Colgate was only one game into the 2013-14 season when guard Pat Moore injured his back while lifting weights. And it wasn’t until December that he fully felt the effects of two herniated discs.

During his time at home, even the simple actions of sitting and standing were difficult.

“Just hard to walk around,” Moore said, “hard to move, hard to do pretty much anything.”

He managed to play in eight more games after suffering the injury, but his experiences during Winter Break indicated that he couldn’t play in his current state. Two months later, he underwent surgery.

After a lengthy rehabilitation period and a lot of paperwork lobbying for another year of eligibility, Moore, who needs 142 more points to reach the 1,000 mark, is now finishing out his career at Colgate (3-8) as a fifth-year senior and co-captain. And despite not being ready for the start of the season, he has seen significant playing time in the Raiders’ last three games.

Moore, a native of Whitesboro, New York, received an offer from Colgate when he was just a sophomore at Notre Dame Junior/Senior (Utica, New York) High School. He said the school’s clear interest in him was reason enough for the prolific scorer to choose the Raiders.

“I have coached there for 30 years and Pat was one of the top three players I ever coached,” Notre Dame head coach Mike Durr said in an email. “A great young man, a dedicated student of the game, and a superb work ethic.”

Moore’s first three years at Colgate were defined by his prowess along the perimeter. By the end of his junior season, he was eighth on the all-time list for 3-pointers made in program history with 141.

But his senior season was defined more by his injury than it was outside shooting. For a while after his surgery, his actions were limited. He could do some walking, but no bending, twisting or lifting.

“So for six straight weeks after the surgery,” Moore said, “it was pretty much nothing, just laying around my house.”

The next phase in the recovery process was about three months of physical therapy that took place three times each week. Only after that was completed was he allowed back on the court.

In total, Moore said, it was about a six-month recovery process.

The physical struggles were not the only obstacles between Moore and a fifth year of basketball at Colgate. His nine games played last season were just few enough to allow him another year of eligibility.

In order to be allotted that chance, he had to change his sociology minor into a second major.
A few months after meeting with all of the appropriate people and filling out paperwork, Moore learned that he would be able to return to the university and the team for a fifth year.

“It just shows how much he loves the game,” senior guard Luke Roh said, “how much he loves being a part of this team, how much he loves being at Colgate.”

Moore didn’t return for the first eight games this season, and hasn’t started in the first three he’s played in since being cleared. But he has seen an increasing number of minutes. In the team’s most recent game, a loss to the New Hampshire, Moore played for 20 minutes and scored five points.

He’s redeveloping a role that he once held so prominently at Colgate, and it hasn’t been easy. But his head coach, Matt Langel is appreciative of his dedication to playing one last season.

“He does great in school. He’s zero maintenance, meaning you never have to worry about him being on time or taking care of any of his responsibilities,” Langel said. “He’s just a wonderful young guy to coach.”

Published on December 21, 2014 at 8:44 pm

Contact Kevin: kjpacell@syr.edu