Recruiting Report: Steve Moe (2016)

<em>(Photo credit: Eric Valerio via Twitter)</em> Eric Valerio and Steve Moe had discussed the record for years. And as the ball kept splashing the net last Saturday, both knew a special night was in the works. “He’s been a great shooter since he was 12 years old,” Valerio, the coach at Confier said of Moe, his senior point guard. “Him breaking that record is something we’ve been talking about since he was in middle school. He’s had games in the summer where he’s hit seven or eight, and he’s had some high school games where he’s hit five, but that game was something special.” That record was eight, as in the number of 3-pointers Moe made in a victory over Summit last Saturday. It was the best mark in school history. "I shot really well before the game, so I was feeling it and just letting it fly,” Moe said. “I hit a jump shot from the corner, one where I jumped higher than I usually do on threes, and once I hit that one I knew I was feeling it.” The 6-foot-1 Moe finished with 29 points that night, but it’s been his all-around game and steadiness at the point guard position that has helped Conifer leap to a 4-0 start. Moe is averaging 12.3 points, 6.8 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.5 steals per game, sliding nicely into the point guard role he hadn’t played full-time before this season. Valerie said Moe is adept at creating offense for himself for others thanks to his high basketball IQ and an ability to read defenses. “We like to push the pace,” Valerio said. “And a lot of teams will collapse on him as we push the ball up the floor and then won’t recover to him, and he knows how to make plays from there.” For his part, Moe has thoroughly enjoyed the switch to point guard, where he has committed only three turnovers in four games. “I love having the ball in my hands,” he said. “I feel like I’m more in control. I’m able to get more shots, and get others more shots, and it’s really helping me.” To prepare for his new role, Moe said he made an effort to more communicative this summer while playing with his club team, the Shining Stars. And for the first time, he made it a point to spend far more time working on his ball-handling than his shooting. “I also worked on my quickness, doing a lot of jump-roping and things like that to get me faster,” he said. Moe’s performance in the classroom is equally impressive. He has a 4.5 career grade-point average, said Valerio, who believes the guard would be the perfect fit for a Division III program. “I definitely want to play at the next level,” Moe said. “I feel I could play Division II or Division III. I’m not really picky; I just want to find a school that’s right for me.”