WNCC men's basketball sign Papillion-La Vista's Trey Moore

 

               Western Nebraska Community College men's basketball coach Russ Beck inked one of the top scorers and assist leaders in the state of Nebraska Saturday after signing Papillion-La Vista's Trey Moore to a letter of intent.

               Moore, a 5-foot-10 point guard, was a Omaha World-Herald second-team all-Nebraska selection, averaging 16.4 points a game, seventh in Class A. He was also selected to the all-Metro first team. He also led the state in assists at seven a game and shot connected on 58 of 139 3-point shots for a 41.7 average (sixth in Class A). He was also an 85.8 percent free throw shooting (133-of-155),

               Moore played just one season at Papillion-La Vista after transferring from North Platte, where he played for three years. Papillion-La Vista made the best one-season turnaround ever in Class A, from 3-20 a year ago to 23-4 this season and a third place finish at the state basketball tournament.

               Moore said it wasn't hard to decide WNCC was the place to be after his visit to the campus on Saturday. He inked mid-afternoon. He said he wasn't looking at very many schools and had it narrowed to a few and WNCC won out.

               "This felt like the best fit for me. I like all the coaches and players here and I feel like we can be pretty good next year," Moore said. "I have a lot of family out and that was one of the reasons I decided to come here, but not the main reason."

               Beck said Moore is one of the truest point guards he has seen.

               "Just like Zach, Rich and Isaiah, he has been a part of a winning program. He has had the luxury of being coached by his dad for 19 years," Beck said. "He brings a lot of intangibles to the game. He understands how to play and he finds the open man. He is another winner and we are hopeful that we put enough guys with winning successful experience at the high school level together that when we combine it with the guys coming back, we will be successful. We are going to win because Trey is a winner and we are hopeful that trend will continue."

               With the signing of Moore on Saturday and Scottsbluff graduates Zach Clemens, Rich Williams and Isaiah Castellaw earlier last week, Beck will have five Nebraska players on the team with the return of Omaha's Cal McCoy. Beck said he recruits winners and it is nice to get the in-state stars to stay in-state.

               "I think we are doing a good job of getting the best kids here in Nebraska to be honest with you," he said. "We have a great coaching staff that helps us indentify these kids and they are very well connected. Like we said before, if we have character in our backyard or across the ocean, we just want the best kids possible. But it is exciting that with this year's class that there is this many talented basketball players here that can help us get to Hutch."

               Moore not only was a star on the basketball court, he also excelled on the football field and the soccer pitch. As a junior, Moore was all-state while at North Platte, while earning honorable mention honors this year. As for soccer, his team is ranked eighth in Class A with a 7-3 mark.

               Moore has been a part of the Nebraska Bison All-star traveling all-star team the past couple of years. In fact, Moore recent WNCC recruit and Scottsbluff graduate Zach Clemens have been teammates on that team.

               Moore also has been coached by his dad throughout his playing days. His dad, Dan, was the North Platte head boys basketball coach for 18 years before leaving to be an assistant at Papillion-La Vista last year. At North Platte, Dan Moore compiled a varsity record of 161-170, including taking several teams to the state tournament.

               As a junior at North Platte, Moore averaged 19.6 points, five rebounds, 7.8 assists and three steals a game. His career highs included 32 points against Lincoln Southwest, 11 rebounds against Lincoln Northstar, and 12 assists against Lincoln Southeast. He also had a 3.9 grade point average and earned academic all-state honors.

               Moore, who plans to major in criminal justice, said his goals next year includes  to get better and make it to Hutchinson for the national tournament. He also wants to work hard to get a change to play Division I basketball.