When the dismantling of UCLA was executed and Drew Peterson’s gorgeous career-best night time was full late final Saturday, Brian Zyrkowski flipped on the tape of the final time he noticed the previous Libertyville guard fully take over a recreation.
Zyrkowski would always remember how these remaining 4 minutes of the 2018 Illinois Class 4A regional title recreation unfolded. Libertyville Excessive, which hadn’t gained a regional in 15 years, trailed Conant by 15. The scenario was grim. However Peterson was simply getting began.
He pulled up from the three-point line on three straight possessions, sinking every. He hit a teammate for an open jumper on his subsequent journey down, then tipped within the following possession off an offensive rebound. Nearly singlehandedly, Peterson pressured extra time. Then, with time expiring within the further interval, he hit a buzzer-beating three-pointer with a hand in his face to win.
Reliving that efficiency, Peterson says he “couldn’t even imagine the zone I used to be in.”
His highschool coach wasn’t stunned to see him enter the zone in opposition to UCLA this previous week.
“That’s Drew Peterson,” Zyrkowski mentioned this week. “When he is aware of he has to take over a recreation, he’ll discover a approach to do it.”
That was actually the case Saturday, with USC pressured to tackle its crosstown rival with out main scorer Isaiah Mobley, who sat out with concussion signs. An ineffective Boogie Ellis made issues much more dire, because the Trojans level guard had his worst recreation of the season in opposition to UCLA, lacking all seven of his photographs from the sector.
Peterson greater than crammed these footwear Saturday, scoring 27 factors, pulling in 12 rebounds, blocking 5 photographs and dishing 4 assists.
However he hasn’t all the time stepped into that function so confidently at USC. Only a week earlier than he blew previous UCLA, Peterson was mired in a capturing stoop, having hit simply three of his earlier 23 photographs.
It’s not the one time the senior guard has needed to work his method out of a troublesome stretch throughout his two seasons at USC. Final season, a tricky midseason stoop noticed Peterson benched for a quick stretch after he shot simply 25% throughout a seven-game stretch.
Throughout previous slumps, Peterson mentioned, his confidence has generally wavered.
“I are typically a man that prides myself on being an environment friendly participant who does a bit little bit of all the pieces,” Peterson mentioned. “So once I’m not being environment friendly, I’ve gone right into a gap prior to now.”
That shouldn’t be an issue after Saturday, USC coach Andy Enfield mentioned.
“He has all the boldness on the earth,” Enfield mentioned. “He simply must exit and play basketball constantly on the degree he’s able to.”
At Libertyville, Zyrkowski mentioned Peterson was typically selfless to a fault. The coach generally needed to remind his star participant to be extra egocentric and search for his shot.
Peterson wanted related reminders at USC, even one as lately as Saturday night time.
“I really handed up an early three in opposition to UCLA and [USC assistant] coach [Chris] Capko instructed me, ‘You need to shoot that subsequent time,’” Peterson recalled.
He didn’t miss any extra of these alternatives on Saturday, and he ought to have lots extra down the stretch of the season as USC continues to seek for consistency on the offensive finish.
Assuming he’s cleared from concussion protocol, Mobley is predicted to return on Thursday night time in opposition to Washington. Ellis also needs to bounce again from his worst recreation of the season. However as USC enters a vital stretch of its schedule, with Arizona and Oregon looming together with a rematch with UCLA at Pauley Pavilion, the presence of one other constant scoring possibility might make a serious distinction come March.
The one query now's whether or not Peterson can maintain this up.
“What you noticed the opposite night time is what Drew can do,” Zyrkowski mentioned. “I’ve seen it myself.”
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