It wasn’t a bad debut.
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Maitland Mustang’s newest recruit, Karl Moore, ran rampant in their first match of the season, slotting eight free throws and 23 rebounds for a personal haul of 36 points in the Mustang’s tight 71-68 win over the Hornsby Spiders on Saturday.
If his first match is anything to go by, Moore, who stands a towering 2.04m (that’s six foot seven in the old language), will play a leading role in the Mustangs charge for the championship this year.
From Detroit, the American has spent the past several seasons playing in leagues in Germany, Luxembourg, Columbia and Uruguay.
Watch: Karl Moore shatters the backboard with a slam dunk
That was before long-time Mustang and fellow American Terrell Turner picked up the phone and convinced the basketball nomad to come to Australia.
The Mustangs didn’t have to wait long for him to make an impact, with Moore dominating in the first match of the season.
“We didn’t have much of a pre-season, so that was pretty much our first game together,” Moore said of their clash against Hornsby.
After playing division one college basketball in the US and in leagues across the world, Moore said he was well prepared for the NSW semi-professional league.
“I’ve played in much tougher leagues, but I’ve been able to come here and carry a bigger load which I have no problem with,” he explained.
This Saturday he’ll get to experience his first local derby, when Maitland and the Newcastle Hunters square off in the first round of the Kibble Mallon Cup at Maitland.
“I’ve been hearing about it all week,” he said of the Hunter region rivalry.
“It sounds like Michigan vs Michigan State, a really strong rivalry (back home).”
With typical American bravado, Moore is confident of the Mustang’s claiming the trophy back from Newcastle’s grasp.
“I’m looking forward to going 2 and 0 and bringing the trophy back where it belongs,” he said.
After arriving in February, the 29-year-old has settled into Newcastle, where he says he’s enjoying “the beaches, the food and the slang”, while balancing training and work at basketball development clinics in schools.
He’ll be in Maitland until August and with no firm plans for next year he’ll wait and “see where basketball takes me”.
There’s serious business to attend to before that though.
“The most important thing is bringing back the championship to here,” he said.
“Helping lead a group of local players, playing well myself, getting those 20 or 30 points a game.
“It’s going to be a big challenge. I’m excited about it.”
