By Aris Barkas/ barkas@eurohoops.net
You may have heard often about European, South American, and African basketball pros having tried football as kids before deciding their true calling in sports.
It’s unusual to hear the same about a basketball star from the United States, but that is the case of Nanterre 92 super scorer Dallas Moore.
The 25-year-old guard, currently ranked fifth among scorers in the 7DAYS EuroCup, played “soccer” in the States before deciding that basketball was his sport.
“I tried soccer when I was little just to do it,” he explains. “I actually wasn’t that bad when I was young because I was really fast. My skills were just ok.”
From that experience, Moore acquired a taste for the sport and became an avid player of FIFA videogames. It was one of his favorite past times during his college days in North Florida, he says:
“My best friend put me onto it in college. It was just such fun, and we always had tournaments in our locker room, so it was competitive, too. I haven’t played recently, but I plan on it.”
On the real court, Moore has started what may end up being a breakout season in the EuroCup, averaging 18.5 points as Nanterre has posted a 2-2 record in Group C, good for third place behind Darussafaka Tekfen Istanbul and UNICS Kazan. In two games for Fiat Turin last season, Moore averaged 25 points, giving him 20.7 points through six games total in his budding EuroCup career.
Moore has already demonstrated flashes of his talent in his first two seasons in Europe with Pesaro, Hapoel Tel Aviv, and Turin, and this time around, things seem to be clicking well. If that happens, Nanterre could be considered a dark horse in the EuroCup.
“For sure,” Moore agrees. “We have a lot of talent and guys that can do a lot of different things on the court and play multiple positions. I think we have a chance to go far, but right now, we are just taking it one game at a time.”
This competition is the right stage for him and Nanterre to gain prestige and make heads turn all around Europe.
“I love the EuroCup; I think it’s a great league from top to bottom,” Moore says. “The competition is great. I mean it’s one of the best leagues in the world, so you have to compete in every single game if you want to win. Every possession matters, so you have to be locked in, especially if you want to move on.”
Those ambitions will be tested this week at home against Germany Brescia Leonessa, which is also 2-2. That makes this a must-win game for Nanterre, with a victory increasing its chances to reach the Top 16.
Moore is eager to respond to the challenge, and while not naming any specific goal, has the right mindset for things to come:
“My personal goal for this year is to help my team win as many games as possible because that’s what matters! Of course, I want to play well, but my main focus is to help the team win, whether it’s on offense or defense or being engaged on the bench.”
If Nanterre seized the chance to go far in the competition, those FIFA games might have to wait a little bit longer.