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Blue Devil Moore commits to Auburn

Blue Devil Moore commits to Auburn

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West Memphis hoops star taking talents to the SEC

WM School District Chris Moore said that the recruiting process was so difficult for him that he didn’t even make his college basketball decision until about 10 a.m. on Saturday.

Which was only four-anda- half hours before he was to make his decision public in a ceremony at the Academies of West Memphis’ Performing Arts Center.

The game-themed program, coordinated by Tywanna Inmon-Smith, featured a warm-up, four quarters and finally the decision that all of West Memphis was waiting to hear.

After a few brief words, Moore reached behind him, pulled out an Auburn cap and fitted it over his head.

The announcement brought elation to family and friends, but disappointment to Arkansas and University of Memphis fans who attended the event, including a couple of Razorback fans who traveled all the way from Fayetteville to attend the ceremony.

Coach Penny Hardaway and the Memphis Tigers were the first college to offer the Blue Devil standout a scholarship. And Moore very well may have ended up signing with the Tigers had Hardaway and his squad not been flagged for an NCAA rules violation that is still pending involving freshman center James Wiseman, who was deemed ineligible after his family accepted $11,500 from Hadaway for moving expenses from Nashville to Memphis.

The NCAA ruled Hardaway a Memphis booster because in 2008 he donated $1 million to the school to build the Penny Hardaway Hall of Fame on campus.

The decision was “so difficult,” said Moore.

“It took this morning for me to make the decision because there was so much, I gotta stay home and play for Penny Hardaway, or stay in state and be the man,” said Moore. “All in all I thought about what was best for me. For once I made the decision to be selfish.”

Moore said the U of M’s pending NCAA issues was a factor.

“It was a factor in the beginning, but Coach Penny broke it down for me,” Moore explained. “I trust Penny. He’s a great coach, a great guy.”

Moore got a final visit from Hardaway and Tiger assistant coach Tony Madlock on Friday night.

“He convinced me he has his players’ backs, but it came too late,” Moore said of Hardaway addressing the NCAA issues. “It did hinder me from picking them because as a basketball player you don’t want to be with all the — I don’t want to say drama and all that.”

Moore’s brother, Blue Devil assistant coach Alvin Hawkins, said he and Chris are glad the recruiting process is over, saying that Moore’s performance on the court could have been affected by the decision.

Moore scored just 10 points apiece in the Blue Devils’ first two games, a preseason contest against Bartlett and in the regular- season opener against Little Rock Mills.

“I think it’s going to be a relief for Chris because his first two games I think he played with a lot on his mind,” said Hawkins. “I think you’ll see him turn into the regular Chris that we’re used to seeing.”

The Blue Devils play at home Tuesday night against Little Rock Parkview.

Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl finally landed a player he recruited from West Memphis. Pearl has recruited West Memphis before, working on former Blue Devil Sonny Weems when Pearl was head coach at the University of Tennessee.

And, Pearl recruited former Blue Devils Jason Henry and Anthony Borden, but landed neither of them after all three signed with Arkansas.

Pearl worked Moore hard and had the advantage of giving a lasting message when the Blue Devil forward used his final visit two weeks ago at Auburn.

“It feels like a home away from home,” Moore said of Auburn.

Pearl, who led his Tigers to the Final Four last season, will use the West Memphian as a hybrid small forward, stretch-four player.

“They plan to use me in mis-matches, being probably not the number one (scoring) option, but the number two or top three for sure,” Moore said.

“Bruce Pearl is a great coach, but an even better guy. He loves my family and is very warm-hearted.

One of the best coaches I’ve ever met.

“What Coach Pearl will allow me to do is give me freedom to create and use all my talents. He won’t get upset at me for taking a bad shot once in a while.”

Moore’s current coach, Marcus Brown, also went through a somewhat controversial recruiting process his senior year at West Memphis in 1992. Ironically, in that instance, the Tigers also lost out when then-head coach Larry Finch mistook Marcus for another Brown (Paul) who played for the Blue Devils and head coach Larry Bray. Marcus insists Auburn is getting a steal.

“We’re just super excited for Chris. It’s a great day to be a Blue Devil and a West Memphis alum,” said Brown. “Coach Pearl is known for putting players who have Chris’ skill set to good use. I have no doubt Chris will be a good SEC player. Big props to all the guys who recruited him, but Auburn ends up with the prize. Chris will be playing against big-time talent and he’ll be playing with big-time talent with Auburn. They got a point guard over there in Shareef Cooper who can flat-out go. It’s going to be fun, it’s going to be entertaining, they are going to be up and down the court.”

Brown was asked by outof- town media what people who have never seen Moore play will see.

“Never seen him?” Brown replied. “Man you’ve missed something.”

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