The Recruiting Guy

NLR's Moody more of complete player since beginning of the season

North Little Rock's Moses Moody (12) dives for a loose ball during a game against Bentonville West on Friday, March 2, 2018, in North Little Rock.
North Little Rock's Moses Moody (12) dives for a loose ball during a game against Bentonville West on Friday, March 2, 2018, in North Little Rock.

Highly regarded North Little Rock sophomore guard Moses Moody has made strong strides in his game this season.

“He’s complete different player than he was earlier in the year,” North Little Rock Coach Johnny Rice said. “He’s had to play every position on the floor. He’ll defend the post and he’ll defend out on the floor. He’ll handle the ball, he’ll have to post up and I think it’s made him a complete player. He’s scoring at all levels. Scoring at the rim, he’s scoring midrange. He shoots the three ball. He finishes in transition.”

Moody (6-5, 185 pounds) has scholarship offers from Arkansas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Florida State and Baylor, and is drawing interest from numerous other schools. He said assistant coach Marcus Adams has urged him to get better.

“Coach Adams always talks to me about when do you want to peak,” Moody said. “You don’t want to peak at the beginning of the year, you want to gradually want to get better all year.”

He scored 15 and 14 points as the top-seeded Charging Wildcats defeated Bentonville West and Springdale Har-Ber in the quarterfinals and semifinals of the Class 7A state tournament on Friday and Saturday. North Little Rock will play Fort Smith Northside for the second consecutive year in the state championship game on Thursday in Hot Springs.

PrepHoops.com rates Moody a 4.5-star recruit and the No. 40 overall prospect in the nation. Rice said Moody’s work ethic and attitude is up there with former Charging Wildcats and current Florida guard Kevaughn Allen

“Kevaughn Allen is the most hardest working kid, but Moses isn’t far behind him, if he’s even behind him on his work ethic and his desire to be an elite basketball player,” Rice said.

Moody has added 15 pounds of good weight to his frame since the summer and Rice credits local trainer Jim Eckhart, who works with the basketball team.

“For the first time I know of we’re lifting all year,” Rice said. “The kids have bought into it and Moses has really bought into it because he knows what it takes to play a whole year. A lot of sophomores will hit a wall at a certain time and he has not hit that wall because of his work ethic.”

It was announced Friday that Moody would play with St. Louis-based team Bradley Beal Elite during the spring and summer. Several factors went into the decision, including the chance to play on the Nike EYBL circuit.

“They just had a lot of good things to offer,” Moody said.

Moody has placed recruiting on the back-burner while focusing on a state title run. He did visit Fayetteville on Feb. 17 to watch the Razorbacks defeat Texas A&M 94-75 with center Daniel Gafford scoring 18 points and grabbing 6 rebounds and having 2 block shots.

“That was a great game to go when they played Texas A&M,” Moody said. “Big Dan had a great game. It was just a great atmosphere. I liked everything about it.”

The Arkansas coaches sell him on the benefits of staying home for his college basketball.

“They just talk about staying at home,” Moody said. “After the games you might want to go home and be able to see your family. It’s not that far away from Little Rock.”

Despite just being a sophomore, Moody is somewhat of a veteran of the recruiting process after drawing interest from schools for more than a year.

“It’s starting to get more normal, but it’s still a blessing,” Moody said.

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