WELLS — Just by looking at the stat book, it becomes evident that Wells junior Jake Moody is one of the best basketball players in the Western Maine Conference and beyond. Moody led the conference in scoring, and was in the top 10 in assists and steals. But Moody’s brilliance can’t just be measured by statistics.
Wells head coach Troy Brown said having Moody run the Warriors’ is “like having another coach on the floor.” It’s Moody’s uncanny ability to make all five players on the court click, as well as his impressive statistics, that has earned him the title of Journal Tribune Boys Basketball Player of the Year.
“He is the smartest basketball player I’ve ever coached,” said Brown. “He’s very bright on the floor. He sees things that other players don’t see. He has a feel for the game like nobody else. He knows when to hold them, and knows when to fold them. He’s a great poker player out there.”
You can look at Moody’s 3.1 steals per game ”“ good for sixth in the conference ”“ as proof of his gambling paying off. But Brown said it’s Moody’s decision-making from the point on which any coach would bet all his chips.
“I guarantee there’s not a guy that coaches against me in the league that wouldn’t like to have (Jake) running their offense for him,” said Brown.
Moody was equally good this year dishing the ball around, or keeping it himself. He led the conference in scoring 22.4 points per game, and was sixth in assists with 3.6 per game. He also averaged more than two made three-pointers per game.
That Moody has become a talented basketball player is no surprise to those who have followed Wells basketball throughout the years. He comes from a long line of basketball players, including his Aunt Penny, who led Wells to the 1979 Class C state title game.
But Brown said that Moody has worked to continue that basketball lineage.
“The thing you got to understand about Jake is, he’s worked hard all his life at his game, and it’s just coming to fruition now in high school,” said Brown.
Brown said Moody is a perfectionist, which is what has helped him become the player he is, and points to how Moody reacted after making a mistake in a game this season.
“He missed a couple of free throws coming down the end of the game,” Brown recalled. “He goes home, shovels off his court, puts his lights on in his pickup truck, and jacks up 150 free throws, at 9 o’clock at night in the freezing cold.”
There were other games when Moody couldn’t miss, and Brown had some strong praise for another one of his performances this year.
“We went down to Cape Elizabeth this year, and they full-court pressed us. (Jake) went for 38 points. He single-handedly broke the press. He single-handedly scored 38 points against them, basically,” said Brown. “I’m going to be honest with you, one of the greatest performances I’ve ever seen.”
Brown said he is “blessed” to have Moody for one more year. Which is good for Moody, who Brown said wasn’t happy with how the Warriors’ season ended in the quarterfinals to the Capers.
“He hates to lose. I mean he hates to lose more than anything in this world,” said Brown. “He’s a true competitor.”
— Contact Wil Kramlich at 282-1535, Ext. 323 or follow him on Twitter @WilTalkSports.
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