The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1543694
30 ■ THE WOLFPACKER BY NOAH FLEISCHMAN oing into the 2025-26 women's basketball sea- son, junior guard Zoe Brooks knew she had big shoes to fill. Not only was her scoring going to be relied upon, but her leadership needed to take a step forward after NC State's star trio — Aziaha James, Madison Hayes and Saniya Rivers — exhausted their eligi- bility last year. All of a sudden, Brooks was the fo- cal point, the person everyone would be looking toward. On a team with no seniors and four newcomers, the new role was challenging. It took time for the point guard to grow into it. Brooks wasn't used to being vocal, having de- ferred to the three veterans in previous years. But after two seasons of being led, she knew she needed to be the one barking commands. Brooks was being pushed out of her comfort zone into a role she hadn't had to occupy on the AAU circuit or in high school. But over the course of the sea- son, she has steadily developed into the player the Pack has needed her to be in critical moments. "Even in the times I feel too shy or un- comfortable to speak, I just know that they're my sisters and not to be scared to say whatever's on my mind," she said. Taking Charge Brooks has gone through a learning curve to become a leader on the floor. She doesn't try to be anyone but herself, though she has drawn from her past ex- perience playing with James and Rivers. The biggest area of improvement, from what Brooks has seen, is embrac- ing everything that it means to be a point guard. Her scoring hasn't been much of an issue during her entire collegiate ca- reer — her average has jumped from 9.0 points as a freshman to 14.2 as a sopho- more to 16.5 this year — but now she's focused on running the entire unit. Responsible for triggering most of the Wolfpack's actions, Brooks needs to know what the other four players on the court are doing on each play so that she can troubleshoot if someone goes to the wrong spot on the floor. She wasn't entirely comfortable addressing those errors at the beginning of the season, but now she's unafraid to make corrections on the fly. Mirroring Brooks' growth, NC State closed the regular season by winning five of its last seven games, including decisive road victories at Virginia Tech (82-62, Feb. 8) and Pitt (93-43, March 1), to help the team earn its 11th 20-win campaign under coach Wes Moore. A veteran mentor with an elite eye for talent, Moore said Brooks' growth has had a direct impact on the Wolfpack's ability to win games. "I think that's been a big part of our trending upwards. Early in the year, it was a big adjustment for her," Moore said. "She has really stepped up, not only scoring the ball, but also getting her teammates involved. I think that's the biggest step she's taken as a point guard. "She's getting everybody else on the court involved and helping them play better. And because of that, our team has taken a big jump. It's definitely nice to see her having fun, the whole team enjoying it, and playing well together." In order to grow, one has to learn from one's mistakes along the way. In Brooks' case, those experiences have come in the Pack's nine losses. While she, like anyone else, wants to win every game she plays, the guard was quick to note that she was grateful for the defeats, too. "I feel like I've learned a lot from ev- ery single loss," she said, "especially in those close games that we've had — just decisions that I could have made better or things I could have done differently. G FINDING HER FINDING HER VOICE VOICE Guard Zoe Brooks Grows Into A Leadership Role For The Wolfpack Heading into the ACC Tournament, Brooks was sixth in the conference with a 16.5-point scoring average and seventh in assists at 4.3 per game. PHOTO COURTESY NC STATE ATHLETICS