After Journey, Pierre Headed to Chattanooga
Ron Bailey, Publisher
October 18, 2006 – Mookie Pierre, a 6’4” 195lb guard from Gaithersburg, MD has accepted a scholarship to attend the Chattanooga next year. His road to becoming a Moc and competing in the Southern Conference has not been traditional, but his impact will be measurable, nonetheless.
Pierre graduated from Gaithersburg’s Watkins Mill High School in 2003, after which he ended up playing for Montgomery-Rockville Community College in 2004-2005, averaging 20 points a game. Despite this success on the court, Mookie didn’t play organized ball in 2005-2006.
According to Pierre’s mentor Walter Ray, academic uncertainties at Montgomery-Rockville precluded him from playing in 2005-2006. Ray, who has successfully provided college exposure for hundreds of student-athletes through his organization EGOS, Inc., shared recently “I ran into him this summer, and he said he wasn’t playing anywhere”. Ray immediately invited Mookie to open gym competitions.
It is these informal settings, in concert with Ray’s Larry Williams Games and the travel teams he puts together, that not only solidifies the participant’s skills, but creates an evaluative platform for coaches from four year and junior college institutions. “I took them to the Ken Littlefield Tournament in Atlanta, and everybody wanted to know who he was”, shared Ray of Pierre’s play.
Mookie Pierre has taken a circuitous route to Division I ball, but through perseverance will arrive there next season.
Mookie eventually chose to attend Riverside Community College in Riverside, California, because as he recently put in a phone interview “It’s a good program”. Additionally, he feels “I needed to play, and attend school”. Chattanooga offered their scholarship soon there after.
When he enrolls next year at Chattanooga - alternatively known as UTC - Pierre plans on majoring in “Sports Management”, and chose the school because of the opportunities there. “I feel like we can get to the NCAA Tournament and do some damage” he shared. “We will have a young team, and we can build on that”.
On the floor, Moc fans can expect versatility from Mookie. “He’s a shooter and scorer with a smooth game” said Ray. “He can play the one (point guard) or two (shooting guard)”.
That game was honed in Gaithersburg, probably one of the most overlooked sources of talent in the Washington, DC area: A prime example of this is Jerome Williams, the former Georgetown Hoya and New York Knick, as he was lightly recruited in high school, and then went on to a very successful college and pro career.
“We are a small city and nobody recognizes us” opined Pierre about hoops in Gaithersburg. “Nobody really recognizes us. But when we go play, we show them. We stay humble, and do what we have to do”.
He’s also humble off the court, as upon being asked to provide shout-outs, Pierre immediately wanted to recognize “My mother Michelle, and Walter Ray”, along with his friends “Joey, Jeremy, and Brandon”, his sister Nancy, and Montgomery County school official “Ms. Jones”. Last but not least, Mookie wanted to thank Kathy Williams - Larry William's mother; she has acted as a mother to all of EGOS, Inc.’s young men since her son passed several years ago.
That ethic has stayed with Pierre, despite the ups and downs he’s experienced over the last three years. As a result, UTC fans can expect a student-athlete capable of immediately contributing to the Moc’s effort.
Do your thing Mookie. The Southern Conference is in for a surprise.