The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1519757
MAY/JUNE 2024 ■ 37 In the backcourt, Rivers plans to spend time with freshman point guard Zoe Brooks, who scored 12 points and pulled down 5 rebounds against South Carolina. Brooks spent most of the season as the first player off the bench. She played 24 minutes against the Gamecocks and was emotional after the game, Rivers said. "Zoe was in here heartbroken and cry- ing, and I haven't had a chance to talk to her yet, but when I do get a chance, I'm going to tell her she had a hell of a season," Rivers said. "She has nothing to hang her head about." The Wolfpack backcourt, consisting of star guard Aziaha James, Hayes, Rivers and Brooks, will be back again next year. James, who led the Wolfpack in scoring through the regular season and elevated her game to another level in the NCAA Tournament, shared how much this run meant to her. "I've been here for three years, and I see a major difference on this team," the junior said. "I feel like it's a player-led team. We stick together on and off the court. You see the joy, the enjoyment, you see the chemistry that we have. "It's never a dull moment between these girls. They're not just my team- mates; these are my sisters. I'm going to keep this memory forever. I love this group of girls forever." Looking ahead to the 2024-25 season, Rivers pointed to the transfer portal as a source of reinforcements. Rivers, Hayes, Baldwin and Collins all arrived as trans- fers, and they filled four of the five spots in the Pack's starting lineup this year. Noting that NC State has clearly estab- lished itself as an attractive destination, Rivers said the Pack can "absolutely" take a similar joyride next year. "We made it all the way to the Final Four," she said. "Who wouldn't want to run with the Pack?" ■ NC State Backcourt Tandem Invited To Kelsey Plum's Skills Academy NC State guards Aziaha James and Saniya Rivers aren't yet finished with their college playing careers, but it's not too early to begin thinking about what comes next. James and Rivers were recently among 12 players invited to take part in Kelsey Plum's 2024 Dawg Class, a three-day skills camp held at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., in April. The camp is aimed at helping prepare aspiring pros for their entry into the WNBA. Plum is a sixth-year guard with the Las Vegas Aces and a former University of Washington All-American who held the all-time career scoring record in NCAA Division I until Iowa guard Caitlin Clark broke it earlier this year. She created the training camp after struggling with her own transition to the professional level. Two of the players in his year's class — guards Dyaisha Fair of Syracuse and Nika Muhl of Connecticut — have already been drafted into the WNBA. The rest are collegiate players with pro aspirations. James and Rivers are both rising seniors. This past season, they finished as NC State's top two scorers, averaging 16.8 and 12.5 points per game, respectively, to help propel the Wolfpack to its first Final Four ap - pearance since 1998. Both shined in the postseason, earning first-team all-tournament recognition at the ACC tourney. At NCAAs, they were named to the Portland 4 Regional All-Tournament squad, and James received Most Outstanding Player honors following NC State's victory. — Matt Herb Fans turned out in large numbers to support coach Wes Moore's team on its way through the NCAA Tournament. PHOTO BY ANDREW YATES/NC STATE ATHLETICS