Bob Lutz: Emporia State’s Terrence Moore returns to a special place (+video)

Some of the best basketball moments of Terrence Moore’s life happened on the floor inside Koch Arena, but Saturday wasn’t one of them.

Moore, who played on four state championship teams at Heights, made only 3 of 11 shots and scored nine points — just more than 12 below his average — during Wichita State’s 76-54 win over Emporia State, for which Moore is a senior captain.

Moore played with Perry Ellis, Evan Wessel and a bunch of other outstanding players at Heights like Dreamius Smith, Austin Bahner, Dorian Roberts, E.J. Dobbins, Gavin Thurman and Thomas Bland. Yet he found a way to be one of the most productive Falcons. It was because he could score, yes, but also defend, pass and help give the Falcons an aura of toughness.

“I still think about those Heights days some,” Moore said. “We did some things that when it’s all said and done you’ll say ‘Wow, not a lot of people could have done all of those things.’ ”

Unlike Wessel and especially Ellis, though, Moore wasn’t recruited by Division I schools. And that was just fine. He loves where he landed.

“I felt like when I went to Emporia State for a visit that it was the right place to go,” Moore said. “I’ve loved every minute that I’ve played for Coach V (Shaun Vandiver). As a kid everyone dreams of their games being played in front of millions of people or whatever. But it’s the card that you’re dealt. And for the card that I was dealt, I’ve done a pretty good job of dealing.”

Moore averaged 17.6 points as a sophomore for the Hornets and 16.8 points last season. He’s off to another great start this season.

“The first time I saw Terrence play was on the AAU circuit playing with a bunch of top players,” Vandiver said. “And I just loved the defensive presence he had when he was on the floor with so many gifted and talented scorers.”

Moore has made himself a shooter and a scorer at Emporia State, working tirelessly in the gym with teammate and former roommate Micah Swank, a senior from Pratt.

“He’s come such a long way,” Swank said. “Watching him play in high school and just before his freshman season, he was an outstanding athlete who could really attack the hole. Now he’s really rounded off his game with shooting. We’ve both worked with one of our former assistant coaches, Wes Book, and it’s helped both of us get our form down. Terrence just took off and he keeps shooting the ball better and better.”

Moore’s improved shooting has made him more difficult to guard. Defenders can no longer give him room.

“Now they have to play you for the drive and for the shot,” he said. “I was in the gym all the time, just working on little things. I used to have kind of a sling-shot, high-arcing shot but I was taught some technique.”

Swank said Moore is an ideal leader for the Hornets.

“He plays with such aggressiveness offensively and defensively — he just brings it,” Swank said. “He does a great job of encouraging everyone on the team whether we’re up or down. And off the court Terrence is an extremely funny guy. It’s his personality to find humor in almost everything and that’s a lot of fun to be around.”

Moore can’t believe his college career is nearly over and plans to savor his senior season.

“I remember making my official visit to Emporia State and at the snap of a finger it’s my senior year,” he said. “Now it’s time to pass on the tradition, to make this place better than what we found when we got her. It’s the same motto we had at Heights.”

Nothing, though, will ever be like Heights with four championships in four years.

As more was being interviewed via telephone last week, there was laughter in the background from others who were listening in as Moore addressed the question of his post-Emporia State plans.

Not when he said he wants to play somewhere professionally. The laughs came when he was asked about what he wanted to do when he was finished playing and said he would like to coach.

“They’re laughing because they always remind me that I’ll have players like me,” Moore said.

That’s in reference to Moore’s tempestuous way, which he says is mostly a thing of the past.

“I’m settled down now, really mellow,” he said.

That statement was followed by more laughter.

Moore was happy to get another chance to play in Wichita on Saturday on the court where Heights won three of its state championships. And, of course, in front of family and friends.

“I guess you couldn’t write that story any better,” he said.

This story was originally published November 21, 2015 at 5:53 PM with the headline "Bob Lutz: Emporia State’s Terrence Moore returns to a special place (+video)."