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DEL.ICIO.USCollins Hill star dazzles at UConn
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
When last we saw Maya Moore, she was basking in the aftermath of another state championship at Gwinnett Arena — an appropriate conclusion to a luminous high school career.
Last week, she was helping dig out teammates’ cars from a Connecticut blizzard.
Dealing with the vast snowfall seems about all that has changed with the delightful Moore. Already as a collegian with perennial powerhouse UConn, the magnitude of her brilliance has blown in like a nor’easter.
The former Collins Hill star makes her first start tonight on the road at San Diego State, but only because junior Kalana Greene tore her ACL. And yet, Moore still leads the No. 2 team in the nation in scoring at 16.5 points a game (in 21.5 minutes). She had 21 points, 10 rebounds in her Huskies debut. She followed that with 31 points in the next game and then 19 and 12 rebounds against Stanford.
She is the first freshman in Huskies history to start her career with double-figure scoring in each of her first eight games. And there’s Moore: She leads the team in blocked shots, steals, offensive rebounds and field-goal attempts. Moore, as we saw in high school, is no ordinary talent.
“We have as many, if not more, impressive individuals come through this program as any place in America,” Connecticut coach Geno Auriemma said before the season, “and I don’t think … any of them came in here with more going for them than Maya does.”
Since then, Auriemma has been even more impressed, as Moore has negotiated the transition from preps to college as she does double teams: seamlessly.
“The game’s a lot faster in college,” she said the other day from a Chicago airport, where she was awaiting a connecting flight to California.
“Every player is gifted and talented, so it takes more on the mental side of the game than in high school. In high school, your talent can get you by. In college, you need more, especially mentally being able to push through fatigue and battling talented players.”
Always a quick study, she said it took her just into her second week to reach a level of belonging.
“It’s different, new, being in college,” Moore said. “There’s so much more individual freedom being away from home. I’m growing into another level as a person.”
That growth extends to the basketball court as well. She has not come off the bench since ninth grade in AAU, she said, but her performance so far indicates there was not much of a transition.
“I’m still getting a lot of playing time,” she said. “I’m not surprised [about my play] because I always have goals and I’m very competitive about reaching them. But it helped that I had a couple [of] good games early to build my confidence on this level. Now I just have to continue to do what the coaches teach to get better.”
She can hardly get better as a student, which also is a reflection on that competitive nature she mentioned. Grades have not yet come back, but she expects all A’s and B’s, just like in high school.
“I was prepared academically at Collins Hill,” she said. “I’m getting used to the demands of being an athlete and a student. And the snow.
“It’s not hard; it’s just different.”
So time-consuming are her schoolwork and basketball loads that she hardly has much time to reflect on her sparkling years at Collins Hill. Shoot, she only sees her mother about once a week, and she moved to Storrs to be near her daughter.
“When I do think about high school, it’s all good memories,” said last year’s consensus national high school player of the year. “I miss being around my friends and teammates all the time. But I try to call every so often.”
For sure, her former classmates recall often the championship teams Moore led at Collins Hill. And it should come as a surprise to no one if she is celebrating at the end of her first college season as she did her final year of high school.
Permalink | Comments (5) | Categories: Curtis Bunn
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By Hoops Junkie
December 22, 2007 1:17 PM | Link to this
Amazing player. One of the best…male or female…hoops players I have ever seen. Glad I was I was able to watch her in person.
By ladyhoopfan
December 23, 2007 1:25 AM | Link to this
Maya is a great athlete. I’m soooo glad she’s excelling at the next level. I knew when I saw her play as a freshman in high school that she was SPECIAL… one of the best female basketball player by far in Ga. high school ever (w/ T. Humphrey a close 2nd). It doesn’t hurt that she’s a great PERSON too!
By kennyg
December 25, 2007 10:11 AM | Link to this
Hand’s down (when she’s finished college BB) the VERY BEST Female Basketball Player (to date) in the country. We all here (in Georgia) had the privilege to watch her for many years. As much says of her character off the court also.
By A beleiv-her
December 25, 2007 8:35 PM | Link to this
I follow highschool sports (mostly football)locally as best I can. After reading about Moore ,,,,,I’d often just chalk up her success as,”she’s just taller and therefore dominates the boards and gets easy baskets.” When I finally took the time to watch with my own eyes to see what all the hype was about,,, WHOA,,WOW !!! I grew up on point and understand the game very well,,, and Ms.Moore is WAAYYYYYYYY beyond my expectations. She reads the floor, she handles the ball, hustles on D, and passes w/ precision. Oh yeah,, and she can score. FUNDEMENTALLY SOUND and then some. Personally I think she may be the female JORDAN of our time. I hope and pray that she remains healthy and humble. HOWEVER,, why not UGA !!! ?? With T.Humphries,and Houts———-what team we’d have. Hats off to you Ms.Moore.
By luvmehateme
December 27, 2007 1:40 AM | Link to this
I always thought that she was a good basketball player, but why not UGA????????