Haith Inks Barnes, Moore to NLIs In Early Signing Period

TULSA, Okla. — The University of Tulsa head men's basketball coach Frank Haith announced Wednesday that Zeke Moore and Chris Barnes have signed National Letters of Intent on the first day of the early signing period. The duo will join the Golden Hurricane for the 2018-19 season and both will have three years of eligibility at TU.

"We are excited about the additions of Zeke (Moore) and Chris (Barnes) to our program," Haith said. "These student-athletes fill important needs for us and both have skillsets that will allow them to mesh well with our returning roster. The fact that both players come to us a little older and with some Division I experience is a great advantage. They have an idea of what it will take to contribute and have the maturity to be outstanding all-around student-athletes for our campus community."

Moore is a 6-foot-7 guard/forward from St. Louis, Mo., who played his freshman season at St. Louis (2016-17) and he is currently enrolled at Southwest Illinois Community College in Belleville, Ill.

"Zeke is a young man we have followed for quite a while," Haith said. "We love his dedication to the game, his size on the perimeter and his shooting ability. He has already had success at the Division I level and knows what it takes to be great. Zeke comes from a dedicated basketball family and that mindset has a positive impact in all parts of his life. He is a good student, a hard worker and a great young man. I know our fan base will enjoy following Zeke."

Moore saw action in 29 games, averaging 20.8 minutes per game off the bench. He averaged 5.3 points and 2.0 rebounds per contest, while he shot 37-percent from the floor and 39-percent from 3-point range. Against Atlantic 10 Conference competition, Moore saw his playing time increase to 23.1 minutes per game and he averaged 5.6 ppg and 2.6 rpg.

Moore attended Riverview Gardens High School in St. Louis, where he starred on the court for his father, head coach Gerard Moore. As a senior, Moore was one of the top scorers in the St. Louis area by averaging 21.1 ppg to go along with 4.4 assists per outing. He also was among the top shooters in the area as he averaged nearly three 3-pointers per game and shot 82.8-percent from the free-throw line.

He helped lead Riverview Gardens to its first district title since 1998 and was a first-team Class 4 All-State selection by the Missouri Basketball Coaches Association.

As a junior, Moore averaged 25.3 ppg, which ranked second in the metro area, and he led the team in assists and steals. He shot 62.8-percent from the floor, including a 52.2-percent mark from behind the arc, and was tabbed the Suburban North Co-Player of the Year.

Meanwhile, Barnes is a 6-foot-4 guard from Compton, Calif., who played his freshman season at UTEP (2016-17) and is currently enrolled at Angelina College in Lufkin, Texas. Barnes appeared in 16 games as a true freshman for the Miners last season.

"Chris continues to get better and better as a player, but what I really appreciate about him is his toughness and makeup as a defender," Haith said. "Like Zeke, Chris started his career at the Division I level and his best days are ahead of him. He will immediately become one of our better athletes on the perimeter and he uses that athleticism to its maximum potential because he plays so hard. When you play hard and have some physical gifts like Chris possesses, you know he is going to make your team better."

Prior to his time in El Paso, Barnes averaged 12 points, five rebounds and five assists as a senior at Compton High School en route to first-team all-conference recognition as he led the team to a 19-11 record. He was named the SoCal Prep Legends Athlete of the Week in January 2016 after scoring 13 of his 17 points in the second half of a come-from-behind victory over Long Beach Millikan High School.

He led Millikan to a 20-9 record as a junior by averaging 20 points per game and was a first-team all-state and all-league honoree. Prior to his season at Millikan, he was a member of a state title squad at Bishop Montgomery High School in Torrence, Calif., as a sophomore.

Haith Inks Barnes, Moore to NLIs In Early Signing Period

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