Clermont Northeastern head boys basketball coach Cory Moore talks to his team during a timeout in a Division V Southwest District game Feb. 25, 2025, against Seven Hills at Milford High School.
MILFORD — Cory Moore was confident in the kind of team the Clermont Northeastern boys basketball squad could have in the future, but he witnessed the kind of team he had before he said goodbye to it.
Moore coached his final game with the Rockets in the team’s 67-57 Division V Southwest District semifinal loss Feb. 24 to top-seeded Seven Hills. While the defeat was emotional, his team sent a message in this year’s tournament.
“I love the guys so much,” the coach said. “I just told them I’m stepping down as a head coach this year, so it’s emotional right now.”
The Rockets defeated 4-seeded Madeira in a thrilling one-point win Feb. 18 in the district quarterfinals and went toe-to-toe with the Stingers, who lost to Preble Shawnee in the district championship game. CNE’s season ended at 11-13 overall.
“Considering where we were ranked and where they were ranked, I knew we could play with them, and we did. We could give punches and take punches,” Moore said. “The talent is there. I don’t care about the seedings, the rankings, the size, speed or whatever; we have the tools, and the talent is there. They just have to believe in that, and I saw some sparks of it.”
Clermont Northeastern jumped on the district’s top seed early by racing out to a 5-0 lead in the first 1:22 of the game. Seven Hills got its feet under itself with 3-pointers from Miles Rizor and Devan Wills as part of a 10-7 lead. Connor Yeager’s bucket at the 4:04 mark pulled the Rockets to within 10-9 before the Stingers strung together five straight points — a 3-pointer by Clayton Blust and a bucket by Terrance Yarbrough — for a 15-9 advantage in the opening quarter.
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