Three decades later: New Bern native, former D1 basketball player, veteran, earns degree

Getting his bachelor's degree 32 years after his last collegiate basketball game, Byron Moore — New Bern native, U.S. Navy veteran, and former NCAA Division I basketball player — said doors he never knew about have begun to open, encouraging others along the way.

Moore, 58, graduated from Hardin-Simmons University in Texas on May 13 with a Bachelor of Behavioral Science Degree. His long journey to obtain his degree had several obstacles with tough life decisions that eventually drove him back to the university this past year.

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Before completing his degree, Moore starred on the hardwood floor at New Bern High School, where he averaged 17 points and 8 rebounds per game, according to the Abilene Reporter-News. He was also a part of the 1981 New Bern basketball team that beat Michael Jordan's Laney Buccaneers.

His talents were noticed halfway across the country when he graduated in 1982, and he accepted a scholarship to play basketball at South Plains Junior College, then a Division I school, in Texas. From 1982 to 1983, Moore finished his first collegiate year of basketball and even squared off against former NBA dunk contest champion Spud Webb.

At the end of his freshman season, Moore was faced with a major life change — to take care of and provide for his family, as he was expecting his firstborn child.  The decision led him to leave the junior college to join the Navy where he served from 1984 to 1987, stationed out of Norfolk, Virginia, as a Petty Officer Third Class.

He had planned to return to South Plains after his service. His trajectory took another turn with the help of his former head coach. He became the first Hardin Simmons basketball player to sign a national letter of intent while not on dry ground, according to the Abilene Reporter-News.

"My ship was on its way to Italy, sometime in 1984, and my former coach had called," Moore said. "He told me he had the assistant coach job at Hardin Simmons and wanted me to come."

After leaving the Navy in 1987, and with three years of college basketball eligibility left, Moore returned to the court and completed his college basketball career as a player.

In the last Division I basketball game played at Hardin-Simmons, Moore hit the game-winning shot to defeat Georgia Southern University, led by future NBA Player Michael Curry, winning 65-64, according to the Abilene Reporter-News.

Moore said he wanted to become a graduate assistant coach and complete his degree at Hardin-Simmons. Instead, the former Division I school was reclassified to Division III which forced Moore to look elsewhere.

Return to New Bern, graduation stalled

He returned home to New Bern, expecting a call from a university in New Mexico that never came. Ultimately, Moore said he decided to find work at home and build his life in New Bern.

In 2016, he moved back to Texas and with only a few classes remaining, he decided to give it a go at finishing his degree. However, the motivation was not there.

"A lot of things came into play," Moore said. "I felt that it was the perfect time to do it, but then getting up, going to class, not having anything to do in the afternoons, I just felt like I was missing something. After the first semester, I moved back to New Bern to try to find another way."

Back home again, Moore continued to lose interest. Several years passed when Moore said he was given guidance from his wife to go back and finish his degree. With a quick change of his major from political science to accounting, he was able to complete his bachelor's online this past school year.

Back to Texas, this time for a degree

Moore traveled to Texas in May and walked across the stage to get his diploma.

"It was awesome," Moore said. "I was excited, nervous, and emotional all wrapped into one. As time went on, I wasn't too excited and I didn't know why. As the days got closer, I was more emotional because it was something I did want and it was a long journey to do it."

Thinking about it a month later, it felt as if a weight was lifted off Moore's shoulders. Having put off a degree for so long, he said he did not think getting one meant anything anymore.

But in a little more than a month, doors have begun to open for Moore. With the degree and his experience in coaching, Moore said his next goal is to find a position coaching college basketball.

When asked what advice he would give those who are looking to go to college and get a degree, he said:  "I'm finding out now that certain doors can be open that I never imagined it would," Moore said. "Those who started and decided to push it off for whatever reason, always keep it in your mind. You never know what door it will open when you do finish it."

Reporter Trevor Dunnell can be reached by email at tdunnell@newbernsj.com. Please consider supporting local journalism by signing up for a digital subscription.

This article originally appeared on Sun Journal: Navy vet, DI basketball player, New Bern native earns degree 32 years later