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Persistence pays as Moore heads to OBU
By Kevin Hageland, Staff Writer
For recent Allen graduate Kris Moore, getting to play college basketball wasn’t about his size, speed or ball-handling abilities; it came down to his determination.
“Kris sent out a lot of tapes to different colleges,” said Jeff Higgins, Allen head coach. “Kris was so persistent because he knew he wanted to play college basketball.”
And that persistence paid off earlier this month as Moore signed to play basketball at Oklahoma Baptist University.
Moore sent a tape to Oklahoma Baptist and was invited to visit in April. During his tryout Moore said he took part in speed and agility drills, as well as 5-on-5 scrimmages.
Moore described his performance as “pretty good,” before adding, “But I could have done a lot better.”
The Bison staff was apparently impressed though as they expressed an interest in having Moore join the team. And the former Eagles guard left Shawnee with a positive impression as well.
“The school is not really big, and I like the old school look of the campus,” Moore said. “There are lots of trees around; it’s very calming.”
But while Moore enjoyed his visit to Oklahoma Baptist, he was also considering staying closer to home and attending the University of Dallas. The Bison subsequently offered a better scholarship package, which sealed the deal for Moore.
In Moore, Oklahoma Baptist will be getting a two-year letterman at Allen that was second on the team in assists and had the third-most three-pointers during the 2006-07 campaign. Moore was a co-captain last season, along with fellow senior Darius Bolling, and his former coach describes him as a leader on- and off-the-court.
“He was a quieter player, but he always led by example,” Higgins said. “Kris would always put the goals of the team before himself.”
That should suit Moore well as he heads to a school that went 21-11 last season and advanced to the second round of the NAIA National Tournament. The Bison also finished third in the Sooner Athletic Conference with a 12-6 mark.
Moore said he is willing to play point or shooting guard in college, “whatever the team wants me to do.” He may have to wait before getting significant playing time though as Oklahoma Baptist has four returning seniors at the guard positions.
But as evidenced by his final season at Allen, Moore can adjust to being a backup.
“Kris struggled a bit towards the end of the season, but he didn’t fold,” Higgins said. “Kris started coming off the bench for us and he really took that role in stride.”
Moore is still trying to make improvements over the summer in an attempt to garner as much playing time as possible. Moore has been spending his time working on ball-handling and quickness drills, while also attempting to improve his lower-body strength.
“Kris improved throughout his entire high school career and always spent a lot of time in the gym,” Higgins said. “His ball-handling has gotten better and he has always been able to shoot. Kris should be able to fit into anyone’s program.”
However, it isn’t just basketball that drew Moore to Shawnee, as he was also intrigued by the academics at Oklahoma Baptist. Moore said he plans to major in business, although he is not sure what specific field he wants to enter after graduation.
And while he has completed his time at Allen, Moore was still quick to praise the Eagles.
“I loved playing for Allen,” he said. “It was a great experience and I can’t thank my coaches and teammates enough for all the help they gave me.”
As for what his college career will hold.
“I’m not really sure,” Moore said. “But I love basketball and just wanted to keep on playing.”
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