By Mark Bennett
This basketball season, David Moss steps out
of a tall shadow at Illinois powerhouse Thornwood High School.
Next season, he'll step up to an even higher
level -- NCAA Division I for the Indiana State Sycamores in the
Missouri Valley Conference. The 6-foot-5, 180-pound Thornwood
senior has decided to spend his college career in ISU Coach Royce
Waltman's program.
Moss and the Thunderbirds finished 32-2 last
season as the Illinois Class AA state runners-up. In the process,
Thornwood's 6-11, 290-pound center Eddy Curry accounted for almost
a third of the Thunderbirds' points and rebounds. Moss was a
sixth man for most of that 2000-01 schedule, but was a starter
in the state championship game when Thornwood lost 66-54 to Schamburg.
Now Curry is in the NBA. So Moss, Purdue recruit
Melvin Buckley and the other returnees must pick up the slack
for the school in South Holland, Ill., on Chicago's south side.
"David will have to score in double figures
for us to be successful," said Thornwood Coach Kevin Hayhurst.
Moss understands that. "This year, I'm
taking on more of a leadership role," he said by telephone
Tuesday. "I'll be looked to, to score, rebound and defend,
as well as get the other people involved in the offense."
Last season, Moss averaged 6.2 points, 3.4
rebounds and 2.1 assists per game. As a 3-guard -- a combination
of a guard and a forward, Moss hit 48 percent of his field goals,
26 percent from 3-point range and 83 percent from the free throw
line.
"[Indiana State] got an outstanding shooting
that's athletic and 6-5," Hayhurst said. "He can be
a real good player for Indiana State down the road. He just kind
of blossomed late, and people really started to take notice over
the summer. Indiana State got in early and stayed right with
him."
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In fact, the Sycamores were the first team
to seriously recruit Moss. "They've been there since day
one," Moss said. "They really came after me and stayed
with me." He chose Indiana State over MVC rival Illinois
State and Saint Louis. Massachussetts had recruited Moss early,
until a coaching change there ended that link, he said.
Eventually, Moss will need to add some strength
to endure the Missouri Valley, although the Thunderbirds' conference
-- the SICA East -- is rated at the top of Illinois prep basketball,
Hayhurst said.
"He's 6-5, but he still needs to add
strength," the coach said. "There's a big difference
between the kids he's playing in high school and those he'll
play against in college."
Moss is capable of making that transition.
"He's just a good all-around athlete who's willing to work
extremely hard on the court and in the classroom," Hayhurst
said.
Moss is expected to join the 2002 ISU recruiting
class that also includes 6-8, 210-pound forward Tristan Parham
of nearby Thornridge (Ill.) High School; 6-10, 212-pound center
Ted Morris of St. Louis Chaminade Prep School; and 6-5, 200-pound
guard Russell Trudeau of Lafayette Central Catholic High School.
The NCAA's early signing period begins today.
High school and junior-college athletes can make their commitments
to four-year colleges and universities official by signing national
letters of intent.
Moss and Parham made their visit to Indiana
State together earlier this year. For now, they're rivals in
the SICA East. "We'll have a little battle going down there,
and then we'll be teammates [at ISU]," he said.
Once they're wearing Sycamore blue and white,
Moss has lofty goals -- very lofty goals.
"I know for sure we can win the conference.
And I want to play in the tournament, but I also want to win
the tournament," Moss said. When asked if he meant the NCAA
Tournament, Moss said, "Oh yeah."
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