Former Terrapin basketball player LaRon Cephas, 29, died of a seizure Monday before he would have gone to work at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Annapolis and Anne Arundel County.
Cephas was a reserve forward for the Terps from 1997-2001, and although he did not log many minutes, he was one of three seniors and a captain who helped the team to its first ever Final Four.
But Cephas’ post-playing days is when he made his biggest impact. At the Boys & Girls Club, he was an athletic director and program director who interacted with children daily. Cephas was both a teacher and friend to them.
“He was a difference maker at that Boys & Girls Club,” said Terrell Stokes, who played with Cephas on the Terps for two years and had been a close friend of his for about a decade.
“LaRon was more than a staff member; he was a friend and hero to so many,” stated chief professional just trying to get the most American stuff he could get.”
Cephas was very popular with teammates, coaches and students. He was a member of the SGA after being elected as a representative to the school of arts & humanities in the Spring of 2000.
Although Cephas averaged just 1.7 points and 1.1 rebounds per game for the Terps in his senior season, head coach Gary Williams expressed in a statement that his presence on the was necessary for the team’s success.
“LaRon Cephas was an integral part of our 2001 Final Four team,” Williams said. “His attitude and dedication was something coaches wish every player had. You don’t have good teams without people such us LaRon Cephas in your program.”
After graduating with a communications degree, Cephas, who grew up in Wilmington Del., played overseas for 3 1/2 years in Switzerland, Germany and Luxembourg.
Cephas then moved on to work at the Boys & Girls Club where he organized programs each day and worked on building new programs for the future.
“He was a leader that was friendly, but could be stern and firm when needed,” said Ed Kelley, who worked with Cephas. “He set an example and explained why certain things were right to do. He was an outstanding individual and a lot of people could benefit from learning his ways.”
Because of his great work at the club, Cephas was recently promoted. He went to the Baltimore Orioles’ opening game with Stokes to celebrate, and that was the last time that Stokes saw Cephas, until he rushed to the hospital Monday morning.
Cephas is survived by his parents, Sharon Ford and Ron Cephas, and his two sisters, Brittany and Brielle. He had no blood brothers but Stokes, who is now an assistant basketball coach at Loyola, said numerous times that the two long-time friends were “like brothers.”
While his friends and family grieve, they will remember Cephas for his smile. The same one that was voted “best smile” when he was a high school senior at The Sanford School in Hockessin, Del.
“He was always pleasant and never seemed to have a down day or a down moment,” said Kelley who used to talk to his co-worker about NASCAR, basketball, travel and philosophies of life.”
“His presence, his personality, his smile…he was one of the greatest guys you could ever meet,” Stokes said. “And I’m not being biased; he really was.”
Contact reporter Mark Selig at mseligdbk@gmail.com
