DONE DEAL: Zach Martini “TURN DOWN” Rutgers Deal due to….
Steve Pikiell has listed experience, shooting, and toughness as the three qualities he hopes to add to Rutgers basketball’s 2024–25 lineup.
Zach Martini, a forward from Princeton who has committed to the Scarlet Knights for his next postgraduate campaign, meets all of those requirements.
In the current age, the 6-foot-7, 235-pound product of Warren, Somerset County, will be the first player from Princeton to transfer to historically rival Rutgers. Since postgraduates are not permitted to play in the Ivy League, Martini—a former Gill St. Bernard’s teammate of former Rutgers player Paul Mulcahy—had to go.
Pikiell was aware of Martini’s development over the years and paid attention when the Princeton player defeated Rutgers in November with 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting and a strong defensive game.
Martini said over the phone, “Coach Pikiell himself made it clear when I entered the portal that I was not only wanted, but needed at Rutgers.” “It meant a lot to me that he was the first coach to call, and he phoned me an hour after I logged into the portal. He truly is aware of who I am.
Three facts about Martini to be aware of.
It’s no coincidence that Princeton finished 70-21 under Martini, winning three Ivy League regular-season championships and making it to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. Even while he was never a celebrity, he was always the anchor while others made headlines, and that’s exactly what the banks will need him to do.
Princeton coach Mitch Henderson recently remarked, “You look at his stats and maybe he doesn’t score the most points or get the most rebounds, but he makes an incredible impact in our program every day with the person that he is.” “Zach is such a glue for us, but there are guys on the team who get a lot of attention nationally.”
A major in English who was awarded Academic All-Ivy honors is currently finishing up a sixty-page senior thesis about the
Following the work of director David Lynch (Blue Velvet, Mulholland Drive, Twin Peaks), Martini celebrated Thanksgiving dinner with nine of his teammates at his parents’ home.
His toughness on the court is well-established. Taking a charge during a preseason practice as a junior resulted in a ruptured lung. After six weeks of being sidelined and five nights in the hospital, he eventually returned to game action in the first minute, charging into a driving opponent to take another charge.
“I had a lot of ups and downs during my career at Princeton, but I just had to put in the effort and persevere, and it all worked out,” Martini remarked. “I gained knowledge about winning and how to be emotionally and physically tough and realize that everyone in a team has a certain role to play. Not every player will be the one to get fifteen to twenty shots in a game. However, every team requires a guy who recognizes that they might be the team’s glue, the one who speaks up or contributes the intangibles on a daily basis.”
Despite his natural position as a face-up four (more on that later), Martini was required to man the post for Princeton throughout the previous winter. He performed it admirably. He guarded Cliff Omoruyi in the Tigers’ victory over Rutgers, and even though he gave up a lot of speed—four inches—he managed to win the positioning battle and limit Omoruyi to only 12 points and seven rebounds.
