is not decided on a college.

-- By Mike White

NIKI WILLIAMS

SCHOOL: Seton-LaSalle.

WHO IS SHE? A 5-foot-5 junior on the girls' basketball team. She alternates at point and shooting guard with freshman Bridget Buskirk.

THE PAST WEEK: Williams scored 24 points Monday in a 63-58 victory at Avonworth and 23 Thursday in a 71-46 rout of Brentwood. A strong outside shooter, she has reached double figures in 22 of 23 games this season and is averaging 19.0 points, 4.9 assists and 5.7 steals. She has led the Rebels (19-4) into the WPIAL Class AA playoffs, where they will face South Allegheny (17-7) in the first round Tuesday.

CAREER: A three-year starter, Williams has scored 1,282 points, second at her school to Suzie McConnell Serio's 1,934.

REBEL WITH A CAUSE: Though she has been a standout individually, Williams is gratified more by the rise of her team, which was 9-14 a year ago. She embraces her role as captain: "I definitely love being a leader, a role model on and off the court." Luke Ruppel, the Rebels' first-year coach, said, "Niki, without a doubt, is our leader, and she does it by example. She's the hardest worker in our program."

WHAT SPORT? Williams also plays soccer and softball and is an honor student at Seton-LaSalle. She scored 40 goals as a striker the past two soccer seasons and has started at shortstop since her freshman year. Her favorite sport? "Without a doubt, basketball," she said. "I do everything else for fun."

HOME FANS: Niki, of Upper St. Clair, is the second oldest of five Williams children. Her family might keep her from finding an empty powder room, but they are quick to shower her with praise. "They're all my No. 1 fans," she said.

FUTURE: Williams isn't focusing on much beyond the upcoming playoffs: "I just want to reach our goal, a WPIAL title." She will have an outside shot at McConnell Serio's scoring record next season, then likely play in college. "I think Niki is a Division I player," Ruppel said. "The level at which she is playing will open some eyes, and the success the team has had will enhance her."

-- By Rick Shrum