7/29/2021 basketball Edit

Class of 2022 foward Braeden Moore talks Rutgers hoops pledge

Declan Walsh

Staff Writer

The Rutgers men’s basketball program picked up its first commitment of the 2022 cycle, securing 6-foot-8 forward Braeden Moore from Christ Presbyterian Academy in Nashville.

Moore announced his decision Thursday afternoon on Twitter as the Scarlet Knights fended off competition from Big Ten foes Wisconsin and Nebraska. He currently ranks inside the Rivals250 and is a top-50 small forward recruit in the Class of 2022.

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“Rutgers got to me because of Coach Pikiell,” Moore said following his commitment. “He said he loved me and that he really wanted to coach me.”

Rutgers became the first Power 5 program to offer the sharpshooting Tennessean back in October of 2020, and Pikiell’s staff retained a decisive recruiting advantage despite Moore’s breakout junior season. He averaged nearly 19 points per game and better than 37% from behind the arc in 2020-21 as he led CPA to a 27-5 record.

Moore finally visited Piscataway on an official visit in June, and he quickly found a number of scarlet-clad role models on campus.

“Paul (Mulcahy) was my host on my visit, and I really liked Paul as a person and he’s a really great guy. I really look up to Ron (Harper Jr.) too, I like his game. I’m a little taller than both of those guys but I’m working to become as physical and as skilled as they are.”

The Scarlet Knights managed a meager 31% clip from three last season, and Pikiell echoed RU faithful’s concerns about perimeter shooting onto the recruiting trail. The fifth-year Rutgers coach told Moore that his team “needs shooting badly” and Pikiell believes that Moore can be an immediate difference-maker from behind the arc.

“They lack what I bring,” Moore said. “They need a player who can space the floor, shoot a high clip, and coach Pikiell thinks I’ll make a difference as soon as I step on campus.”

Moore won’t enroll at Rutgers for another year, but the forward is already working towards a successful career on the banks. He’s dubbed himself a “great recruiter” and is working to convince many other prominent players in the class of 2022 to join him in New Jersey, including personal friend and Rutgers target Ben Shtolzberg.

Moore has also been a diligent student of the Rutgers offense under Pikiell’s reign, and plans to spend the next year learning and adjusting to the team’s sets.

“I told my trainer I committed yesterday,” Moore said. “So we’re going to watch, document some film and learn the offense. He’s going to put me into those scenarios when we go live and when we train so I’ll be set up for success when I come to Rutgers.”

For now, Moore will take a week off after a long AAU and recruitment cycle before returning to the gym to develop his athleticism and understanding of the Rutgers playbook — mirroring the strong work ethic he admires in the Rutgers program.

“The culture he (Pikiell) has is amazing,” Moore said. “Everyone on the team has a great work ethic so I’m really excited to get to work. I love the people here and I’m ready to put on a show.”