Through 15 games, Leah Moore is the leading scorer and rebounder for the Greenwood girls basketball team.
Not-so-subtle reminders of what the Woodmen were missing a year ago.
A severe left knee injury sustained in the first quarter of the 2015-16 opener at home against Bloomington North forced Moore to basically forget about athletic competition for the remainder of her sophomore school year.
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“I didn’t start that game because I was just coming off volleyball season. But after about 15 seconds of being in I went to steal the ball and must have turned my body the wrong way,” said Moore, a 5-foot-10 junior capable of playing the ‘3’, ‘4’ or ‘5’.
“After it happened I didn’t think it was that bad.”
Moore would require surgery performed on the knee over Thanksgiving break — approximately three weeks after injuring it.
Having barely broken a sweat, her basketball season was over.
Greenwood would go on to finish with a 15-10 record, advancing to the championship game of the Class 4A Center Grove Sectional before losing, 90-85, in overtime to the host Trojans.
Moore also missed the entire track and field season last spring. This, too, cost the Woodmen potential points considering Moore as a freshman participated in the 100- and 300-meters races, high jumped and was part of Greenwood’s 1,600 relay.
Both programs likely played the what-if game.
They no longer have to.
Greenwood’s girls basketball has produced only three victories entering tonight’s game at Brownsburg with six of the losses coming by 10 points or less.
Moore has been a consistent force throughout at both ends of the floor, averaging 11.5 points, 5.9 boards and 1.1 steals. She’s scored as many as 17 points on three occasions and snagged nine rebounds twice.
Before each game she covers her left knee with a wrap designed to stabilize the surgically repaired area. Moore does this more for peace of mind than anything else.
In the 2016-17 regular-season opener at Bloomington North, Moore made up for lost time with 17 points, seven rebounds and two blocks.
“Leah really hasn’t shown any tentative behavior,” second-year Woodmen coach Lee Taft said. “At first it was just because she was a little bit limited because the strength wasn’t there.
“But her motor is as high as any player I’ve got. When Leah is going after a rebound, I’ve never seen anyone extend with two hands the way she does.”
Moore, a member of the George Hill Lady Stars team on the AAU circuit, watched teammates during the early stages of last season. By July, she was rebounding, scoring and deflecting opponent’s shot attempts just like before.
“I love being back,” Moore said. “This season is definitely a learning experience for us because we’re so young. But I feel it’s going well.”
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THE MOORE FILE
Name: Leah Moore
Age: 16
Born: Indianapolis
Family: Parents, James and Michelle; sisters, Justine, 26, and Hannah, 24; brother, Ty, 14
Favorite food: Macaroni and cheese
Favorite athlete: Stephen Curry
Favorite team: Golden State Warriors
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