thepilot.www.clients.ellingtoncms.com/weblogs/frank-sports-talk/2010/jan/31/mosley-the-phenom-is-on-fire/Mosley "The Phenom" is on FIRE
Blog: Frank Sports Talk (F.W. Manning II)
By fwm2
January 31, 2010It has been my distinct privilege and pleasure, through my coverage of Union Pines basketball, to watch Union Pines senior captain Alishia "The Phenom" Mosley develop from a backup freshman point guard loaded with potential, into one of the best high school players in the state, or nation for that matter; with a deep ball stroke as pure as any I have seen among non-professionals.
Below, I will describe the most artful of her work chosen by yours truly from among the many masterpieces she has painted while on the court this season. But before I do so, I must introduce you to Miss Mosley by way of a...
PROLOGUE:
I played 7 years of AAU basketball in my youth, starting at the age of 10-years old when I made the Charlotte Sonic's 11-and-Under team after a two-weekend try out featuring 250-plus prospective players, consisting of rec league hoopster, which (like me) were scouted by The Sonics in my division, deemed the best in the city and personally invited to the tryouts. Along with that group another 150+ players showed up univited with hopes of making the squad in the program's inaugural season..so I have seen and competed against my fair share of sharp shooters. I played two years in Charlotte before moving to Southern Pines and playing 5 years for The Sandhills Running Rebels (the area's first AAU basketball team) and was heavily scouted by Tennessee and Campbell (as a play-making point guard and defensive stopper) before a shattered elbow (suffered my sophomore season during football) sidelined me for 3-4 months and weakened my "off-hand" handles. I then became more of a defensive specialist that was a threat from long range. So I know from experience what it is like to sink shots from way downtown to win and tie BIG games, and I know what it is like to miss them too...but I digress...this blog is not about me....
In my time I have seen Jeff Capel and Terrell McIntyre come to Pinecrest and light up the Patriots. During my college years as a student at THE University of North Carolina I watched (live) every home three-point shot Dante Calabria took his senior year, and saw every single three point basket that Shammond Williams and Vince Carter made at the Dean Dome in their careers. In my opinion Mosley is in that same class. She has a sinfully sweet stroke, with a deceptively quick release, she is consistent both off the dribble and spotting up while possessing what insiders would refer to as "in the gym range"...23-25 feet out is no problem for her... from 31-33 feet she hardly even breaks her regular form.
An all-state selection and signee with the NC A&T Aggies, she has been on a ten-game tear. A modern day Monet in sneakers Mosley has been delivering one Masterpiece after another. Using the basketball court as her canvas, she has masterfully produced pure art time and time again, usually in the most clutch of circumstances. She has made 39 of her last 60 field goal attempts from downtown...that is a 65 percent success rate, which is "lights-out" good...Mosley's Most Artful Masterpieces
- Jan 29 at Union Pines versus Western Harnett:
With the Lady Vikes (15-5, 7-2 in CFV play) locked in a tight race atop the CFV conference standings, Union Pines welcomed the defending league champion Western Harnett Eagles (16-4, 5-3) to Cameron. In the finest moment of a fantastic career Mosley came out on fire in the first half, scorching the nets to help build an impressive 23-6 lead early in the second quarter.
She made her first five field goals in the first quarter including three deep 3s and finished the period with 13 points. By halftime she had 21 points, going 5-7 from downtown and was 8-10 from the field. In the third quarter she made one more three as she was 6-8 from deep. She would make one more bucket in the quarter but then missed her next five shots. Undaunted however, when the Vikes needed her most she did not hesitate to pull the trigger. With Western charging and having cut the Viking lead to 48-46, from the right side behind the arc she used a crossover dribble to break loose of her defender and released a "Kobe Byrant-esque" floater that found the bottom of the net to break the Eagles' spirits.
Mosley finished the night with 28 points, 8 rebounds and four assists as the Vikes improved to 7-2 to stay in the hunt for a league title and earn a sweep over Western.
During the game, from my spot at the press table, I heard one Western fan say that she was the most pure high school shooter he had ever seen. Later during the half, that same fan asked me what school she would be attending, when I told him NC A&T he replied...she is going to be a STAR at that place.
- Dec 15 at Union Pines vs Grays Creek:
Led by 19 first-half points from Mosley, the Lady Vikings defeated Gray’s Creek 57-27 to snap a two game skid. With the victory Union Pines moved to 6-3 on the season and 1-1 in conference competition.
Mosley scored 17 consecutive points in the tilt in a 2:09-span that started with a buzzer-beater from 26 feet, which gave Union Pines a 9-2 lead after one period. She would go on to make 4 of 4 three-pointers during the second quarter before capping of her incredible run with a scoop lay-in as the Lady Vikes led 23-2 with 5:53 left in the period. By halftime, Union Pines enjoyed a 29-5 edge.
Mosley saw limited time in the second half due to the Vikings huge lead. However, she still finished with a then season-high 23 points, while collecting seven rebounds and four steals.
- Jan 8 at UP vs Southern Lee:
In a momentous night for Mosley she eclipsed the 1000-point mark for her varsity career in a sensational 29-point performance, at Bob Ward Gymnasium, leading the Vikings to a 70-53 Cape Fear Valley league win over Southern Lee.
Overall in the tilt she went 5-7 from downtown and tallied five assists, five boards, three blocks and two steals. After the game Mosley was recognized for her achievement by head coach John Lewkowicz over the public address system.
- Dec 18 UP at Western Harnett:
In a showdown between two of the top players in the league, Mosley and Western’s junior point guard Ariel Bursey did not disappoint Monday in Lillington
Mosley, who was an all-state selection last season and runner-up in the league MVP voting, scored 13 of her team-high 25 points in the first half. Meanwhile, Bursey, an all-region selection and last season’s conference MVP, scored 14 first-half points and finished with a game-high 26.
Behind a nine-point first quarter from Mosley, Union Pines built an early 21-9 lead before Western battled back to close the frame on a 6-point run to trail 21-15 going into the second quarter. At halftime Union Pines held a 34-29 advantage.
When Mosley made two-of three at the line the Lady Vikes led 47-36 at the 2:17 mark of the third period and took a 50-39 lead into the final period.
When the fourth quarter started, Bursey was sitting on 22 points, five rebounds, four assists and two steals, while Mosley had 25 points, three rebounds, three assists a steal and a block. In the last frame Mosley did not score, but had 4 rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block as the Vikes hung on for a big CFV win.
With the victory, the visiting Vikes gained some ground in the league standings. The Lady Eagles (12-2, 3-1) entered the game as the No. 4 ranked 3A team in the state and in a first place tie with the Overhills Jaguars in the conference. Union Pines improved to 3-2 in CFV play and 11-5 overall with the road win.
- Jan 15 Up at Douglas Byrd:
The Union Pines Lady Vikings picked up a fourth straight win with a 60-44 Cape Fear Valley conference basketball victory over Douglas Byrd.
Mosley scored 20 of her game-high 27 points in the second half, while making five assists, and grabbing four rebounds. It was Mosley’s fourth straight game scoring 22 or more points, as the Vike captain had averaged 25.8 points over that span.
After leading 13-1 through one period, Union Pines held a 26-14 advantage at intermission. However, the homestanding Lady Eagles caught on fire from the perimeter in the third quarter. As play moved to the final period, Union Pines held as slim 38-34 lead, while Douglas Byrd had all the momentum.
In the fourth, Mosley and sophomore forward Crystal Hicks combined for 18 points. The pair sank 9 of 11 free throws collectively, to propel the Vikes to victory, as Union Pines outscored Byrd 22-10 in the final frame to claim a 14-point conference road win, to keep pace in the race for first place in the conference standings, improving to 4-2 in league play and 12-5 overall.
- Jan 22 UP at Overhills:
Mosley and junior captain back-court mate Tyesha McLean, turned in a dazzling display of clutch basketball as the Vikings topped the Lady Jags 65-56 in a Cape Fear Valley conference showdown.
The pair combined to score 47 points in the tilt, as the Lady Vikes (13-5) improved to 5-2 in league play and moved into a three-way tie for second in the conference standings along with Overhills (14-3), which fell to 5-2 with the loss
The visiting Lady Vikings found themselves on familiar ground as play entered the fourth period, holding a 49-38 advantage. In both its previous games against Overhills this season ( in a conference game and Lee County's Chatlee Holiday Shootout Title tilt), Union Pines carried leads (of 8 and 5 points) into the final quarter, only to see the Jaguars walk away with wins in each contest.
However, this time an Overhills comeback was not in the cards. The Lady Jags cut Union Pines’ lead to 53-46, with 4:43 left in regulation, but it would be as close as they would get. Mosley answered swiftly by swishing home a 23-foot bomb, despite being guarded tightly by a defender, to extend the Lady Vike lead back to ten points and effectually bury Overhills.
On the night Mosley went 5-9 from behind the arc on her way to a game-high 26 points, while grabbing eight boards, dishing out four assists and making two blocks. It was the senior captain’s fifth straight game scoring more than 22 points.
The Vikings wasted little time building a big lead in the tilt. Union Pines played strong defense in the opening period and sank four three-pointers, including three straight by Mosley, to take a 19-6 advantage into the second quarter.
When Mosley scored on an offensive put back it made the score it 21-6 in favor of the Union Pines, early in the second period.
EPILOGUE
I can't help now but remember back to the night of Union Pines' playoff loss during Mosley's freshman year, after the Vikes nearly came away with a major road upset.
Back in the hallway waiting to interview the coaches, I spoke briefly with Mosley. For the last 7 games she had been getting herself open looks at the top of paint via her dribble, but the shots were not falling. I told her that she was a good looking player and had to keep shooting because the team would need her to score the next season and eventually the ball would start to fall for her.
Just a meek 14-year-old at the time, Mosley smiled and said "Thank-you sir, I will try to do that."
Since then the shots have certainly fell for her, and now she calls me Franco...she led the team in scoring the past 2 years and is doing so again in her senior campaign.
A few hours after the big win on Friday against Western, I caught up with her on Facebook. (With a "hard deadline" due to the weather, I was too busy relaying in the story earlier that evening to talk with any players or coaches at the gym.)
NOTE: For contextual proposes "lol" is a term, or abbreviation rather, in "weblingo" for "LaughOutLoud" or "Laugh Out Loud"...hence LOL or lol, also I reproduced the transcript of our conversation Friday night with Alishia's express consent and blessings
I started the conversation off sending the first message:
Me: I was so busy calling in my stories because we have a crazy deadline for the Sunday paper..that I did not get to talk to u....but u were amazing...words can not describe how proud I was of u and excited I was for u to c u shine like that
Mosley: Thanks. I was so proud of myself, I'm finally putting all my pieces together and i got that floater from Kobe ...
Me: yeah that floater was the clincher...ever since you were a freshman I knew u were a phenom
Mosley: lol...thank you...i moved up
Me: yeah..u can say that...
Mosley: that's my new nick name the phenom lol
Me: So did u already have the nickname or did it come from me?
Mosley: lol it came from you
Franco: sweet...it will stick too..all the way to wnba...anyway good night Phenom.
Mosley: yeah i know and good night...lol
She is an opposing coaches worst nightmare; play any zone and she will shoot you out of it, go man to man and she will find several different ways to score, box-and-one her, and she will become a play maker with swift passes, setting up great chances for her teammates, while also still scoring whenever she gets even the slightest hint of room or an offensive board. So...per Miss Mosley's request...from now on you can just call her "The Phenom."
--F.W. Manning II