As a Big 5 newbie, the sky is the limit for Drexel and its sophomore guard Justin Moore
All eyes are on the Archbishop Wood grad and his Dragons teammates amid an offseason of major changes.
Last year, there were two players named Justin Moore among Philly-area teams in Division I college basketball.
This year, there now are two in the Big 5.
Both new Big 5 member Drexel and Villanova boast a player with the same name — but with vastly different roles on their respective teams. The Main Line Moore is entering his final year, with many hoops experts eyeing him as an NBA draft prospect.
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Head east on the same stretch of Lancaster Avenue, and you’ll find Drexel’s Moore coming off a year in which he made the Colonial (now Coastal) Athletic Association all-rookie team and proved that he’s a key piece of the plan for Dragons head coach Zach Spiker.
Moore, who attended Archbishop Wood, was the spark at the point for a team that finished 17-15 overall but had a 12-3 record at home. Drexel was fueled by Moore, who averaged 9.6 points but let it be known that he can go for much more — like in his game-high 21 points in a memorable overtime win against rival Delaware at the Daskalakis Athletic Center in January. He also was a key player in Drexel reaching the semifinals of the CAA tournament last season before falling to UNC Wilmington.
The team “key player” might be understating Moore, who noted that when he first arrived on campus he was expected to take on a leading role from the outset.
“When I first came in, [the coaches] wanted me to be a leader from the jump, have a voice, and be vocal,” Moore said during a recent interview with The Inquirer in which he got to meet his now-Big 5 counterpart with the same name. “I feel like I’ve been pretty consistent. As I’m going through the season, my confidence is growing. So just having [the team] have confidence in me and just going out there knowing that they have my back, it makes everything way easier.”
Drexel rolls into its season with a lot of eyes on them from multiple angles. For starters, the Dragons are no longer on the outside of the fishbowl when it comes to being part of the Big 5, and how they performs in their Big 5 and season opener against La Salle on Tuesday (6:30 p.m., ESPN+) will explain a lot.
From a conference standpoint, Drexel was picked to finish third in the CAA and received a first-place vote. Top that off with senior forward Amari Williams winning CAA Preseason Player of the Year honors — the first Dragon to earn the distinction — and there’s a lot of excitement around this Drexel squad.
» READ MORE: Drexel’s Amari Williams named CAA preseason player of the year
“Every day at practice, we try to keep a mindset that nobody believes in us and we’re trying to work to get to the end,” Moore said. “[This is exciting, but] we haven’t accomplished anything yet, really. So that’s that’s the mindset we got to keep.”
In addition to Moore, the Dragons return 14 players from last season’s roster, along with incoming freshman Horace Simmons, the 6-foot-6 All-Catholic League forward from La Salle College High.
Moore was in Simmons’ shoes last season. A local recruit playing minutes from home could lead to distraction. But when it comes to how to handle that, it was Villanova’s Moore who offered some sage advice.
“You want to keep family and friends close to you, but, at the same time, not letting outside circles really affect who you are or your game,” he said. “Use it as motivation, though. Not everyone gets a chance to to play in front of your family and friends and stuff, so just focus on that and let that be motivation. But yeah, not letting the outside people affect what you’re trying to do is important — it’s all about you right now.”
On Tuesday, it’ll be all about Moore and the Dragons as they embark on their season. Also at top of mind likely will be the passing of former teammate Terrence Butler, who died tragically on campus in August. The program and school have remained silent on the matter, but he hasn’t been forgotten by the coaches, teammates, and friends who knew him.
College basketball’s opening day is Monday. Join us all day and night for live coverage as we celebrate the start of the season for the Big 5 programs plus the debut of fabulous freshmen from the Philly area.