'I’m built for the moment': Zamareya Jones steps up to propel NC State past Georgia Tech in ACC Tournament

GREENSBORO — Zoe Brooks knows what it feels like to be the sixth-man as a freshman. She lived that a year ago, playing a key role for an NC State squad that went to the Final Four for the first time in 25 years. 

As the sophomore was elevated to the starting five this season, she has passed many of her experiences to the newcomer that took her previous role: freshman guard Zamareya Jones. 

The two are practically twins on the floor. Both are listed under 6-feet (Brooks at 5-foot-10, Jones at 5-foot-7) and play with a knack for making flashy moves on the floor. They’re one in the same — a good thing for NC State — so naturally Brooks and Jones have grown close since the day the latter arrived on campus. 

Before the Wolfpack began its postseason, with its sights set on returning to the national semifinal to rewrite last year’s ending, Brooks made sure to share advice with Jones. She lived the very role that the former McDonald’s All-American is filling this season and was able to give her first-hand experience. 

“Obviosuly, it’s a big game with big crowds and a lot of pressure, but I just told her to be calm and to be herself,” Brooks said. 

That advice may or may not have helped, but Jones appeared to be comfortable in her ACC Tournament debut as top-seeded NC State downed Georgia Tech 73-72 in the quarterfinals on Friday afternoon at First Horizon Coliseum. 

Jones was thrown into the fire early in the game. Wolfpack coach Wes Moore isn’t one to ride his bench players for significant minutes early on, but as senior guard Aziaha James picked up her second foul just 20 seconds into the second quarter, Jones needed to step up. 

That provided an opportunity to make her mark in the postseason. And that’s exactly what Jones was able to do. She scored a team-best 8 points in the second quarter to push NC State up 1 by halftime after it trailed by as many as 9 points in the early going. 

But that wasn’t the most impactful play from Jones. Her willingness to continue shooting, despite an unlucky day from distance, paid off. 

James hauled in a rebound off a missed Georgia Tech 3-pointer with just under two minutes to play and immediately pushed the ball in transition. Jones took off down the floor, flanking on the left, took one step into her spot on the left wing as James dished the ball straight to her. 

There wasn’t any hesitation. Jones uncorked the triple, even though she missed her first two attempts, and buried the shot to give NC State a 3-point lead. It was a crucial swing of events that brought the Wolfpack’s fan base to its feet and forced the Yellow Jackets to burn their final timeout. 

Jones’ ability to rise to the occasion without being scared isn’t a coincidence. It’s her mindset each time the ball tips up and she wasn’t worried about the previous misses. Either this shot was going to give the Wolfpack momentum or she was ready to get back on defense. 

Luckily for Jones, who finished with her highest point total since Jan. 30 with 13, it went down. 

“I’m built for the moment,” Jones said with a smile afterwards. “I just went in there, played my game and wasn’t thinking about anything else.”

Jones hasn’t received starter’s minutes often this season, but she always keeps herself ready to go on the bench. She envisions each play as if she’s the one taking the shot or poking the ball away from opposing ball handlers, so when it is her time to check in, she’s more than prepared.  

And her teammates have noticed that. 

“Zam lives for moments like this,” senior guard Saniya Rivers said. “Even though it was her first time on this stage, she was born ready. … It was great that Zam was ready to come off the bench and be on fire for us.”

Added senior guard Madison Hayes: “She’s been doing a great job all season. She showed it, obviously, in the second half. She hit some big shots. But she’s not really a freshman anymore. At this point in the season, we’re all veterans now.”

Jones carries herself with a certain swagger. She’s calm, yet confident with the ball in her hand. It’s a sense of being that not too many freshmen play with, well except for Brooks, who Jones appears to be a carbon copy of. 

And that’s a positive for NC State moving forward. Not only was Jones crucial in extending the Pack’s stay in Greensboro, setting up a rematch with North Carolina in the semifinals on Saturday afternoon, but for the expected NCAA Tournament run in two weeks. 

Jones said her showing against Georgia Tech boosts her confidence moving forward, but it might not be needed with the mindset that she hits the floor with on a nightly basis anyways. She’s ready to attack when her number is called, just as she displayed in the tight win over the Yellow Jackets. 

“She’s an energy player,” Rivers said. “She’s smaller, but she has the heart and that’s all that matters.”