BIO: Ramone Edward Moore Jr. was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (USA) where he attended South Philadelphia High School, the alma mater of basketball players Nate Blackwell and Lionel Simmons. As a junior, he was named All-Philadelphia Public League honorable mention before leading the Philadelphia Public League in scoring as a senior. Moore would also earn the Public League MVP that season as well.

FAMILY: The son of Ramone Moore, Sr. and Stephanie Pugh.

NBL EXPERIENCE

Ramone Moore made his NBL debut with the Melbourne United at 27 years of age. He scored nine points in his first game.

With the NBL allowing three import players per team this season, Melbourne United reshaped their roster by replacing Stephen Holt and Hakim Warrick with Cedric Jackson, Ramone Moore, and Devin Williams. They also added Tai Wesley (via New Zealand), who was able to sign as a local under the Asian player rule, and brought in David Anderson (via Europe) to replace Daniel Kickert (who moved to Sydney).

In Dean Demopoulos’ second season as head coach, United got off to a shaky start, posting a 3-7 record. Cedric Jackson (10.0 points, 4.9 rebounds, 5.6 assists, and 1.4 steals) was quickly shown the door, largely due to a poor attitude and failure to buy into the team’s defensive principles. Casper Ware was signed as his replacement, and his arrival immediately changed the team’s trajectory.

Chris Goulding (17.0 points, 2.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.0 steals), who missed six games with ankle issues, began finding his form at this time, and David Barlow (5.1 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 1.3 assists) made his return after being sidelined for two years due to a calf injury.

With Ware (22.1 points, 4.5 assists, and 1.3 steals) leading the charge, and the roster finally healthy, United managed to win 10 of their last 18 games. Although the team was still in playoff contention, Devin Williams (3.2 points and 4.0 rebounds) was cut after 16 games following growing frustration from media and fans over his lack of production. Josh Boone (10.1 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks) was brought in as his replacement, quickly establishing himself as the league’s top rebounder, cleaning up missed shots from Ware and Goulding.

During the season, Ramone Moore (10.1 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 2.0 assists) suffered a calf injury, which saw him miss eight games. Injury replacement Lasan Kromah was brought in but struggled to make an impact, scoring just three points on 14% shooting in three games before being released as it became evident he wasn’t an improvement on Moore’s production.

Demopoulos struggled to manage player relationships, and by the end of the season, it was publicly known that his relationship with certain players had become strained. A divide between the team’s veterans and Demopoulos’ competitive coaching style contributed to United’s inability to replicate their previous season’s success. The team finished in sixth place with a 13-15 record, and both Demopoulos and the club mutually parted ways at the season’s end.

ADELAIDE 36ERS
2017/18
With the 36ers’ roster already championship-caliber, coach Joey Wright secured all eight core Australian players (Mitch Creek, Nathan Sobey, Daniel Johnson, Matthew Hodgson, Brendan Teys, Majok Deng, Anthony Drmic, and Adam Doyle) for another run. One major departure was star import Jerome Randle, who reportedly sought $300k per season, well beyond what Adelaide or other NBL teams were willing to pay. Randle opted to play in Turkey instead, and the 36ers replaced him with experienced guard Shannon Shorter.

To round out the roster, the team added shooting guard Ramone Moore (via Melbourne) and forward Ronald Roberts as imports.

Adelaide started the season with momentum, winning the 2017 Merlion Cup in Singapore, defeating the Shanghai Sharks in the final. However, the season began with challenges as Roberts was released due to a ‘knee injury’ just before the season tipped off, despite Roberts claiming he was fully fit. Veteran forward Alan Wiggins was signed as a replacement but suffered a broken arm in his debut, leading Adelaide to bring in former Sydney Kings star Josh Childress.

Despite these early setbacks, Adelaide’s season was marked by inconsistency. The team struggled to maintain form in their first 16 games, winning only half. Meanwhile, Randle, who had left Turkey due to contract issues, inquired about returning to the 36ers, but with the roster already set, he instead signed with the Sydney Kings.

Injuries continued to affect the squad, with Mitch Creek ruled out for three weeks in December due to a hamstring injury, and Anthony Drmic (6.6 points and 2.7 rebounds) suffering a knee injury, sidelining him for the same period.

Ramone Moore, who would later be named the NBL’s Best Sixth Man, had a standout season, highlighted by a career-high 27 points against New Zealand in December. He finished with averages of 11.6 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.6 assists.

After a 19-point home loss to Cairns on Christmas Eve, the 36ers turned their season around, winning 10 of their last 12 games, including a seven-game winning streak, to finish second on the ladder.

In the semifinals, Adelaide dismantled third-ranked Perth, handing them a historic 109–74 defeat in Game 1. The 36ers then edged Perth in Game 2 (89–88), led by Josh Childress’ 25 points and 10 rebounds, to advance to the Grand Final.

In the Grand Final series against Melbourne United, Casper Ware dominated Game 1 with 20 points before an injury forced him out. Chris Goulding stepped up, scoring 26 points, as United took Game 1 (107-96). Daniel Johnson (18 points) and Mitch Creek (14 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 assists) were Adelaide’s top scorers.

Adelaide tied the series in Game 2 (110-95), with Majok Deng (18 points), Mitch Creek, and Ramone Moore (both 17 points) leading the way. However, Josh Childress went down with a shoulder injury, ruling him out of the remaining games.

Game 3 saw tensions rise when Nathan Sobey was ejected after a scuffle with Casey Prather. United ultimately won the game (101-98), with Casper Ware (25 points), Prather (23 points), and Goulding (15 points) sealing the win. Adelaide responded with a dominant Game 4 win (90-81), led by Daniel Johnson (29 points and 10 rebounds).

In the deciding Game 5, Melbourne triumphed (100-82), with Ware and Goulding scoring 23 points each, and Prather adding 19 points, 11 rebounds, and 5 steals. Goulding was named Finals MVP after averaging 16.6 points in the series.

2018/19
After narrowly missing the championship, Adelaide faced a rebuilding phase, losing key players, including second-leading scorer Mitch Creek, who left for the NBA. Other notable departures included Shannon Shorter (to Japan), Josh Childress (retirement), and Matthew Hodgson (to Brisbane).

To rebuild, Adelaide signed import Jacob Wiley (via Germany) to replace Creek and added point guard Adris De León to fill the backcourt. Rising stars Harry Froling and Jack McVeigh were also signed straight out of college.

Despite these changes, Adelaide retained key players, including Nathan Sobey, Majok Deng, and Ramone Moore, while Daniel Johnson took over as team captain.

Adelaide’s season started with a loss to Perth (91-99), but they rebounded with a win over Sydney (94-83). However, they struggled with consistency, losing four consecutive games starting in Round 3. Injuries to key players like Ramone Moore further disrupted their momentum. De León was released after failing to turn the team’s fortunes, and Demitrius Conger was signed as his replacement.

Despite the challenges, Ramone Moore had a solid season, averaging 9.2 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 4.3 assists. His best performances included a 22-point game against Illawarra and an 18-point effort against New Zealand.

Adelaide hovered between fourth and fifth place for much of the season but ultimately missed the playoffs, finishing with a 14-14 record. Despite strong individual performances, the team’s inconsistency prevented them from making a top-four finish.

2019/20
During the 2019/20 season, Moore averaged 7.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.6 assists, helping the 36ers to a seventh-place finish (12-16). He became the first import to play three consecutive seasons with Adelaide since Willie Farley (2005-2007).

Ramone Moore played four seasons in the NBL, playing for both the Melbourne United and the Adelaide 36ers. He averaged 9.7 points, 3 rebounds, and 2.7 assists in 91 NBL games.

Dan Boyce (823 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.