Robert Moore enters his second season as head coach of the Columbus State University men’s basketball program in the 2011-2012 season. Moore, the sixth head coach in CSU history, spent six seasons (1994-2000) as an assistant coach under coach under the Cougars’ all-time winningest coach, Herbert Greene.

Moore’s first season on the bench was filled with nail biting defeats as the Cougars went 11-15 on the season. Seven of the Cougars’ 15 losses were by five points or fewer, with 11 out of the 15 coming by 10 points or less.  Moore’s first NCAA career victory came against Carver Bible on November 22 as the Cougars defeated CBC 84-62.

Moore comes with 18 years of coaching experience - 10 of those in a head coaching role, the most recent five years spent at Brookstone School in Columbus as the head boy’s basketball coach. Prior to his stint at Brookstone, Moore was the head coach at Tift County High School in Tifton, Georgia. While at Tift County, Moore was named Georgia Sportswriters Association 5A Boy’s Coach of the Year after he led his team to the state championship. He accumulated a record of 47-12 and won back-to-back region titles at the school.  

Moore served two seasons as the head coach at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College and set a school record for wins in a season with 21 in 2002 before making the move to Tift County. That record was the best men’s basketball record at the school since 1982.

In the six seasons as an assistant coach to Herbert Greene at Columbus State, Moore was a part of two NCAA Division II Sweet Sixteen appearances, one Peach Belt Conference championship, and three PBC Tournament championships. During that span, CSU appeared in the PBC Tournament title game five times and made three overall NCAA postseason appearances.

Moore has one daughter, Basharra, who is a CSU student, and also has a son, Tre.

Bentley Sparks is entering his second year with the Columbus State University men’s basketball program as graduate assistant coach in the 2011-2012 season.  He will be responsible for guard development, the strength and conditioning program for the team and recruiting.

Sparks comes to Columbus State from Berry College where he graduated in May 2010 with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Exercise Science.  He was a three-year member of the basketball team earning Academic All-American status every season.  As a senior, he served as a team captain and won the Champions of Character Award for the Southern States Athletic Conference.  The award is given out based on respective, responsibility, integrity, servant leadership and sportsmanship. 

A local product, Sparks graduated from Brookstone High School in 2006 where he was able to play under current Columbus State University head men’s basketball coach Robert Moore.  The Columbus native also played football and soccer. Sparks will obtain his Master’s of Arts in Teaching with a concentration in Health and Physical Education in May 2012.  He is engaged to Mary Brugh and they are set to get married in the summer of 2012.

David Dabel is entering his first year at Columbus State University as a graduate assistant coach with the men’s basketball team in the 2011-2012 season. He will assist head coach Robert Moore in all facets of the men’s basketball program with emphasis on guard development, local recruiting, film exchange, and study hall.

Dabel comes to Columbus State from Chattahoochee Technical College where he was the head JV coach for the Golden Eagles. He was also an assistant for the varsity squad and was on the bench for every game last season.

Prior to joining to the staff at CTC, Dabel played collegiately at Kennesaw State University. He transferred to Kennesaw from the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth after one season. Dabel went to high school at Avon High in the Boston area.

Dabel graduated from Kennesaw State in 2010 with a degree in Sports Management. He will be pursing a master’s degree in Health and Physical Education from Columbus State.