Published: April 28, 2009 11:16 pm           

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Niagara welcomes transfer from Wilmington

The Niagara Purple Eagles have bolstered their backcourt for the 2010-11 season and beyond with the addition of Kevon Moore, a transfer from UNC Wilmington.

Moore was granted permission to contact other schools last month, and gave Niagara coach Joe Mihalich a verbal commitment after visiting Monteagle Ridge last weekend, according to his high school coach.

Moore also revealed his transfer plans on his Facebook page.

Mihalich was unable to comment Tuesday because Niagara had yet to receive any official paperwork from Moore. Until that happens, Moore’s commitment is non-binding.

Attempts to reach Moore on his cell phone were unsuccessful.

Per NCAA transfer rules, Moore will have to sit out the upcoming season. When he becomes eligible, Niagara will be seeking to replace starting guards Tyrone Lewis, Bilal Benn and Rob Garrison, as well as sixth man Demetrius Williamson — more than two-thirds of its scoring output from this past season.

Moore played in 27 games as a freshman, starting five times. After missing five games with hip and groin injuries early on, he came on to average 9.1 points, fourth-best on the team, and 4.1 rebounds in 23 minutes. In both meetings with eventual Colonial Athletic Association champion Virginia Commonwealth, Moore scored 17 points. He finished sixth in the CAA all-rookie team voting.

Mike Glick, head coach at Baltimore-area Archbishop Spalding High, where Moore played three seasons before finishing his high school career at Montrose Christian, called the 6-foot-3 left-hander “a perfect fit for Niagara.”

“He’s a multi-purpose guard,” said Glick, who coached Rudy Gay, among other top prospects, at Spalding. “He’s got the ability to play the point guard and the two guard positions. He’s a very athletic player, a slasher with a nice pull-up jumpshot.”

Glick also noted that Moore brings a 3.3 grade point average to Niagara.

“He’s a quiet kid who is all about ball,” Glick said. “He lives, eats and breathes basketball.”

E-mail reporter Jonah Bronstein at 282-2311, ext. 2258.