Moore Moved By Hawkeyes Visit
Iowa heads into this season with two senior point guards. While that is comforting for the upcoming campaign, it leaves a huge void beyond it.
The scenario is attractive for lead guards in the 2016 Class. One of them, Chicago’s Charlie Moore, likes the roster situation in Iowa City.
"That’s interesting to me because when I first come in there that means I could play right away," he said.
Moore received a closer look at the setup on Saturday when he unofficially visited Iowa.
"It was a great visit. It was a family atmosphere there and I had a great time with the Iowa coaching staff," he said.
The Hawkeye coaches have built a relationship with the 5-foot-10, 160-pound spark plug over time. They offered him a scholarship in the spring and getting him on campus indicated that they’re firmly in the mix for his services.
"They showed me how their program is run and how they play. They said that I fit their style perfectly. I can get out in transition. I can slow it down. I can take the ball out of bounds and just make plays for them," he said.
Moore, who runs with the Mac Irvin Fire and Morgan Park High, is listed as a three-star recruit by Rivals. He reports other scholarship offers from Georgia Tech, Illinois, Memphis, Mississippi, Nevada and St. John’s.
Iowa Head Coach Fran McCaffery has taken a hands-on approach with Moore. The two sat down for an extended meeting on Saturday.
"He just talked to me about how I could fit into the program and come in an play right away. We watched a video with Mike Gesell and the other point guard (Anthony Clemmons). He showed me how I could fit in just like those guys," Moore said.
Moore paced Mac Irvin in scoring (15.4 PPG) and assists (4.4) during the spring EYBL session. The team reached the Peach Jam Finals to be played next month in Georgia.
Iowa is expected to be Moore’s last campus visit before the July AAU evaluation period with the Fire. He’s glad he took it.
"We rode around and saw the campus. We checked out the practice facility and I saw the arena. It’s a great campus, a great town. It was just a great opportunity for me. I was just blessed to be on the Iowa campus," he said.
Moore said he spoke with Gesell, Chicago native Brandon Hutton and Jarrod Uthoff on Saturday. He asked for feedback on their Iowa experiences.
"They said it’s a great opportunity. They said they liked playing for Coach McCaffery and that’s he’s a great coach," Moore said.
Moore also visited Illinois last week. He said that he came away with similar feelings about the Illini and Hawkeyes.
"Both had great campuses. Both have a great coaching staff. I just enjoyed both of the visits so far. I’m just taking everything in stride right now and just trying to figure this thing out," he said.
Moore is not ready to decide anything yet, however.
"I’m just going to go through July and just give 110 percent out there on the court and try to win the Peach Jam with my team. After that, I’m going to think about taking some officials. I’m not sure yet when I’m going to do that," he said.
There’s a belief that Moore is favoring Iowa and Illinois and will pick between the two. He said he’s not there yet.
"I don’t have any leaders right now. I’m just taking everything in stride and just having fun with the process," he said.