Sports Philastrated

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. - As an 11-year-old, Mo'ne Davis already was dreaming of being on the cover of Sports Illustrated.

Now 13, that dream has come true . . . sort of.

She figured her nasty crossover dribble one day would get her on the SI cover, not her nasty fastball, which she used to shut out her last two Taney Little League opponents. Sure enough, though, it was the fastball that made her the first Little Leaguer to ever grace the cover of the nation's leading sports publication.

"A couple of years ago when I was reading it with my brother I wanted to be up there. I didn't know what sport," she said. "Now, it's baseball. Next, hopefully, it'll be me in a UConn jersey."

Mo'ne is the darling of the Little League World Series, the ace from Philly with a 70-mph fastball and Mach 3 charisma who will start tonight in the U.S. semifinal against Las Vegas.

In reality, though, she might be just as good at soccer. Unquestionably, she is best at basketball, her true love. She sports Kevin Durant's signature socks, shorts and sneakers, and she isn't shy about her allegiance to the nation's best collegiate program, either. In the chill Williamsport evenings she wears a Huskies hoodie.

Norristown native Geno Auriemma got wind of that, and rang her up Monday afternoon, which set the UConn nation atwitter.

"It was really fun" talking with Auriemma, she said. "I was actually very shocked and surprised at the same time. He told me he was watching the games. That I should keep that up. And that I needed to get a couple of hits."

She has one bloop single in Williamsport. Her basketball offense is much more formidable; Geno knows that, right?

"I don't know," Davis said. "But I do have a basketball video of me making a boy fall. The killer crossover, at the age of 9."

She just might take it to Auriemma in Storrs one day. Other UConn greats wouldn't mind, they told the Hartford Courant.

"While on vacation last week, I was watching her highlights with my 9-year-old daughter in one arm and my 8-year-old in the other," former UConn superstar Rebecca Lobo said. "But I'll want my 5-year-old son to watch, as well. It is good for both boys and girls to see that females, at a certain age, can compete in sports with the boys."

"Amazing," said Maya Moore, a former UConn great and a favorite of Mo'ne. "For me as a middle-schooler, I was just dreaming, trying to work hard, get on competitive teams so I could get better so I could have the future I wanted. I would ask her not to look too far ahead; dream, but always work and put yourself in a competitive environment and surround yourself with quality people that will look out for you. She has a lot of people excited about Little League and I just want her to keep having fun."

No worries there. NCAA rules prohibit Auriemma from publicly commenting on Mo'ne, but he has many high-profile advocates.

"I think it's awesome she wants to play in WNBA and go to UConn," said Swin Cash, another favorite of Mo'ne. "I would say, unless Geno messes up the home visit, you can count her in for the class of 2020 or something. But you would have to ask him about coaching someone more famous than him."

UConn is just the latest big name to shout out to Mo'ne.

From Shady McCoy to Lil Wayne, from Durant to first lady Michelle Obama, Mo'ne has electrified the country. LLWS rightsholder ESPN featured her and the team on "SportsCenter.'' Black Entertainment Television had her on yesterday, too.

Just another day, Mo?

"Pretty much, yeah," she said.

Still, as stylish as she is, with color-coordinated shorts and cleats, there still is more substance than style. She knows undefeated Vegas is a typically tough West representative comprised of year-round players who crush the ball. They have averaged more than 10 runs per game.

Not against her, they didn't.

"I don't know if they saw the greatest pitching," Mo'ne said. "So, hopefully, I'll bring my 'A' game."

She always does.

Taney assistant coach Reggie Cummings, outfielder Kai Cummings' father, took a line drive to the ribs in batting practice and hit the ground for 3 minutes. "It's OK," he said. "I've been hit in the neck, in the head, now the ribs." He finished the session without further incident . . . The on-site "SportsCenter'' crew tried to entice Taney into taking the ALS ice-bucket challenge on air. Taney agreed to the challenge, but at a later date.

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