Chronicle-Tribune

by chuck landis

Ask Courtney Moses about Indiana Miss Basketball and the Oak Hill junior’s initial reaction is about the present.

“I think about Kelly Faris and Skylar Diggins and who’s going to win it,” Moses said.

This time next year, Moses and Miss Basketball could be synonymous. For now, she must be content with her second consecutive Chronicle-Tribune Grant County Player of the Year honor.

Oak Hill’s Todd Law received his third straight Coach of the Year honor. The Eagles finished 27-2 and with their second consecutive Class 2A state tournament runner-up finish.

In that 60-58 overtime loss to Heritage Christian, Moses and Eagles teammate Ashley Pickering may have leapt to the front of the 2010 Miss Basketball race. Moses scored 21 points and Pickering 20 competing against current top Miss Basketball candidate Faris.

Faris, Diggins of 4A state runners-up South Bend Washington and Alex Bentley of 4A champion Ben Davis are the frontrunners for the 2009 award, which will be announced in early April.

Talking with various coaches and media, Law has been told his talented junior tandem definitely is among the frontrunners for next year’s Miss Basketball. Moses’ poised point guard play has especially impressed the experts.

“I have asked (Hoosier Basketball magazine’s) Garry Donna and a lot of different college coaches who have seen all the talent, and everyone says our girls have a good chance at (Miss Basketball),” Law said.

Moses committed to Purdue University at midseason, and choosing to play at an in-state college tends to influence Miss Basketball voters. She also has built a strong resume with the Eagles’ back-to-back state finals appearances and three straight sectional and regional titles.

Law said the pecking order soon will be established for next year’s Miss Basketball race. Ben Davis’ Bria Goss and Dee Dee Williams could be in the mix, along with Tabitha Gearadot of two-time Class A state champ Canterbury and Decatur Central’s Anna Munn.

“(This week) we will know if one or both make the junior all-star team,” Law said. “If they make the team it’s a big step. And if they are in the core six, that will tell you who the top candidates are.”

Marion’s Scott Wood became a candidate for this year’s Mr. Basketball after he was named to last summer’s core junior all-star team.

Grant County’s had one Miss Basketball — Marion’s Trena Keys in 1982. Moses and Pickering frequently are compared to Eastbrook’s Janna Bragg and Dawn Davenport, who each played for the 1984 Indiana All-Star team.

Moses admits Miss Basketball is an honor she’s coveted since she was a little girl.

“I would get Hoosier Basketball magazine and see all the ads for the all-state and Miss Basketball (candidates) and I would think it would be cool to do that,” Moses said.

“It’s definitely a possibility now,” she added. “But it’s still going to take a lot of work, and I can’t be all focused on (Miss Basketball). I got to keep it off to the side and if it happens, it happens.”

Law could put together a DVD of Moses highlights from this season that would surely impress voters. Most prominent would be Moses’ game-winning, buzzer-beating, half-court shot against Wawasee at the end of the third overtime in the Hall of Fame Classic.

Moses also showcased her vast skills in the state finals, when the Eagles had three-time state champion Heritage Christian on the brink of defeat. With the score tied, Oak Hill had the ball at the end of regulation but couldn’t free Moses for a shot.

“A few years from now, when we all get together and talk about the state championship game, we’re going to remember how much fun we had and it being our last game with the seniors,” Moses said. “Our seniors (Lauren Meese and Kristen Hicks) have been just so awesome.

“It hurts that (Heritage Christian) was three-time state champions and we had them exactly where we wanted them, and we couldn’t knock them off,” she added.

As Moses walked off the court at Lucas Oil Stadium, she began to realize her high school career is beginning to wind down.

“I told Ashley as we were walking off that we’re seniors now,” Moses said.

But it will be a senior year filled with many possibilities, including the state’s top individual honor.

First team

Player, school Ht. Gr. PPG RPG APG SPG FG% 3P% (M) FT%

Courtney Moses, Oak Hill 5-7 Jr. 18.4 4.1 6.3 3.8 .531 .462 (42) .888

Ashley Pickering, Oak Hill 6-4 Jr. 16.3 9.5 0.7 2.1 .640 .000 (0) .675

Lauren Meese, Oak Hill 5-6 Sr. 12.1 3.3 4.6 4.7 .451 .344 (45) .721

Erin Guarneri, Marion 5-10 Sr. 16.4 8.8 2.5 2.2 .439 .349 (37) .647

Kristen Hicks, Oak Hill 5-10 Sr. 11.1 2.8 2.1 2.6 .434 .287 (37) .621

Second team

Katrina Blackmon, Marion 5-10 So. 12.3 3.7 6.7 3.3 .491 .389 (7) .529

Sam Yeagy, Madison-Grant 5-9 Sr. 10.6 3.1 0.9 1.3 .408 .345 (38) .690

Rianne Aguilar, Marion 5-9 Sr. 11.0 2.3 1.6 2.1 .456 —— (0) .632

Shelby Wells, Mad.-Grant 5-6 Jr. 9.8 1.8 3.2 2.6 .415 .452 (19) .731

Jamaica Westfall, Eastbrook 5-6 Sr. 6.9 5.7 1.8 2.3 .316 .143 (1) .518

Jennifer McCoin, Miss. 5-7 Jr. 8.5 3.9 2.3 2.8 .308 .333 (1) .565

oCOACH OF THE YEAR: Todd Law, Oak Hill.

Honorable mention:

oEastbrook: Danielle Gerdt (5-3, So., G).

oLakeview Christian: Kathryn Kitchen (Sr., G).

oMadison-Grant: Sam Fields (5-6, Sr., G), Sara Webster (5-6, Sr., G).

oMarion: Shayna Wood (5-10, Jr.), Laura Friday (5-5, Fr.).

oMississinewa: Fallon Price (5-9, Sr., C), Kaitlin Linn (5-8, Sr., F).

oOak Hill: Marissa Coolman (6-0, So., F).

Past winners

1979: Leann Stookey, Madison-Grant

1980: Judy Burns, Marion

1981: Judy Burns, Marion

1982: Trena Keys, Marion

1983: Janna Bragg, Eastbrook

1984: Dawn Davenport, Eastbrook

1985: Cathy Lemons, Oak Hill

1986: Gina Johnson, Marion

1987: Robin Scott, Madison-Grant

1988: Jenny Dunlap, Madison-Grant and Carlotta Watson, Marion

1989: Andresa Smith, Marion

1990: Kristi Berryhill, Mississinewa

1991: Stacey Worrick, Eastbrook

1992: Laura Talbott, Mississinewa

1993: Deb Porter, Marion

1994: Laura Talbott, Mississinewa

1995: Laura Talbott, Mississinewa

1996: C.J. Martlage, Madison-Grant

1997: Laurie Kitts, Eastbrook

1998: Laurie Kitts, Eastbrook and Jessa Turner, Lakeview Christian

1999: Laurie Kitts, Eastbrook

2000: Amie Owsley, Lakeview Christian

2001: Amy Wisser, Marion

2002: September Harness, Mississinewa

2003: Septermber Harness, Mississinewa

2004: Tanika Mays, Marion

2005: Tanika Mays, Marion

2006: Kasey Thompson, Oak Hill

2007: Kasey Thompson, Oak Hill

2008: Courtney Moses, Oak Hill

2009: Courtney Moses, Oak Hill