Guard someone in the post? Yes. Switch out onto a perimeter ball-handler? That, too.
Whatever Alter coaches Kendel Peck and Christina Hart need, Moody has provided as a four-year starter.
Off the court, the senior forward was quick with thoughtful replies to most of the questions in an interview this week, but one stumped her.
How would Moody, who is signed to play at Northern Kentucky next season, describe her game?
“I would say… wow,” she replied with a blush before the Knights practiced for their Division IV state semifinal game against Lancaster Fairfield Union at Ohio Dominican on Saturday. “This one is taking me a second… I would say, oh gosh, I don’t know the words for it.”
But as often happens in these situations, she managed to come up with a perfect response anyway.
“I’ve never had a chance to kind of sit down and analyze myself because each game, it changes,” she said. “Some games I have to go back into the post, and then some games I’m shooting the 3. It switches, but being able to do everything, it helps.”
There is little doubt about that as the 6-foot-1 Moody’s versatility has been key to another deep tournament run for Alter, a five-time state champion in the state final four for the 10th time.
She leads the GCL Coed in scoring (18.9 points per game) and blocks (1.9) while ranking third in rebounds (8.3).
Moody also tops the league in free throws made (103) and attempted (138) while shooting 74.6% from the charity stripe.
Perhaps more importantly, she has provided leadership for a squad that relies heavily on younger players, including multiple freshmen.
“We look up to her on the court and off the court, like what she’s done,” said one of those freshmen, 5-7 guard Izzie Arcuri.
She joined two others — 5-5 Grace Ireton and 5-4 Mylee Toney — in an interview before practice that included each helping the other finish answers at times.
(A fourth frosh, guard Sarah Brand started for most of the season but was lost to injury earlier in the tournament.)
“So I feel like it’s easy to trust her because of everything she’s done,” said Arcuri, who is No. 2 on the team in scoring at 8.0 points per game. “She pushes us on and off the court to be better, and since we’re new, she kind of helped us learn how…—
“— to be a good teammate,” chimed in Ireton, who is third on the team with 20 three-pointers.
Toney agreed Moody does a good job of pushing the youngsters “to be better in games, and correcting us when we’re wrong or when we make a mistake.”
Ireton said Moody is a positive role model in a program with high expectations and a history of relying on young players, and they all agreed she does it with a touch of kindness they appreciate.
“She’s nice about it,” Toney said of letting them know they messed up.
“Just cheering us on, like, on and off the court,” Ireton added, “And just encouraging us to do our best in practice and in games.”
Credit: Name Test
Credit: Name Test
That is also something Hart appreciates.
“What sometimes older kids don’t understand is just by picking up a kid when they make a mistake or giving them a pass in a crucial situation, allowing them to take the big shot, builds that confidence, and she has done that,” the coach said.
For her part, Moody said the freshmen earned her trust in an 18-8 season that has had some ups and downs.
“I have a lot of trust in them as well to do their part and be who they’re supposed to be on and off the floor, but at the same time I still feel pressure — a good type of pressure — because as the only senior that plays, it is one of my jobs to lead this team and to take us as far as possible,” Moody said.
The Knights have nearly gone as far as any team can, but their next challenge figures to be their biggest yet.
Fairfield Union will enter the game Saturday with a 27-0 record and a press that seemingly no one has solved yet this season.
“They’re athletic,” Hart said. “They go about seven deep. We’ve watched obviously a ton of film on them, and we sent a couple people to go watch them live. Not many people have played them in man. I think that part would be interesting.”
While she hopes to have not one but two more games left in an Alter uniform, Moody has already left her mark on the program.
Credit: Name Test
Credit: Name Test
She was a freshman starter herself when the Knights won their fifth state championship in 2022 and has broken the school records for points (1,638) and rebounds (767).
A four-time All-GCL first team selection, Moody was named to the All-Southwest District first team for the third time this week, and she has a good shot to repeat as a member of the All-Ohio first team when those honors are announced next week.
Today’s game
Division IV State Semifinal
at Ohio Dominican University, 1 p.m.
Alter (18-8) vs. Lancaster Fairfield Union (27-0)
About the Author
