That was then. Not only has he survived, he's thrived. He leads the Owls (13-5, 2-2 Atlantic 10) in scoring, with a 17.2 average, heading into tonight's game at Charlotte (10-8, 2-3). But it goes way beyond the points. He has worked hard to make himself into a complete player and leader.
In short, he has grown up. If college is supposed to be the biggest learning experience of your life, then Moore's journey is certainly a prime example. Not that he really had much choice. That's what happens when you find out just before your final season at Southern High, where you're about to become the Public League Player of the Year, that you're also about to become a father.
"It was October of 2006," he recalled. "I was 17. [The mother] told me because she was scared to tell her mom, but she had to tell someone. So I told my mom. Then we had a meeting, with both parents. It wasn't too bad. I thought it was going to be even worse. They just said it was something we had to take care of, that there would be responsibilities and we had to prepare for stuff like that.
"We've had lots of help. I mean, I'm not always able to be there for her. It's hard dealing with the academics, the basketball and my family. But I put that on myself. College is something much different than high school. I'm just thankful that people understood what I was going through, and were there for me. I'm just trying to better myself, for [his daughter Simone].
"When I get to see her, hug her, little things like that, that's the best feeling."
He remains friends with Simone's mother, who is going to school herself. But as Moore said, it wasn't easy, especially at first. He redshirted as a freshman, to give himself more of a transitionary cushion. When he finally got on the court, he didn't disappoint. That was before he became an academic casualty.
