Terps' Vasquez all grown up

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By Patrick Stevens

Greivis Vasquez made arguably the biggest decision of his life in mid-June, opting to remain at Maryland for a final season after a month jetting from one NBA city to another.

The consequences of his choice soon became apparent, a byproduct of both an increasingly seasoned outlook and the desperation of fans to see the Terrapins climb back into college basketball's elite.

Vasquez, the polarizing and unpredictable dynamo who left patrons dazzled one minute and distraught the next, disappeared virtually overnight. In his place was a man representing what might be Maryland's most promising season in at least five years, which begins when it hosts Charleston Southern on Friday.

And Vasquez, never shy earlier in his career to talk of his professional aspirations, feels more at home than ever.

"Seeing how the fans and people just want to interact with me and talk to me, that means more than anything else," Vasquez said this week. "I don't think going to the NBA would get me that. It probably would get me some good money, but the love and how people are treating me right now, it's really unique."

So, too, is this place in Vasquez's career. No longer is he the freshman point guard only a few years removed from living in his native Venezuela. The occasional anger - at one point last season directed at Maryland's students - dissipated.

It's a calmer Vasquez - a truly relaxed Vasquez, free of his usual frenetic pace, probably doesn't exist - who returned to school. Mostly, there are plenty of stated high aims but no bold predictions as Maryland returns all but two players from a 21-14 team.

"I think the maturity, the way I view things now, is just different," he said.

Greivis grows up

Countless thoughts crossed Vasquez's mind as he walked out of the Georgia Dome locker room for the final time in March. He believed he was part of a special team, one just eliminated from the ACC tournament but not quite done extracting the most from the season. Or so he hoped.