Biography
By Jim Hague
He might be the shortest player listed on the Rutgers-Newark men’s basketball roster, but there’s no bigger man on campus than sophomore guard Greg Moore.
Moore is listed at 5-foot-9. He insists to a lot of people that he’s more like 5-11. Rutgers-Newark head coach Joe Loughran kids with Moore all the time, saying he’s much shorter.
“He always tells me that I’m the smallest shooting guard in the NJAC (New Jersey Athletic Conference),” Moore said of Loughran’s jabs. “He’s always calling me short.”
“He wants to say he’s 5-11, but we all know what he is,” Loughran said.
“Hey, I know I grew an inch over this offseason,” Moore said. “Maybe I’m 5-9.”
Maybe. But there’s no doubting Moore’s impact, both on and off the floor, at R-N. Moore is one of the more popular guys at the school.
“He’s not only well liked by our team, but he’s well liked all around the campus,” Loughran said. “He’s cordial, he’s funny. He has a great personality and he’s not afraid to talk to anyone. Everyone loves Greg Moore.”
“That’s just who I am,” Moore said. “I like to get along with everyone and I like being around people. I also think I’m a pretty funny guy.”
But Moore’s ability to shoot the basketball is no laughing matter.
Moore, a native of Jersey City, made a huge splash as a freshman a year ago, contributing right away for the Scarlet Raiders. He also made the biggest shot of the year, draining a nearly 30-foot jumper with less than a second remaining to give the Scarlet Raiders a dramatic 58-57 victory over Montclair State, propelling the Scarlet Raiders to their first-ever New Jersey Athletic Conference championship appearance.
“That was the best feeling I ever had,” Moore said. “It was the shot that put Rutgers-Newark into the championship. In fact, it was the greatest feeling ever. I couldn’t believe I made it. I didn’t even have time to react. I just caught it and shot it. It was all instinct.”
And it went in, much like many of Moore’s long-range shots last season. Moore made 38 of 111 3-point attempts last year, good for nearly 35 percent, averaging nearly six points per game. For his efforts, he was named as R-N’s Male Rookie Athlete of the Year.
Moore almost never made it to Rutgers-Newark. He said he was all set to go to Ramapo instead.
But Moore remembered that associate head coach Bill Zasowski spent many a night watching Moore in high school, first at the storied St. Anthony program and later at Bayonne High.
“Billy played a huge role in me coming to Rutgers-Newark,” Moore said. “There were times that he was around me so much that I felt he was living my life with me. Because of the care they showed for me, I decided it was a better fit for me to come to Rutgers.”
“Billy was definitely committed to him,” Loughran said. “But I also knew Greg’s background and I knew that he was a tough kid who could shoot the ball and could defend.”
Since Moore’s arrival, Loughran couldn’t be happier.
“He brings so much to the table,” Loughran said. “He’s been tremendous. His whole demeanor, the way he carries himself. He works his tail off in the classroom. If my entire team was filled with kids like Greg Moore, I would never have a problem.”
Moore knows that his role was slated to increase tremendously this season and he worked hard to get ready.
“I knew that I was going to play more and I needed to step up,” Moore said. “I had a lot on me as a freshman, but I knew that it would increase this year. I worked hard to get ready and I was willing to do anything.”
However, Moore’s performance may be hindered a little by a back problem.
“Last year, he had a cracked rib and that slowed him a little,” Loughran said. “This year, it’s the back. But we can’t wait to get him back.”
“It’s been very frustrating,” Moore said. “I was all set to begin the season and then this happens. Hopefully, I’ll get back on the court as soon as possible. I want to prove to people that last year wasn’t a fluke, because a lot of people said what we did was a fluke.”
Moore’s shooting ability certainly isn’t. In fact, it’s pretty remarkable considering Moore’s stature.
“He can shoot the long range shot and it’s legit range,” Loughran said. “He’s a very strong kid. If you’re going to be that size, you have to be able to shoot it well from the perimeter and Greg can certainly do that. It makes up for his lack of size.”
“When I’m making shots, the team gets amped up and the crowd does,” Moore said. “I love when that happens. Most teams don’t think I can make those shots, so I use that to my advantage.”
Moore has just decided that he will major in criminal justice at Rutgers-Newark.
“I thought at first I wanted to major in business, but I decided criminal justice,” said Moore, who said he wouldn’t mind trying to become a state trooper when his playing days are done. “I like criminal justice. I think police officers are taken for granted, but they really help a lot of people and I like that idea. I want to give back and help people.”
Just like Moore is helping the basketball program at R-N with every long-range bomb he connects on.
