2016 commit has team headed in right direction

With a one point lead at halftime, John Mooney helped key a 26-to-8 run to push Lake Brantley out to a 61-42 lead over Lake Highland Prep late in the third quarter before holding on for an 81-70 win at the Showdown in O'Town at Orlando Christian Prep.

Mooney, who became Florida's first commit in the 2016 class September 28, 2013 graciously gave credit to his teammates. Mooney finished with 29 points and 13 rebounds; and if he was going to have anything to say about it there was no way Lake Brantley was leaving the OCP gym without a victory.

"Hats off to my teammates for putting me in the right spot and us getting the W," Mooney said following the game which started at 10:30am.

"It was definitely tough coming off of a game last night at eight o'clock," he said. "I didn't get home til ten o'clock but our team played really well beating Lake Highland. They're a great team, hats off to them but our team really stepped up today."

The 6-foot-8, 240-pounder is already very skilled. Mooney has nice touch around the rim, good footwork and he can handle the ball well for his position. Today he got wherever he wanted on the floor, caught what was thrown to him and scored with a variety of post moves. Something that catches your eye about Mooney is how well he passes the ball and sees the floor.

"We challenged him today," said Lake Brantley head coach Mike Cuff. "This was a game where he had to go to work, they didn't have anybody that could match up with his size so the game plan was to go to him early and get him involved."

It helped that Mooney, who didn't play with his Nike Team Florida travel team in July due to an appendectomy, missed time in the fall when he came down with mononucleosis and had an early season injury; is 100 percent healthy.

"He missed five games because of an ankle," Cuff said. "We built some chemistry without him then he comes back and we play Oviedo at Oviedo, then we play The First Academy and then OCP the next day so it's like 'Welcome back John' we were playing the toughest part of our schedule and these are his first games."

The performance at the Showdown in O'Town is just the latest double-double in a season where Mooney is averaging 17 points and 12 rebounds per game and says he's more focused than in his sophomore season.

"I think I'm stronger when it comes to not letting up," said Mooney. "Say I get down on a game last year or if we lose, this year I just keep my head level and play hard every night.

And even though he won't suit up for the Gators until 2016, that's a role Mooney hopes to fill in Gainesville. Florida has struggled to get consistent front court play this season.

Coach Billy Donovan "tells me to keep working hard. I can't wait to get up there for my freshman year," said Mooney.

With the win, Lake Brantley improved to 12-4 on the season. Mooney feels the Patriots can make some noise in the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) playoffs.

"I think we can go as far as we want to go."

Russ Wood is a contributing national basketball recruiting analyst for Inside the Gators & Rivals. You can click here to follow him on Twitter.