COWDEN —
New Cowden-Herrick coach Bruce Manola has only been around Luke Moore for one season, but junior varsity coach Jay Huddleston says the 6-3 senior has been making plays since he first stepped foot on the Hornets' gymnasium floor.
A three-year varsity starter, Huddleston has seen Moore use his quiet leadership to become one of the most decorated players in school history.
"The maturity he has had since he was a freshman is phenomenal," he said. "He's been an unspoken leader. Luke is just a good kid, good ballplayer."
Perhaps his biggest moment as a Hornet came on Jan. 4th at Brownstown, when Moore secured his place in the Cowden-Herrick record books by scoring his 1,000th career point.
In a game when Moore went off for 39 total points on the evening, none was more special than the drive that pushed him past the 1,000-point mark.
"It was pretty cool," Moore said. "They stopped the game, gave me the ball, and both teams shook my hand. I've been going after that for two years, so it was a great feeling."
Moore is as versatile as they come, able to switch from his forward position to shooting guard if need be, and even handle the ball at the point when the time calls. It's this all-around game that has allowed him to excel in high school and attract the attention of coaches at the next level.
"He handles the ball well, he passes, and sees the whole court," Manola said. "Even with his scoring he's extremely unselfish."
As a junior, Moore averaged more than 15 points per contest on his way to 453 total points on the season. Though Cowden-Herrick finished with a 17-13 record, Moore was unsatisfied with last year's results. He spent the offseason bulking up and improving his skills.
"I've matured, gotten a lot bigger," he said. "I spent lots of time on my shooting, my dribbling, I knew I'd have to be counted on this year, I've worked on lots of of things."
This added size and continued development of his offensive arsenal has propelled the Hornets to a solid start through the first half of the season. Cowden-Herrick currently boasts a record of 9-5, and although most fans in attendance simply enjoy watching Moore's offensive skills, it's his never-say-die attitude that has continually impressed his new head coach.
"In the last minute or so (at Brownstown), we were down seven points," Manola said, "And there was a breakaway that our kid missed. Luke was right there on the rebound to put it back in. A lot of guys would dog it, but he hustled the whole time."
Now that he finally can cross the 1,000-point barrier off his list, Moore has shifted focus to what he hopes this team can accomplish in the coming weeks.
None of the accolades or attention means as much, however, as to how Moore wants this year's Hornet team to be remembered.
"We want to be regional champs," he said. "That's it."
Sports
January 14, 2013
Hornets' Moore tops 1,000-point landmark
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