BIO: Andre Moore was born in Chicago, Illinois (USA) and played for Carver High School in Chicago. He represented the school at the 1982 Tribune-McDonald’s Prep Cage Classic, where his City All-Star team lost to a Suburban All-Star team led by Kevin Duckworth. Moore led the city team with 17 points.

Later that year, he was named to the Illinois All-Star team, which defeated Indiana’s All-Stars in a game held in Gary, Indiana.

NBL EXPERIENCE

Andre Moore made his NBL debut with the Brisbane Bullets at 25 years of age. He scored 23 points in his first game.

In 1990, Moore was spotted by Brisbane coaching staff whilst they were scouting CBA talent for potential import players.

“Unbeknownst to me, there were two scouts from the Brisbane Bullets in the crowd. They had come to recruit a player on the opposing team. I outplayed him and we won easily. My coach came to me after the game and said that there were two guys from a place called Briz-bane that want to talk to you. It’s in Australia.” Moore said.

The Brisbane Bullets entered the season with a new-look team as they looked to rebound from their dismal eighth-placed finish in ’89, which saw the Bullets miss the playoffs for the first time under coach Brian Kerle. Only three of the 13 players who wore a Bullets singlet the previous year returned – Leroy Loggins, Robert Sibley, and Greg Fox.

Those exiting included captain Larry Sengstock and Ron Radliff, who had been with the team for eight and seven seasons, respectively, leaving to join the new Queensland expansion team, the Gold Coast Cougars and second-year guard Rodger Smith, joining them. John Dorge (to Geelong), Darren Perry (to Eastside), and Dan Clausen (to Adelaide) all headed elsewhere. Greg Giddings, Shane Edwards and import Winston Crite were not offered a contract to return, and Danny Morseu retired.

Loggins, who was used with mixed success in the off-guard spot the previous season, reverted to his more familiar and preferred small forward position. Moore and Sibley headed up a frontline that also included comeback player Chris McGraw and young Melbourne pair Paul Rees and Craig Adams, with locals Steve McLeod and Chris Clarkson making up the 12-man list. In a flash, the Bullets went from the oldest team in the league, a average age of 26.5 years, to probably the youngest at 23.1 years.

Together with new imports Derek Rucker (33.0 points, 3.6 rebounds, 6.7 assists, and 2.6 steals) and Andre Moore (26.9 points, 12.6 rebounds, and 1.3 steals), the Bullets revamped roster saw them finish in third place (18-8) and reach the grand final. There, they would face Perth in a rematch of the 1987 series.

Brisbane lost the opening game in Perth (112–106) before levelling the series in game two (106–90) in front of the largest crowd in NBL history at that time. 13,221 fans filled the Brisbane Entertainment Centre to watch the Bullets even the series (1-1), the attendance number remaining the largest grand final crowd played outside of Melbourne until 2013.

Game three was held in front of a near-equal crowd of (13,159), but this time, the Bullets would fall short (86–109), losing to Perth, who would win their first NBL championship.

Brian Kerle was the recipient of the Coach of the Year award for the second time, and Brisbane would become the first team to have three players, Rucker, Moore and Loggins (33.0 points, 3.6 rebounds, 6.7 assists and 2.6 steals) selected to the All-NBL First Team, something which has never been replicated since. Rucker, additionally, won the league’s MVP award, becoming the second Bullets player to do so.

1991
In 1991, Moore averaged 23.5 points, 12.2 rebounds, and 1.8 assists, playing a key role in the Bullets rotation, helping the team finish in tenth place (13-13).

1992
The 1992 season saw Moore average 20.3 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 1.8 assists and play a key role in helping the Bullets to a seventh place finish in the regular season (12-12).

1993
In 1993, Brisbane replaced long-time coach Brian Kerle with Bruce Palmer, who had previously led the North Melbourne Giants to the 1989 championship. Under Palmer’s tutelage, the Bullets finished the season winning 50% of their games (same as the previous year under Kerle) and made it to the semi finals before being eliminated in two straight games by Dwayne McClain, and the Sydney Kings.

Moore averaged 21.2 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 1.9 assists alongside Leroy Loggins (23.2 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 3.1 assists) who led the team in scoring.

1994
Moore (17.1 points, 9 rebounds, and 1.8 assists) helped guide the Bullets to a fourth-place finish in the regular season with a 18-8 record.

After upsetting Adelaide in the quarterfinals opener in overtime, they would lose back-to-back games, ending their season early. NBL coaches recognised the efforts of the 36-year-old Loggins (25.7 points and 7.1 rebounds, and 3.6 assists), with him being named to his ninth and final All-NBL First team.

HOBART DEVILS
1995
By 1995 Hobart was struggling financially, and coach Bill Tomlinson would continually struggle to maintain a roster with his younger talent being snapped up by richer team’s while his veteran players were retiring. Anthony Stewart (Perth) and imports Lamont Middleton and Calvin Talford (both Europe) were not retained from the previous season as all three received more lucrative offers elsewhere. Wayne McDaniel retired, as did Keith Nelson, after a severe knee injury. Veteran point guard Darren Perry, who himself was still recovering from a ACL injury, was the only player from the team’s fully contracted roster to return in 1995.

Tomlinson would add Jerome Scott and veteran big man Andre Moore from Brisbane as the team’s import players.

The team would be led by Scott (23.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.4 assists) and Moore (17.8 points and 10.6 rebounds) while Moore added 17.8 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 2.2 assists over the course of a difficult season where the team managed only four wins for the entire year. The only bright spots that season was the emergence of rookies Darren Smith (12.0 points, 4.9 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 1.3 steals), and David Stiff (15.3 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.7 blocks), who would win the league’s Rookie of the Year award at season’s end.

CAIRNS TAIPANS
1999/00
In 1999, Moore became a Australian citizen and after spending a number of seasons in the state leagues, he was able to recieve a second chance in the NBL at 35 years of age as a local player. Moore averaged 7.9 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 0.5 assists as the Taipans finished a record of 2-26.

2000/01
In 2000/01, Moore averaged 5.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 0.4 assists, adding veteran leadership from the bench and helping the team finish in ninth place (6-22).

Andre Moore played eight seasons across three NBL teams. This included the Brisbane Bullets, Hobart Devils and Cairns Taipans. He averaged 17.8 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in 226 NBL games.

CAREER RANKINGS:
– 43rd in total rebounds
– 25th in total blocks

Dan Boyce (833 Posts)

Dan Boyce is a die-hard Sydney Kings fan who grew up in Melbourne during the roaring 90's of Australian Basketball and spent far too much time collecting Futera NBL Basketball cards.