The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1527657
38 ■ THE WOLFPACKER James said her time in the Wolfpack's development system helped strengthen her bond with Moore. She had been "growing up" during her first few years in Raleigh and started to dominate the court as a junior, recording a dozen 20-point games. 'It's My Time To Lead' NC State trailed Stanford by 10 points going into halftime of the teams' Sweet 16 matchup last March. Over the final 20 minutes, James scored 25 points to help the Pack pull away for a 77-67 win and move on to the Elite Eight. She racked up 20 points or more in all but one of NC State's tournament games. The Wolfpack's resilience versus the Cardinal created her fondest memory from that run. James noticed her team- mates hanging their heads just before halftime, so she and fellow upperclass- men Saniya Rivers, River Baldwin, Madi- son Hayes and Mimi Collins addressed the team in the locker room. Before the coaches had the chance to talk to them, the core group of five Wolfpack players who had stuck around from the previous year set the tone for the rest of the game. NC State won the third quarter by 18 points. "We're not going out like this," James said. "No matter if we're down 20, we've got each other's back. If we fight all the way until the last buzzer sounds, then we're going to come out with the win, and that's what we did." James feels the expectations from Moore this season. She was the team's leading scorer last year and also a leader in the locker room. This year, she's work- ing on being more vocal, eager to be the kind of player that underclassmen will follow. "It's my time to lead my team," James said. "It's my time to put my voice out there." NC State will boast a deep and tal- ented backcourt this year. Sophomore Zoe Brooks, a former five-star recruit, might come off the bench for the second season in a row with NC State returning three veteran guards in James, Rivers and Hayes. Brooks said she likes playing with James because "she's going to knock down the shot when I pass it to her. … We have a really good connection." Three other former top-100 recruits — freshmen Zamareya Jones and Devyn Quigley, and sophomore Laci Steele — are all battling for spots in the backcourt rotation as well. James' advice to them is to just stay ready. Her patience paid off suddenly. It was an abrupt ascent to stardom dur- ing a year marred by injuries and unex- pected losses. As a senior, she's prepar- ing to make one last run with NC State. Moore sees it as a fitting payoff for her perseverance. "Not many people get to play at the level she played at and on a big stage in the Final Four," he said. "We're thankful she stuck around and was able to cash in on that opportunity and get rewarded for her hard work." ■ James led the Pack in scoring with an average of 16.8 points per game last season, and she bettered that mark in all five of NC State's NCAA Tournament contests, averaging 23.4 points to help lift the team to the Final Four. PHOTO COURTESY NC STATE ATHLETICS