Stefan Moody was unstoppable

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Stefan Moody was unstoppable

Sports

Friday, 13 April 2012 12:23

News-Gazette Photo/Andrew Sullivan

Poinciana’s Stefan Moody was a Class 7A all-state first team selection and averaged 28 points per game.

Poinciana guard averaged 28 points
and is a first-team all-state selection

By Rick Pedone
Sports Editor
The Stefan Moody basketball era at Poinciana High was far too brief, and, ultimately, frustrating.
For example, what would have happened had Moody, then a junior, not injured his ankle in the third quarter of the 2011 regional quarterfinal game against Leesburg?
The Eagles led by double-digits and had seized the momentum. Without Moody on the floor until late in the final period, when it was too late, the Yellow Jackets won the game and, eventually, the state championship.

Maybe that’s why Moody, the Osceola News-Gazette Basketball Player of the Year, dumped 54 points on the Yellow Jackets in a Tipoff Classic contest.
“That might have had something to do with it,” Moody said.
Consider again, what might have unfolded had one or two of the four PHS seniors who graduated in 2011 had one more year of eligibility to play with Moody for the 2011-12 campaign? With only Moody returning from among the team’s top five scorers, opponents were able to send two and three defenders against Moody.
Still, the 5-10 guard, who signed with Florida Atlantic University during the early signing period in November, averaged 28 points per game and was almost unstoppable when he wanted to score. His ability to split defenders and hit a 3-point shot, or drive to the basket for an acrobatic layup or dunk, was a joy for basketball fans to watch.
“He’s the best player in the state, hands down,” Eagle Coach Oliver Simmons said. “I get that argument all the time. What I say is that every game he plays, he’s double- and triple-teamed, and he still scores 27, 28 points. If he was one-on-one, like everyone else, he’d score 50. You can’t stop him.”
Moody, a Class 7A first team all-state selection, averaged 34.6 points over three games at the Great Florida Shootout in December, when Oviedo Coach Ed Kershner observed, “The only way to stop him is to keep him from getting into the gym.”
St. Cloud Coach Johnnie Johnson saw NBA star Allen Iverson play in high school at the Virginia state tournament and compared him to Moody.
“They don’t play the same style, but they’re great scorers,” he said.
Moody almost single-handedly took Poinciana deep into the Class 7A regional tournament. The Eagles cut an 18-point deficit against Oak Ridge to two, 51-49, with just over a minute to play in this year’s regional semifinal before the Pioneers hit six free throws down the stretch to take a 57-50 win. Moody scored 30 points.
The Pioneers, like Leesburg, advanced to the state championship game.
Moody said he didn’t concern himself about the enormity of a game, or about carrying the load, during his senior year.
“I just play,” he said. “I don’t worry about the other stuff. I just try to score and help my team win.”
Moody transferred to Poinciana from Liberty and played for Coach Jay Lunce before Simmons took over last summer when Lunce resigned to take a job in Georgia.
Simmons quickly determined that he was coaching one of the best players he had seen at the high school level.
“He has a dynamic first step, probably the best I’ve ever seen, and I’ve coached 10 or 12 kids who’ve gotten scholarships,” Simmons said. “It was frustrating to have a young lineup like we did, where we weren’t able to give him a lot of help. What we did with Stefan is establish a foundation of good young players that we can grow here at Poinciana.”
Moody said he was able to find success this year because of his teammates and Coach Simmons.
“The coaching really made a difference to me this season,” he said. “Coach Simmons knows what he’s doing.”
One person who is not surprised by Moody’s ability is 2003 Poinciana High graduate Terrance Taylor, who now plays for Florida Christian College.
“I’ve lived across from Stefan since he was little, and we’ve played on the courts in Poinciana,” he said. “He’s good. He’s always been a real humble kid, like his family.”
Moody has kept in close contact with the Florida Atlantic coaching staff, led by Mike Jarvis.
“I talk to them a couple of times a week,” he said. “They’ve got a point guard coming back, but they said I have a chance to play.”
Owls assistant coach Tim Kaine said, “We feel like we’re getting a good one.”