By JACOB POLACHECK
Braeden Moore, a 6-foot-8, 210-pound power forward from Christ Presbyterian (TN) Academy, is emerging as a high-major prospect in the Class of 2022, picking up four new offers in the past week.
“We didn’t know it would come in a surplus like it has in the past week or so, but we knew I would get offers eventually,” Moore said by phone Tuesday evening.
Since Dec. 31, Moore has picked up offers from Cincinnati, St. John’s, Memphis and Nebraska.
He broke down each school:
Cincinnati: “We’ve been talking for a while now. Coach [John] Brannen is really high on me. He really likes my shooting ability. He recruited some players from my school. He’s an awesome guy that understands how to use me and utilize my skills and abilities to the best they can.”
St. John’s: “They reached out a while ago. The head coach is formerly from Arkansas, so he had heard about me a little bit. They’ve been recruiting me for a while now. They really need a shooter and I was the first one they called. They really need someone that can stretch the floor and shoot at a high level.”
Memphis: “I played in front of him towards the end of January, maybe early February. I played against Moussa Cisse right before he committed and played really well against him. I played really good defense, drawing something like three charges against him. Coach [Penny] Hardaway watched me and stayed in touch throughout the whole recruiting process.”
“On New Year’s eve they offered me. They need shooters like me and they’re trying to build a huge program there. Coach Penny is going to build a huge program wherever he goes. They’re legit and awesome coaches. They really like my shooting ability.”
Nebraska: “We talked a little bit. They really like me and want me to come make a big impact immediately. They’re trying to build a big time program there with coach [Fred] Hoiberg. They’re prioritizing me. We have a Zoom set up for [Wednesday]. They to start off their class right by making me the centerpiece of it.”
Outside of his recent offers, Moore says TCU, Rutgers and Ohio have been in contact the most.
TCU: “They need a shooter like me, someone that can space the floor. Me, coach [Jamie] Dixon and coach [Duane] Broussard all have great relationships. Coach Broussard recruited Tyger Campbell at UCLA and Tyger is one of our close family friends. We got connected through that. We kept building a relationship and eventually they offered. I talk to them weekly. They want me to commit badly. They really want me and need me.”
Rutgers: “Similar thing. They’re building a huge program out there. They’re top-15 in the nation right now and play in the Big 10 which is impressive. That’s a hard conference to win in. They’re looking for people similar to who they have now with Ron Harper Jr. and they think I could be a player like him as a go-to scorer. They want me to make an impact immediately.”
Ohio: “Coach [Jeff] Boals has had early success with their point guard in Jason Preston who is being considered a first round draft pick. He’s trying to build a big program out there. He’s a great guy with a phenomenal coaching staff. They don’t really care about my other offers. They just want me. He hasn’t stopped recruiting me since I got a Big Ten offer. It doesn’t matter to him. He still wants me bad and that says a lot about him. They want me, they’re going to use me in tons of different ways.”
Ranked by 247Sports.com as the No. 52 power forward in the Class of 2022, Moore labels himself as a ‘very European-style’ player.
“I can pass it, score on all three levels and I have some toughness,” he said. “Obviously, I can shoot it. I think that I’m one of the best shooters in the country. At 6-foot-8, I can space the floor and put defenses in trouble.”
Even before his recruitment began, Moore says he already knew what factors he would be taking into consideration in his college choice.
“We decided we wanted to find the right culture, where I want to be headed for the next four years,” he said. Hhow I could fit in and how I could be a part of the team, etc. You want to go to a good winning environment rather than a bad losing environment.
“Also, academics and the school itself, where it is and what it’s about. Making sure it’s the right school for me, those are the key things.”
In terms of a timetable, Moore says he doesn’t know when he will be making a decision.
“If the right school comes at the right time, there’s nothing holding me back,” he said. “When the right school calls at the right time and offers or keeps building the relationship and I think it’s the right thing to do, then there’s not going to be holding back.”
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