Severn School senior Mo Terry gives a lot of himself to help others, aside from all the time he spends on basketball. He ranked as one of the better players in the county this past winter, plays AAU in the offseason, and will suit up in college.
Terry is primarily involved in helping people both by mentoring young students through school organizations and by serving homeless and underprivileged people without the basic necessities of life. “I love to help people,” Terry says. “I am a people person.”
He says people tell him that: “I talk to everybody. I try to get to know everybody at my school. And I do. When I see people in need, I feel it’s my calling. I always try to put a smile on faces. That’s who I am.”
What recently gave Terry the most satisfaction was a 10-day mission trip he took to Mexico in mid-April through Bridgeway Community Church of Columbia. To prepare for the trip, he helped feed and clothe homeless people in Baltimore. In Mexico, Terry aided in building churches, homes, and feeding the poor.
He also focuses on helping students who may need some guidance at his school. He’s a member of Senior Prefect, which is similar to a student council, and he is president of the Multicultural Student Alliance. “I have 10 to 12 freshmen I mentor,” says Terry, noting that he also tutors elementary and middle school students.
Terry has also enjoyed singing in the school choir the past four years. “My family always had a thing for singing, and I always pushed them away from me,” Terry explains. “I saw it at my church and I saw the great energy they had. Once I tried it, I got better at it, and I realized I can sing. I actually enjoy it now because I became good.”
Severn first-year Boys Basketball Coach Mike Glasby admires Terry for the leadership he shows at school. “He just doesn’t want to be known as a basketball player,” Glasby says. “He wants to be known as someone who contributes in a lot of different ways. He wants to be a leader amongst his peers, do the right thing, and set a good example for those who are watching him. He is just a great person who has high character.”
Glasby raves about Terry as a basketball player, too. He was one of the most improved players in the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association B Conference this past winter.
The 6-foot-2, 216-pound combo guard averaged 7.8 points and 3.5 assists per game as a junior, but boosted totals to 17.1 points and 5.1 rebounds in 2019 as the Admirals went 15-12 and reached the conference semifinals.
Terry could sink a three-pointer, blow by a defender for an easy layup, or hit free throws late in a game to help protect a lead. “We needed someone to fill the offensive void after losing 2,000-point scorer LJ Owens,” Glasby says. “Mo did an excellent job as far as working on his game in the summer and preseason.”
Glasby also values Terry for his defense and on-court leadership. He served as team co-captain. “He was a positive and calming influence on the team, and a guy the younger players relied upon,” the coach says. “And he guarded the other team’s best player on a nightly basis.”
Terry had some memorable games. He scored 29 points against Archbishop Curley, and finished with 27 versus two Virginia schools, Shores Christian Academy and Norfolk Collegiate School. “He did a great job in the clutch as far as making a lot of tough baskets,” Glasby says.
Terry is preparing for college basketball. Pennsylvania’s Lycoming College, Washington & Jefferson College, and Northwestern State University in Louisiana top his list. He has been working out four to five hours a day to prepare for college basketball, which involves working out before and after school. “I am working out way more than I ever have,” Terry said.