Mo with Rice Varsity and JV during Pre-Season Conditioning
From Harlem New York’s Young World Summer League Tournament to Rice High School excellence, Maurice “Mo” Hicks steams the talent and serves it hot for the New York City area. For more than 30 years, Hicks has treaded the asphalt and wood of the City with dignity and skill as a player, coach, and summer league tournament director. He learned the game from Coach Mike Mcllwain at Harlem’s Stone Gym and then went on to join a phenomenal Riverside Church team that featured future pro’s Ed Pickney and Chris Mullin. He’s one of the most respected high school coaches in America and is highly regarded for his dedication to the playground game. I interviewed Mo briefly to get his playground highlights.
Bounce: Who taught you how to play and respect the game?
Mo: Coach Mike McIllwane taught me alot about basketball conditioning and was teaching me weak side “D” principles when I was 12-years old.
Bounce: What’s the most you scored in a summer league game?
Mo: 42 points at Stone Gym as a biddie.
Bounce: How long have you run the Young World Tournament and what’s your favorite moment at the tournament?
Young World Player at Riverbank State Park
Mo: Since 1994. My favorite moment was the Kareem Reid-Ed Cota matchup. They were both going into their freshman years (Arkansas and North Carolina respectively) and they went at it. Kareem was in the backcourt with Alimoe and they played with Mousey’s Dream Team. I think that might have been Mousey’s first championship on the street.
Bounce: How much of your playground background has helped you as a coach?
Mo: Alot, Coach McIllwane’s principles and my strength and conditioning from college make up much of my philosophy as a Coach.
February 9th, 2009 at 12:26 am
Peter Robert Casey says:
Mo always produces a contender in the CHSAA. I have a high level of respect for his coaching ability, and more importantly, his character.
February 9th, 2009 at 11:01 am
Elliot Rosado says:
If you want to learn how to coach go watch Mo Hicks and his Rice team play. It does not matter if he is stacked with talent or he has an average team he gets the job done. And he convince kids that defense wins games which is hard to do these days.
February 9th, 2009 at 2:13 pm
alldayjay says:
I havent seen rice play in person but i can observe how he coaches while watching his team on T.V. alot I remember he coached in the jordan classic one time. and he started out in the Public league at Brandeis. in that 07 season he proved that you don’t need size to win championships and that year he did with a small line up full of guards, before losing the state federation title to Lincoln in a very close contest. i believe without him that program wouldn’t be where they are today
February 9th, 2009 at 2:20 pm
Sean Couch says:
Mo has had D-1 assistant jobs offered to him and has turned them down repeatedly. He turns out dedicated ballers who return every year to the playgrounds of the city to improve their games. Keydren Clark, Steve Burtt Jr, Andre Barrett, Kenny Sat, Corey Homicide, all top performers.
February 9th, 2009 at 2:52 pm
Charles Briggs says:
He teaches man to man defense like nobody else does. I agree with Elliot about talent level it doesnt matter at all.
February 9th, 2009 at 5:17 pm
Sean Couch says:
Over the years, the Rice teams have used the press as a weapon. The players understand simple defensive principles, and outwork their opponents. It starts with the coach.
Russell Robinson was the defensive player of the year in the Big 12 and playing overseas now. He personifies the Rice player in that they know defense.
May 13th, 2009 at 4:44 pm
Antonio J. Cannon says:
I am interested in getting contact information on the Young world summer league, Rucker summer league at Milbank, and any others I can register my 16 boys team for.. The kids are from Elizabeth, N.J…
I want to introduce them to the city game…
In closing, I never had the opportunity to thank Bounce Magazine for including the Kenny Anderson Summer Classic, as one the best summer leagues in one of their early issue dating back to time frame of 2000 -2003. I was the organizer and director of the competition at that time. Again thank you for any help you can give me with the Harlem youth summer basketball leagues…