The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1547338
38 ■ THE WOLFPACKER more out of me," Pierre said. "When I feel like, 'Oh, I just had 20 [points] and 10 [rebounds], clearly I had a lot of energy and effort,' to him, I don't. "I've just got to be better. The more you hear some- thing, eventually you're going to want to change it. Even if I feel like some- thing's good, I'm working harder to be better." T h e P h o e n i x n a t i ve turned in 30 games with at least 10 points (27 straight to end the season) with 22 double-doubles a year ago, but with an increased level of effort and energy for all 40 minutes, NC State believes she can be among the nation's best in the post. Excelling on the court has always come naturally to her, but by intentionally trying just a bit harder, the program's expectation is for Pierre to be a force that most teams struggle to match up with on a nightly basis. Moore, an old-school coach who has a track re- cord of pulling the most out of his players nearly eve ry sea so n , h a s se e n progress from Pierre. Her performance in the Wolf- pack's summer workouts and pre- season practices illustrated that he fi- nally got through to his uber-talented forward. "You've got to go out and do it. She's shown a lot of improvement … with her buy-in and her effort," Moore said. "She's got to play hard every posses- sion. She gets by just on talent, but if she wants to be all she can be and we as a team want to be all we can be, we've got to have her take that up a notch or two." Deploying The New Mindset It didn't take long for Pierre to put her new approach into action during NC State's first exhibition of the preseason, a 72-53 victory over High Point Oct. 8. She was active defensively, turning two steals into easy transition layups within the first three minutes of the tilt to set the tone for what followed. In total, the revamped mindset of giv- ing complete effort for every second she was on the floor paid off. Pierre logged 19 points with 12 rebounds and 5 steals. The self-evaluation that followed sig- naled another step in Pierre's offseason growth, too. "I'm just trying to be a better version of myself than I was last season," Pierre said in the bowels of Reynolds Coli- seum. "I didn't shoot the ball well at all, but that's just how the game was today." An 8-of-14 shooting day, which fea- tured a 1-of-2 mark from three-point distance as she expanded her range beyond the arc, left Pierre motivated to continue to improve. That, in itself, is another positive sign in her evolution going into her se- nior campaign. Pierre's WNBA aspira- tions are clear. Although she has another year of eligibil- ity remaining, if she chooses to utilize it, the Wolfpack's star player is looking to play as freely as possible to posi- tion herself for a first-round selection by the end of this season. With that comes pressure. Although she may be used to being under a microscope, especially with NC State's desire for her to increase her effort levels on the court, the idea of her every move being analyzed isn't an ideal setting to be in. "I have a lot of fun, but I think I'm so focused on the game that I don't really ex- press it," Pierre said. "I'm also under a lot of pressure and stress, so I'm trying to loosen up and relax." Basketball has always come naturally to Pierre. She's ce- mented herself as one of the ACC's top all-around play- ers with her elite scoring and rebounding prowess, but this offseason was meant to be a springboard for her future. So far, it seems like she's on the right path after Moore and the rest of the coaching staff pressed the right buttons to get the most out of her going into a crucial season. At the same time, Pierre is looking to soak up all of the moments that she's about to embark on. Her new mindset on the floor will be key, but so is just en- joying every step of the way while work- ing through her stress and nervousness one game at a time. "There's a lot of pressure, but I'm ex- cited that God's blessed me with the ability to play basketball and be around my teammates," Pierre said. "I'm ex- cited to travel and make more memories rather than the accolades." ■ With her sights set on the WNBA, Pierre has embraced Wes Moore's challenge to bring greater effort and intensity to every possession. PHOTO COURTESY NC STATE ATHLETICS