Playing Simply Gets Her Out of the House : College basketball: Inga Marciulionis was tired of staying home while her husband, Sarunas, was away with the Warriors.

Inga Marciulionis’ Merritt Junior College basketball team was about to play Utah Valley in the annual Desert Holiday Tournament, but first she had to assure her restless 3-year-old daughter, Krista, that she would be back to her. Marciulionis warmed up for about 20 minutes, then waved into the stands as she left the court at College of the Desert’s Wright Gymnasium for a pregame meeting.

Krista, clad in a purple dress, sat in the stands with her aunt, Zita, who was visiting from Lithuania for the holidays.

Basketball is a family game for the Marciulionises. When Krista isn’t watching her mother score for the Oakland college, she is at the Oakland Coliseum Arena watching her dad, Sarunas, play for the Golden State Warriors.

Sarunas became the first player from the Soviet Union to compete in the NBA when he signed a three-year contract with the Warriors in 1989 for a reported $1.3 million a year.

While Sarunas’ story is a long one of great athletic achievement, his wife’s is somewhat different. After playing in a highly regarded Lithuanian women’s league, the 5-foot-11 guard joined a local junior college team because she was weary of sitting around the house while Sarunas toured the country with the Warriors.

“He wanted for me to be busy because he saw that I was getting crazy sitting around,” Inga said.

Inga started playing basketball in Lithuania when she was 8. As a teen-ager she was on the Soviet Junior National team that won a World Championship and three European titles. After that, she says, she earned more money than her parents playing for a team called Banga.

She is arguably the best junior college player in the country and undoubtedly Merritt’s top gun.

“She’s the best athlete we’ve seen so far,” Utah Valley Coach Tom Perkins said. “We put our best defensive player against her. She’s great.”

At 25, Inga has developed a lethal outside shot through years of international experience. She leads Merritt (11-6) with a 24.8-point average.

“She’s the best pure shooter I’ve ever coached, male or female,” said Merritt Coach Fred Brown, who says it took him five months to talk Inga into playing for him.

“She also handles the ball real well, and she understands the game completely. My sophomores have learned to play at a better level because she has so many skills.”

Brown, who has led the Merritt women to seven conference titles and two state semifinals, says suddenly everyone is interested in his program.

Most Bay Area newspapers and television stations have done stories on Inga, who can play in California’s community college system even though she played professionally abroad, but who cannot play at a four-year school for that reason. Recently interest in her grew nationally. ESPN and CNN went to Oakland to do a piece on the Thunderbirds’ European star.

“There’s been so much publicity,” Brown said. “More four-year coaches come to see our games. Now they know we have a good program because of Inga.”

And what does Inga think of all this?

“At first it was very strange,” she said laughing. “Sarunas (is) so famous in Lithuania, but not me. I never have so much attention. I was embarrassed at first. I really didn’t like it. I still laugh when I see myself on TV. The only way I can look at it is to act like it’s not me. I act like I’m watching someone else.”

She says Sarunas has helped her understand all the hype. He holds a journalism degree from Vilnius State University and relates well to the media.

“He says the reporters, they’re just doing their job,” said Inga, who is taking physical education and recreation courses with no degree intent.

They also helped Brown do his. He heard of Inga’s successful basketball career through newspaper reports. He got more details from his daughter, Nicole, who was an intern with Golden State. He says convincing Inga to compete again was not easy.

“When Fred first asked me to play, I said ‘No way!’ ” Inga said laughing. “When I left basketball I said to myself, ‘If I’m leaving now, I never go back on the court. If I finish, it’s finish. I can’t be same as I was.’ ”

There were other reasons why Inga resisted Brown’s offer. Before playing at Merritt she had been inactive for a year and a half, and she knew it would be tough to get back in shape. It was difficult enough to return for her final pro season in Lithuania after giving birth to Krista.

In addition, Inga didn’t have a baby-sitter. That problem was solved this summer when she went to Lithuania for a two-month visit. She returned with a live-in baby-sitter who would allow her to attend classes and practices.

“He (Brown) ask so many times, so I finally say ‘OK, I’ll try.’ And I really like it. I have lots of fun. I can run and play now, but in Lithuania I don’t know how I would look. This . . . is not . . . ah . . . hard for me. I’ve played all my life.

“They say I will never play at this level, but I’m happy. I don’t want to be in higher level now. I have daughter, husband and other things. I am busy.”

Inga’s teammates say she’s not a know-it-all, despite her experience and natural athletic ability.

“At first it was hard for her to adjust to our style because it was a big step down for her,” said Tavia Dendy, a 5-1 sophomore guard. “But she’s always open for suggestions. She wants to learn about the way we play the game. She doesn’t think she’s the best. She’s just a nice and funny girl with a great sense of humor.”

Opponents and officials will tell you otherwise. On the court Inga is intense and never hesitates to question an official’s call or get in the opponents’ face on defense.

“I am a person that is easy and at home I can laugh, but on the court I am always serious,” Inga said. “ Always .”

She says playing at Merritt has made it easier to adjust to America. Last year she spoke little English and didn’t know anyone except the English tutor assigned to the family by Golden State.

“At first it was so difficult for me to adjust,” Inga said. “I would get lost on the freeway, and I couldn’t find the groceries at the market. I had to look in dictionary and see how it was wrapped. It’s just a different style of life.”

She feels more at home now that the family owns a house in Lafayette, and now that she is competing again. And Krista is one busy little fan.