Shown is Grace College head men’s basketball coach Scott Moore cutting down the nets after winning the 2022 Crossroads League Tournament Championship. Photo by Jeff Nycz of Mid-South Images.

By Blair Baumgartner
InkFreeNews

WINONA LAKE — Grace College head men’s basketball coach Scott Moore grew up in a basketball family in Columbia City during the 1990s.

“We have always had an athletic-minded family,” said Moore.

Speaking about Hoosier Hysteria during that time period, Moore said, “You have the Damon Baileys of the world that have 45,000 people at their game in the state finals. From the time we were 5 years old, my brothers, my sister Nicole, and I became enamored with the game.”

Moore’s older brother, Matt, is the head varsity boy’s basketball coach at Warsaw Community High School. Moore’s twin brother Marcus teaches classes at Grace and has coached basketball and tennis as well.

Moore and his brother Marcus both played basketball at Grace.

“Marcus was probably a broken foot away from being the all-time leading scorer at Grace,” Moore said.

Moore mentioned his high school basketball coach at Columbia City, Chris Benedict, having an instrumental impact on him.

Moore and his brother Marcus both played on the 2004 Class 4A state runner-up team that lost to the Lawrence North team led by future NBA players Greg Oden and Mike Conley Jr. in the state championship game.

Years later, Moore said it’s all about the journey, not the destination.

He said if they would have won that game, the only thing that would be different is the sign coming into Columbia City would read “state champs” and his ring would be blue instead of red.

There are really four decisions he has made in life that have made all the difference.

He mentioned first his decision to have a relationship with Jesus; second, his decision to marry his wonderful wife; third, his college decision; and fourth, his career path decision.

Moore took over as head men’s basketball coach at Grace in 2019 when longtime coach Jim Kessler retired.

He said some of the best advice he has received on coaching was from Kessler, who he served under as an assistant coach from 2012-2019.

Kessler said, “You need to do it exactly like you want to do it. You need to build a team that you would want to play on.”

Moore said, “As a player, I always felt like I could make other guys better. I wasn’t the best player on the floor, but I thought I could make others around me better. I actually don’t coach basketball. I coach young men and teach basketball.”

He specifically mentioned his assistant coaches, former assistant coach Erik Bowen, who now coaches at Goshen College, and current assistant coaches Jordan Weidner and Stephen Halstead as being just the guys he would like to play for if he was an incoming college freshman.

Moore said they used to focus on getting the highest ranked players, but scrapped that idea and now focus on the type of player they really would love to have on the team. They focus on size, length and versatile players that can guard multiple positions.

He mentioned incoming freshmen Ian Raasch from NorthWood, Gage Sefton from Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian and Caleb Herrold from Victory Christian Academy.

Raasch and Sefton were both part of state championship high school basketball teams. NAIA All-American Elijah Malone is back along with a loaded roster full of talented veterans. The team went 31-4 last year and made it all the way to the Elite Eight of the NAIA National Championships.

Grace will play Purdue in an exhibition game at Mackey Arena, Wednesday, Nov. 1.

Moore said, “It’s an exhibition game. You’re going to have two top-five teams and two post players that are arguably National Player of the Year candidates. Coach (Matt) Painter (Purdue’s men’s basketball coach) didn’t have to do that, but it’s such an honor for us to be able to come over there and play such a storied program.

“We have so much respect for them and how they do things. I think Coach Painter is one of the best coaches in the country. If you watch how they do things, he is just a great example of someone who coaches people and teaches basketball. We’re really pumped for this opportunity.”

Moore also mentioned Grace College President Dr. Drew Flamm, Director of Athletics Chad Briscoe and the rest of the administration as being absolutely vital to the success of the men’s basketball program.

He said, “I love where I’m at. You have to have a great support system. I have an amazing wife who lets me do my passion. I have an unbelievable administration. The support of Dr. Flamm and Chad Briscoe means everything to me. I hope I’m a Lancer for a long time. Our goal is to hang that banner.”