So much Moore
By: Nate Crossman, Columnist (Blue
Ribbon Contributing Editor)
Photo Credit: Temple Univ. Sports Information
Many words could have been associated with Temple sophomore
guard Ramone Moore's college career prior to this season.
“Potential” would have been apropos, considering Moore
arrived to the Owls in 2007 as the reigning MVP of the prestigious
Philadelphia Public School League, but red-shirted his freshman
year to acclimate himself not with the physical rigors of college
basketball, but the academic rigors of college classrooms.
“Liability” might have fit at one time as well, as
he was ruled academically ineligible after 13 games last year.
This season, however, a new, more positive, word has emerged:
Proud.
When Temple, seeded fifth in the NCAA Tournament, takes on No.
12 Cornell Friday at 12:30 p.m. in Jacksonville, Fla., Moore will
be one of the keys to Temple advancing past the Big Red, a vogue
upset pick. Cornell possesses one of the best long-range shooters
in the country in Ryan Wittman, and a 7-foot center in Jeff Foote.
But they don't have a player who can consistently guard Moore, a
slashing scorer who rarely settles for outside shots. Moore, who
earlier this month was named the A-10's Sixth Man of the Year, is
fourth on the team with 7.5 points per game.
“I'm real proud of myself,” Moore said on Wednesday
after his team's first practice in Jacksonville, of his turnaround
season. “I got myself in order academically, and I'm
contributing to the team. It's a great feeling.”
It's fitting that Moore's renaissance occurred almost a year after
his career reached its low point.
After seeing sporadic minutes for the first half of the season,
Moore's playing time increased when sophomore guard Juan Fernandez
suffered a head injury against Fordham on Jan. 23. He played 29
minutes that night, scoring six points. Five games later, against
Richmond, Moore was in the starting line-up for Fernandez, who sat
out with lingering effects from his head injury. He scored 17 that
night, and remained in the starting line-up for four more
games.
During his five-game starting-line-up stint, Moore averaged 16.8
points per game. He scored a career-high 18 points on Feb. 17 in a
win over St. Bonaventure, then topped it three days later with 24
in an overtime win over Saint Joseph's. Against Saint Joe's, he
scored the game-tying basket with 1.5 seconds remaining in
regulation.
Since Fernandez' injury, Moore is averaging 13.3 points per game.
He's scored in double figures eight times, after accomplishing that
feat only three times prior to Fernandez' injury.
“I just tried to stay consistent,” Moore said of not
receiving much playing time the first half of the year. “Stay
ready and wait for them to all my number.
“Every game I gained confidence.”
Although it's easy to see Moore's maturity this year, some might
say it began during last year's A-10 tournament, despite the fact
he wasn't with the team. Instead of traveling with his team by bus
to the A-10 tournament, and watching from the bench, Moore traveled
by car with his parents, and watched from the stands. As his team
celebrated its A-10 championship last year, Moore watched. This
season, however, he was right in the middle of it.
Moore wouldn't mind at least one more celebration.
“We'll be ready,” Moore said of his team's match-up
with Cornell. “Our coaches have done a good job preparing
us.”
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