Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Simmons, Moon trip Hampton

- Mike White: mwhite@postgazett­e.com and Twitter @mwhiteburg­h.

completion of a “comeback” story. Although he grew up in Moon’s district and attended Moon schools through eighth grade, Simmons spent his first three years of high school at a prep school in Massachuse­tts.

But Simmons, who has committed to Pennsylvan­ia of the Ivy League, decided to attend Moon for his final year of high school to play with his old friends and former teammates. And he had thoughts of winning a WPIAL title. After the game, Moon’s student section was chanting, “Thank you, Jarrod.”

Nick Castelvete­r, a senior guard for Moon who had 17 points, said, “I told him from the beginning, he has to be our LeBron.”

Simmons said, “This is so much fun, it’s ridiciulou­s. I can’t even describe the emotions right now. This is what was in my head coming back — to win a championsh­ip. To have the whole [Moon] community here, this is awesome.”

But this performanc­e was pretty much typical for Simmons in the postseason. He was scintillat­ing in the playoffs.

He averaged 17 points and 15 rebounds in the regular season.

In three playoff games, he averaged 24 points and 20 rebounds.

Hampton played a variety of defenses against Moon, including a half-court trap, man-to-man and a 1-2-2 zone. Simmons didn’t make a shot from more than 8 feet, but he didn’t need to. He made 9 of 14 shots.

“We tried everything in our arsenal,” Hampton coach Joe Lafko said. “That was our plan coming in, to let it all hang out there. But I give our kids credit. They tried their best. We just didn’t have a match for Simmons.”

Moon opened a 26-13 lead early in the second quarter, but then Antonio Ionadi came alive for Hampton. With Moon ahead, 30-21, Ionadi scored 10 of Hampton’s next 11 points. His third 3-pointer of the second quarter from way behind the line brought Hampton within 35-33. Ionadi made all six of his shots in the quarter and finished the half with 19 points. He finished with 25.

The game remained close through the third quarter, but Moon took a 53-47 lead into the fourth. Ionadi hit a 3-pointer to start the fourth quarter, but Hampton could get no closer and Moon inched ahead.

Senior guard Mark Shehady added 16 points for Hampton. Sophomore guard Connor Ryan scored 13 for Moon.

Simmons put an exclamatio­n point on his performanc­e when he blocked Ionadi’s shot straight into the floor with 20 seconds left.

“It’s not just what Jarrod does with numbers,” Kaufman said.

“We start three sophomores,and he’s such a calming influence to them.”

 ?? Matt Freed/Post-Gazette ?? Moon's Nicholas Castelvete­r drives to the net against Hampton's Kyle Reese in the 5A championsh­ip.
Matt Freed/Post-Gazette Moon's Nicholas Castelvete­r drives to the net against Hampton's Kyle Reese in the 5A championsh­ip.

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