December 6, 2007
Hoops friends foes on court
Henry Sims and Sean Mosley are rivals once the season starts
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Off the basketball court, Henry Sims and Sean Mosley have
become good friends.
Sims, a 6-foot-11 center from Mount St. Joseph, and
Mosley, a 6-4 guard from St. Frances, are two of the best players in the metro
area and have built a friendship after attending many of the same high-profile
basketball camps the past three summers.
"We eat together, sit and talk
about games and joke around," Sims said of their bond at camps. "We're the only
two people that know each other from the same area, so it was kind of just
natural to happen."
When they step on the court, however, that friendship is put
on pause.
"We'll joke around, walk by and say, 'You ready to take that
L?' " Sims said. "But when the ball goes up and that clock starts, there's no
friendships after that."
Sims and Mosley are seniors, and their success
in high school and summer camps has led them to big-time college basketball
programs.
Sims will attend Georgetown, and Mosley will go to Maryland. In
their final high school season, they share the same aspirations: to win the
Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference and Baltimore
Catholic League championships.
"Since my freshman year, I always wanted
to win the BCL and MIAA, so that's my goal this year since I haven't achieved it
the last three years," Mosley said. "Off the court, we're closest friends, but
on the court, we're always enemies."
The Panthers won the BCL during
Mosley's freshman season, but St. Frances never has won the BCL and A Conference
crowns in the same season during his high school career.
Sims' Gaels won
both titles during his sophomore season, and also captured the A Conference
title when he was a freshman.
Mount St. Joseph has set the standard in
boys basketball, winning a state-record 38 games two years ago and the BCL title
three of the past five seasons.
How far Mount St. Joseph can go this
season depends greatly on Sims.
"I think Henry has something to prove to
himself," Gaels coach Pat Clatchey said. "He played on championship teams his
freshman and sophomore years, and now this is it for him. He's a senior and he
should be an impact player for us."
To get the title, Mount St. Joseph
will have to get through a Mosley-led St. Frances team that has been a major
thorn in the Gaels' side the past three seasons.
The Panthers denied the
Gaels from winning a third consecutive BCL title in 2005, upsetting them in the
tournament semifinals.
Last season, St. Frances beat the Gaels twice,
with the first victory ending their 20-game league winning streak.
Mosley
was instrumental in last season's wins, averaging 19 points per game against
Mount St. Joseph.
"Sean comes with more fire in those games," Sims said.
"He has more hunger and motivation when he plays us."
Stopping Mosley has
been a difficult task for any team, including Mount St. Joseph.
"I think
Sean will go down as one of the better players to ever play in the BCL and the
MIAA," Clatchey said. "The thing I respect about Sean is his toughness and
versatility as a player. He's a really tough matchup on the high school level
because of his combination of size, athleticism and skill level."
Mosley
fully expects Sims to be just as determined as he is.
"Henry improved a
lot throughout the years he's played at St. Joe," Mosley said.
"He has
the same mind-set I have this year: just win."
Sims and Mosley want to
finish their high school careers on a high note, meaning this season's games
between the Gaels and Panthers will be among the most anticipated of the
season.
"It's sort of like the game of the week. You can bet on that
one," St. Frances coach William Wells said.
Added Sims: "This year, me
and him are going nose to nose. We're the two best players, so that's going to
be a great game for everyone.
"I highly recommend people attending that
game."
stefen.lovelace@baltsun.com
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