West Liberty’s Marlon Moore Jr. Stepping Up During Postseason
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WEST LIBERTY -- After falling to Fairmont State in the Mountain East Conference Tournament title game, West Liberty's Marlon Moore Jr. stood on his team's sidelines and watched the Falcons celebrate. As the opposing team put on their championship t-shirts and started cutting down the nets, it was all the motivation Moore needed come the Atlantic Region Tournament, which was just under a week.
And 10 days later, it was Moore and the Hilltoppers celebrating on their home court as they got to cut down the nets as they secured their sixth regional title since the 2010-11 season and advance to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight in Evansville, Ind.
It's also the first time since the 2015-16 season that West Liberty has advanced to the Elite Eight.
"That's everything I needed," Moore said about the ending to the MEC Tournament," Moore said.
"Just sitting there and watching them celebrate and knowing that we should probably be doing that as well, it made me want to go harder and harder. Same thing with two years ago when we were in the Sweet 16 (against Slippery Rock during the 2018-19 season). We were walking off and I told coach that we were coming back here. And we did that."
Moore -- who was named to the All-Atlantic Region Tournament team -- has also always found a way to make his presence known come tournament time. And it hasn't always been this season.
During the 2020 MEC Tournament title game against Charleston, with his team was struggling shooting, it was Moore that provided West Liberty with a big lift.
Going 7 of 11 from the field, Moore supplied 24 points to help the Hilltoppers win their MEC Tournament title along with being the first No. 1 seed to win it, too.
His postseason success transitioned into this year's tournament as in the opener against Concord, he turned in a double-double (18 points, 11 rebounds).
In the semifinals against Glenville State, he was one point shy of of another double-double (nine points, 11 boards).
"Marlon has been known to come up big come tournament time," West Liberty coach Ben Howlett said.
"He's obviously has good years in the regular season. But he always showcases his best basketball later in the tournament.
"When Marlon's dialed in, he's really good on both sides of the basketball. It starts before the game with Marlon. He knows that."
And Moore was certainly dialed in come the Atlantic Regional. In the quarterfinals against Malone, the senior had yet another solid performance in 11 points and 10 rebounds.
While he didn't dent the scoreboard against Charleston, he played a major role on the defensive end securing two steals.
But, the Atlantic Regional championship game, he probably faced his most difficult task, taking on the G-MAC Player of the Year, Patrick Courtier.
Courtier (6-foot-8) was averaging 21 ppg. going into the matchup against the Hilltoppers. Moore (6-5), shut him down in the paint. Courtier tallied 10 points on 4-of-10 shooting.
While guarding one of the best players they faced all year wasn't enough motivation, Moore wanted to make sure he did not feel that same pain he felt just 10 days prior. In fact, it would have hurt him even more considering it was in the ASRC.
"We cannot allow anyone to cut nets down in our court," Moore said. "That would have hurt me very deeply. I just motivated myself to do what I know to do best, play the game of basketball."
Moore and the West Liberty Hilltoppers will face Northwest Missouri State in the Elite Eight quarterfinals on Wednesday with a tipoff slated for 7 p.m. at the Ford Center.
Moore will also play in his first Elite Eight.
"Going to West Lib, man it's all about winning," Moore said. "You go in our gym and see all the banners and see how many times those guys did it. It's like, 'I want to be part of that. I want to be the guy on that team that was there.' And we were able to do it. It's a great honor to be even be here and to be able to go to Evansville. I'm just happy to be here."