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have to make decisions,” says Dee Dee Rivers.
On May 19, a social media post pictured a confident,
smiling Rivers wearing an NC State uniform with her
No. 22 from Ashley High. “Saniya Rivers Committed
to the Pack,” it said.
“I think she’s ready to make some adjustments and
attack this thing and get ready for a better year and a
better story for herself,” says Dee Dee Rivers.
Rivers says she is focusing on the upcoming season and
rediscovering her love for the game.
“There are the negative Nancys out there that say,
‘Saniya Rivers can’t shoot,’ but the ones who really know
me know I can shoot. I just need my confidence back
and I’m planning on improving that so I can get back
to the player I was in high school, the player that many
people saw as number one,” she says. “Once I start to
see that my confidence is growing, I feel it will never go
away again. Hopefully I’ll make a big enough impact
to win another national championship this time in my
home state. That’s the hope, that’s the goal for sure.”
“For the strength of the pack is the wolf, and the
strength of the wolf is the pack” is a famous quote by
author and poet Rudyard Kipling. It poignantly depicts
the challenge of the NC State women’s basketball team
this season.
“We’ve got one of the toughest schedules in the coun-try.
These players are going to have to mesh and grow
together quickly. That’s going to be a big challenge,” says
Moore.
The team was four points away from a first appearance
in the NCAA Final Four last spring.
“We got beat in double overtime to go to the Final
Four. We’ve got to figure out a way to get that one extra
bucket,” Moore says.
Moore has been working with Rivers on tweaking her
shot and getting in reps.
“Confidence comes from within. Winning on the
court, wining in life comes from within. You’ve got to
have that confidence. I think she’s going to be ready to go
and make a great impact here at NC State,” he says.
ANDREW YATES/NC STATE ATHLETICS
ANDREW YATES/NC STATE ATHLETICS