Simmons finally makes it to a final
Standout’s return pays off for Moon
Even though Jarrod Simmons has never been to a WPIAL championship basketball game, it’s what he had in mind when he decided to stay at home and play his senior year at Moon High School.
Simmons’ family lives in Moon’s district and he attended Moon schools through junior high. But for his freshman through junior years, Simmons played at Cushing Academy in Ashburnham, Mass. For his final year of high school, though, Simmons decided to stay home and play with old friends and teammates at Moon.
The reunion has gone swell. The Tigers, winners of only 11 games the previous two seasons, were in need of a leader and a talented inside player. So they went to Jarrod. And all the 6-foot-7 Simmons has done is carry the Tigers to a WPIAL championship game.
Simmons has been terrific in two playoff games and now Moon plays Hampton at 9 p.m. Friday for the WPIAL Class 5A title at Petersen Events Center.
Finally, Simmons will attend a WPIAL championship — and he doesn’t have to buy a ticket.
“I wanted to go in some years, but something always came up,” said Simmons. “This is definitely one of the reasons I came back. To be able to come back home and do this is huge for the community.
“I thought we had a chance to do this. This is a good group of guys. I thought they had a chance to do this even without me, let alone if I did come back.”
Simmons, who has committed to the University of Pennsylvania in the Ivy League, was pretty good during the regular season, averaging 17 points a game. But this WPIAL playoff stuff has ignited a fire in him not seen before, according to Moon coach Adam Kaufman.
“There’s a big-time difference,” said Kaufman. “He’s so much more engaged.”
In two playoff games, Simmons has been a terror, averaging 26 points and 19 rebounds. He had 21 points and 20 rebounds against Franklin Regional and 31 points and 19 rebounds against Chartiers Valley.
Even Simmons acknowledges the playoffs and the big crowds have done something to him.
“I always tell coach that I’m a showtime player,” Simmons said with a chuckle. “When I see a lot of people there at games, my blood starts pumping extra fast.”
Simmons laughed when asked how the crowds were at Cushing, which had some future Division I college players.
“Huh. There might have been games where there were 10 Division I players on the court, and 20 people were there to watch it,” he said.
At Moon, Simmons has become a leader.
“It’s not just how he’s playing, but how he’s leading other guys,” said Kaufman. “We have
some sophomores who have never played this much basketball or practiced this much. They were hitting a wall and I told Jarrod that this is why you told me you wanted to come back. You wanted to learn how to be a leader for college and a good teammate.
“The kids don’t want to hear my voice any more. It’s February and they can sometimes tune you out. It means a lot more coming from a peer. Jarrod has been a leader.”
Now, there is a WPIAL championship at stake. Moon has defeated Hampton twice this season, but once by only a point.
“The biggest thing for our team is I just have to do my job,” Simmons said. “When guys start trying to do too much, we can’t do that. I have to let the game come to me and let the game flow. Then I’ll be OK.”
But the anticipation is great for his first WPIAL title-game experience.
“I just hope I can sleep the night before,” said Simmons.
For more on high school sports, go to “Varsity Blog” at www.post-gazette.com/ varsityblog. Mike White: mwhite@post-gazette.com and Twitter @mwhiteburgh