Lady Rebels star Holmes tries to make some noise

UNLV women's basketball often has been defined by strong personalities from its best players: Linda Frohlich taking the big shot, Constance Jinks driving through a swarm of defenders, Sherry McCracklin going hard after every rebound.

The Lady Rebels' top player this season is the reluctant star. Sequoia Holmes, a 6-foot-1-inch guard/forward, is more comfortable simply playing basketball than being the vocal leader expected of a player of her stature.

Holmes has recovered from a stress fracture in her right leg that she suffered in December. She missed weeks of practice but played so well that opponents couldn't tell she was hurt.

"It shows, for one, really just how talented she was," UNLV junior point guard Brittany Halberg said. "It just showed her heart and commitment because most players would look at that as a free pass to get out of practice, but she really wanted to be out there. I know it killed her to sit there and watch practice every day."

Holmes was worried she might miss part of the season.

"I just knew that I had to play through it," Holmes said. "I was worried that I might not be able to play, but we worked some things out, and the doctor allowed me to play."

Holmes is wrapping up her senior season and UNLV career. She played her final regular-season home game Tuesday, a 68-65 loss to New Mexico at Cox Pavilion.

Holmes did her part, scoring 27 points with eight rebounds. Teammate Shamela Hampton added 22 points, but the rest of the Lady Rebels combined for 16. UNLV (8-20, 4-11 Mountain West Conference) is in danger of being forced into the playoff game for the league tournament after the loss to the Lobos (16-12, 8-7).

Holmes, a Mojave High School graduate, is first in the conference in scoring (18.9 points a game), third in steals (2.3), third in rebounding (7.3) and 15th in assists (2.6).

And Holmes, the conference career steals leader at 257, is the reigning conference Defensive Player of the Year.

Holmes, who has started a UNLV-record 115 games, failed to score in double figures only twice in January.

When her teammates practiced, she rode a stationary bike and worked on her free- throw shooting. In games, Holmes discovered ways to get to the basket to draw fouls.

But establishing an on-court chemistry with teammates without taking part in practices wasn't easy.

"If she's not in practice, she's not in the flow," Lady Rebels coach Regina Miller said. "We did a lot of standing around, not going to the offensive boards. But as our best player, we needed to continue to try to play her."

Miller said she still wants Holmes to improve her teammates' play by offering encouragement or even by finding the open player instead of shooting over a double team.

Holmes is fighting her reserved personality.

"I think I just have to do it," Holmes said. "Sometimes you just have to do the kind of things that are important for our team."

Contact reporter Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com or (702) 387-2914.