Zach Martini had played into late March before and was determined to do so again this time.
He couldn't think of a better place to return to than Rutgers University, which is closer to his hometown.
So when he entered the transfer portal and got a call from Rutgers coach Steve Pikiell less than an hour later, it was clear where the former Princeton forward would spend his final year of eligibility.
“It was a no-brainer,” the Warren, New Jersey native said at Rutgers University's media day on Tuesday. “I love New Jersey and I'm going to represent New Jersey until the day I die, so to come back here and play in a gym like this, with fans like these, I made the decision within the week.”
Rutgers has high expectations, mainly due to the additions of five-star freshmen Dylan Harper and Aerios “Ace” Bailey.
But Pikiell has built a strong supporting cast for them, and the 6-foot-7 Martini is a key part of it.
A capable court-spacing player, a good rebounder and a strong defender, Martini was named one of two team captains — the other being returning senior guard Jeremiah Williams — and has quickly proven his value off the court.
Martini came to Rutgers to provide leadership, do the dirty work, play for one last championship (a Sweet 16 appearance with Princeton in 2023) and develop two young stars.
“It's not every day you get to play with two future top draft picks,” said Martini, who averaged 8.4 points, 3.3 rebounds and shot 38.5 percent on 5.4 3-point attempts last year at Princeton. “I'm not the kind of guy that's going to ask for 10 or 20 shots. If I'm going to shoot three a game, I'm going to shoot three. If I'm going to shoot five a game, I'm going to shoot five.
“It's a sense of maturity to know you're not the star of the team, but you can be a star in other aspects of the game. I feel proud to be someone the younger guys look to to lead the team through the Big Ten season. That's what's appealing to me.”
