Yorktown's Jordan Moody: A Buckets-Bagger With Swagger (2024)

Sports

A two-sport standout at Yorktown High School readies for senior season.

Posted Tue, Aug 17, 2010 at 11:58 pm ET|Updated Sun, Aug 29, 2010 at 4:52 pm ET

Moody, a 6-foot-4 off guard, who averaged 16.2 points his junior season, has been actively pursued by Division-I hardwood homes such as Central Florida, University of Alabama-Birmingham, and Elon University in North Carolina.

But Moody is also a track standout at Yorktown, garnering him interest from D-I programs such as Albany, Lafayette, and the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Which direction will he go? Moody is hellbent on pursuing basketball at the next level, yet he hasn't written off any of the schools recruiting him for track.

Moody is the Huskers' featured athlete in the 100-meter sprint and one of the top long jumpers in the section. Helong jumped 21 feet last springand is looking to add on to his personal best.

"I originally did track just to stay in shape for basketball, but I was surprised to see the level of interest I received," said Moody, who erupted for 24 points or more on five occasions and dropped a season-high 30 points in a 55-42 trouncing of Mahopac last season.

Hoops season culminated with Yorktown's frustrating early playoff exit to Horace Greeley High School.

The Huskers had no answer for Greeley's inside-outside tandem of three-point marksmanAdam Honig and high-volume scoring forward Matt Townsend, who has committed to play basketball at Yale.The Huskers were walloped to the tune of a 69-46 washout.

Moody, who submitted 19 points in the loss, thought the blowout was indicative of the the Huskers' inconsistency.

Moody said he believed the core Yorktown coach Steve Veterimolded last season has improved significantly after a summer of playing together at the Brewster Sports Arena.

"No question, they have much more experience under their belt now," Moody said, adding:

"I didn't get to go to a few of the games because I was in Oklahoma, visiting my Dad. I know some of the kids Coach Veteri brought up from the JV came up pretty strong in some games. I feel like we're going to play with more confidence next season. We had (point guard) Alex Poritzky running the show this season, and he helped get the team to play together."

Moody, a combination guard who switches off with Poritzky on ball handling duties, envisions a solid year from 6-foot-5 Chris Schmidt, who started as a freshman last season. Schmidt showed someflashes of dominance and heavy potential in games against Kennedy Catholic and Somers.He possesses the tools and skill set to evolve into a key cog down low next season.

"I think, because(Schmidt) was a freshman, and becauseit was a new experience for him, he was a little hesitant," said Moody of the Huskers' low post presence.

"Then again, I was a little hesitant as a freshman, most players are on that stage as freshmen," Moody said. "This off-season, especially during the summer league, he's been playing well and stepping it up. He's been working on his game, especially his mid-range jump shot, and finishing around the basket better. I don't have any doubt that he'll step up when we need him."

The Huskers will need him the most come Section I tournament time.

Moody saidhe does not feel burdened by the task of spearheading Yorktown back into Section I's upper crust —he accepts the challenge. Hehas his sights seton returning to the White Plains County Center after a one-year hiatus from the perennialSection Iproving ground.

The Huskers earned a berth in the Section I semi-finals at the County Center in 2009, when Moody shared the spotlight with 6-foot-8 forward Keith Thomas. The Huskers lost to eventual Section I champions Mount Vernon,then led by scoring cyborg Sherrod Wright (who now plays for George Mason University)and blue-chip recruitJabarie Hinds, now one of the best guards in the nation.

"We really want to get back to the County Center, again. This year, we're going to go for it. The bar is set high. We want to exit on a positive note, especially since it's the last year of high school basketball for most of us."

While Moody admitted he's had a relaxing summer vacation away from school, he hasn't rested on his laurels.

Moody has hit the courts early and often, shooting a surplus of stepback jumpers, three-pointers, and attacking the rim. Moody demonstrated some serious hops during his junior campaign, going to his right and crushing home dunks against Peekskill (when he scored 24 points on All-State guard Daequan Brickhouse) and cross-town rival Lakeland.

He's been running the floor in pickup games throughout the area and playing against some top-tier competition.

Moodyknowsbasketball is his life, his passion, his true labor of love. The teenager admits, however, he'snot so consumed by hoops that he wouldn'tpursue track and field at the next level.

The senior season he puts together on the hardwood and in the races will dictate what's to come thereafter.