4/5/2024 basketball Edit

Princeton transfer Zach Martini talks Rutgers Basketball commitment

Zach Smart • TheKnightReport

Hoops Recruiting Analyst

As the transfer market continues to spin at a frenetic pace, Rutgers capitalized on a knockdown shooter with a wealth of veteran experience on Wednesday. Steve Pikiell received a commitment from Zach Martini, a 6-foot-7 Princeton transfer.

A senior, Martini averaged 8.3 points and 3.3 rebounds at Princeton this past season, shooting it at 45 percent from the field. He had multiple games of five 3-pointers or more, including a 23-point performance in which he shot a sizzling 7-for-9 from beyond the arc during a 105-83 victory over UPenn last month.

Several shooting onslaughts of Martini's enabled Princeton to break open games and trigger significant scoring surges. He shot 5-for-12 from 3-point land during a 77-70 victory over UPenn back on February 10. While he has a tendency to run hot and cold, Martini shot 8-for-13 from the perimeter during back to back wins over Delaware and Harvard at the beginning of the second semester. With his multi-positional defense and physicality, Martini's defensive grit and ability to guard fives is one area of his game which tends to get undersold.

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The family environment of Martini's recent campus visit, plus the role Pikiell envisions for Martini were major factors which triggered the Ivy League transfer's decision.

"Coach Pike spoke with me over the phone this off-season and he actually remembered my performance during (Princeton's 68-61 win over Rutgers in the season opener)," Martini said.

"He said that after the game he was thinking to himself, 'I need a player like that.' That really meant a lot to me. Coach Pike illustrated some strong points and expressed what he needed in terms of leadership. With a talented freshman class (headlined by McDonald's All Americans Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey) coming in, he needs a veteran to take on a leadership role. That really sold me."

Martini has known about Pikiell for some time now. He recalls playing at Gil St. Bernard with teammate Paul Mulcahy, who wound up playing at Rutgers.

Martin did not play his freshman season, as the Ivy League cancelled its season due to Covid.

He played a significant role these past two seasons with the Tigers, upping his production rate considerably this past season.

As a vital role player on a Princeton team which culminated the season with a sublime 24-5 overall record and registered a 13-2 record in the Ivy League, Martin shot 38.5 percent from 3-point territory, connecting on 60-for-156. He shot 83 percent from the free throw line. He can't be pigeonholed as strictly a shooter either, as he's active in the pick and role and polished at scoring it around the rim.

Princeton ripped off nine of their last 11, albeit its season came to a screeching halt at the hands of UNLV, during an 84-77 loss on March 20.

Martini scored 17 points during that loss, shooting 5-for-11 from the great beyond. He scored 10 points (4-for-6 FG, 2-for-3 3FG) during Princeton's 68-61 win over Rutgers to open up the 2023-24 campaign. While he battled with bouts of feast or famine like inconsistency, he showed promise during an 85-71 victory at Bucknell around Thanksgiving time. Martini scored 15 points on 6-for-7 shooting (3-for-4 3FG), adding five rebounds, two assists, and a steal.

Beyond being a catch-and-stick threat with a quick release, Martini is a mismatch threat with his ability to get open and stretch the floor out. His ability to hit difficulty-contested shots amid draping close-outs and also use his physicality to barrel his way to the rim are noteworthy facets of his game.

During his campus visit, Martini also got to meet Rutgers football coach Greg Schiano. Having grown up watching Rutgers football religiously and playing tight end in high school (he was actually recruited by then Rutgers football coach Chris Ash during his freshman year), Martini described it as a unique moment for him.

"It was a really cool, unique experience to meet Greg Schiano, he was an extremely genuine guy," Martini explained. "I really got to learn how close Coach Pike and Coach Schiano are at Rutgers. I did not know this, but Coach Pike and Coach Schiano actually text each other prior to each other's games. Knowing how unnerving it could be preparing for a game, it is good they have that support for each other. It says a lot about both of them."