By GEORGE WATKINS, The Salinas Californian
The decision was made. His plane ticket was bought. And his bags were packed.
Metro College, here we come.
Ah, not so fast.
Less than 24 hours before North Salinas High and Hartnell College basketball standout Eric Petty was to leave for Metro College in Denver on a scholarship ride, he received a call from the coach at Mississippi Valley State offering the same deal.
Although the 6-5 Petty had verbally agreed to play basketball for Metro - a NCAA Division II powerhouse with 10 straight post-season appearances and a No. 1 rating this year in some polls - his dream had always been to play for a Division I school.
So when Mississippi Valley State - known mainly for being the alma mater of Jerry Rice - made its late-hour offer last week of a Division I scholarship, Petty found himself in the middle of a tug-of-war between two schools with only hours to make a decision.
Both schools had every reason to believe they were going to land the two-time first-team Coast Conference selection, who averaged 23 points and 12 rebounds for Hartnell last season.
Photo: #34, MVSU recruit E.J. Petty
"It was real stressful,'' Petty, a two-time Salinas Californian high school Player of the Year, said. "We had pizza here the night (Aug. 10) before I was supposed to leave (for Denver) and I didn't eat anything. I was too stressed out.''
Ultimately the desire to play at the Division I level won out, despite a last-ditch attempt by Metro coach Brannon Hays, who flew out the next morning to talk with Petty and his father in Salinas face to face.
"I was nervous about what to tell Metro,'' said Petty, who left for Mississippi on Monday. "He had me feeling pretty guilty at first, but I had to remember it's a business.''
Not only was Hays trying to convince Petty to stay, but also he had apparently solicited a little extra help.
Ohlone basketball coach John Peterson sent the Petty family an e-mail that was critical of Mississippi Valley State while praising the Metro program.
Eric Petty Sr. said he and his son also received phone calls from the Fresno City basketball coach, who also endorsed Metro.
"Since high school he (Eric Jr.) has always done what the coach wanted him to do,'' Petty Sr. said. "He needed to find it in his heart what he wanted to do.''
Since Petty didn't sign an official letter of intent by the May 15 deadline, he was free to accept any offer - or offers - until the time he set foot on campus.
But the freedom of choice quickly became a burden for the soft-talking Petty, who was sensitive to the feelings of coaches at both schools.
"I knew the Metro coach didn't fly out here for nothing,'' Petty Jr. said. "He said he didn't mean to put this much pressure on me. He told me to take another day before I made a decision. He had me feeling pretty guilty. But I had to remember this is a business.''
Before making his decision Petty asked for advice from two of his closest friends and teammates from North Salinas' 2004 basketball team that upset top-seed Palo Alto in a Central Coast Section quarterfinal game - Orlando Johnson and Marco Ramos.
Johnson signed with Division I Loyola Marymount last November, and Ramos had just ended two standout seasons with Monterey Peninsula College.
"They said to follow my heart and go where I want to go,'' Petty said.
Mississippi Valley State was more than just a Division I basketball program to Petty.
It was also a home away from home.
Petty Sr. had grown up in the same area as the college, and his biological mother still lives nearby.
Petty visited the school in May, played some hoops with some of the returning players and generally liked everything he saw.
"I'm glad it's over,'' Petty said. "It was pretty stressful. I was feeling a lot of pressure. But now I'm ready to get down and go to work.''
The Mississippi Valley State schedule includes games against such high-profile schools as Ole Miss, Creighton and Baylor.
"I know I'll be able to hold my own,' said Petty, who scored 42 points in a late-season game last year against San Jose City College. "And I'm not worried about playing time. They're not bringing in a JC recruit to sit on the bench.''
The Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils compete in the Southwestern Athletic Conference along with University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, Grambling State, Texas Southern, Prairie View A&M, Southern University, Alabama State, Alcorn State and Jackson State.
The Delta Devils were conference champions last year with a 13-5 record and went 18-16 overall.
Their season ended with an opening round loss in the NIT.
The decision was made. His plane ticket was bought. And his bags were packed.
Metro College, here we come.
Ah, not so fast.
Less than 24 hours before North Salinas High and Hartnell College basketball standout Eric Petty was to leave for Metro College in Denver on a scholarship ride, he received a call from the coach at Mississippi Valley State offering the same deal.
Although the 6-5 Petty had verbally agreed to play basketball for Metro - a NCAA Division II powerhouse with 10 straight post-season appearances and a No. 1 rating this year in some polls - his dream had always been to play for a Division I school.
So when Mississippi Valley State - known mainly for being the alma mater of Jerry Rice - made its late-hour offer last week of a Division I scholarship, Petty found himself in the middle of a tug-of-war between two schools with only hours to make a decision.
Both schools had every reason to believe they were going to land the two-time first-team Coast Conference selection, who averaged 23 points and 12 rebounds for Hartnell last season.
Photo: #34, MVSU recruit E.J. Petty
"It was real stressful,'' Petty, a two-time Salinas Californian high school Player of the Year, said. "We had pizza here the night (Aug. 10) before I was supposed to leave (for Denver) and I didn't eat anything. I was too stressed out.''
Ultimately the desire to play at the Division I level won out, despite a last-ditch attempt by Metro coach Brannon Hays, who flew out the next morning to talk with Petty and his father in Salinas face to face.
"I was nervous about what to tell Metro,'' said Petty, who left for Mississippi on Monday. "He had me feeling pretty guilty at first, but I had to remember it's a business.''
Not only was Hays trying to convince Petty to stay, but also he had apparently solicited a little extra help.
Ohlone basketball coach John Peterson sent the Petty family an e-mail that was critical of Mississippi Valley State while praising the Metro program.
Eric Petty Sr. said he and his son also received phone calls from the Fresno City basketball coach, who also endorsed Metro.
"Since high school he (Eric Jr.) has always done what the coach wanted him to do,'' Petty Sr. said. "He needed to find it in his heart what he wanted to do.''
Since Petty didn't sign an official letter of intent by the May 15 deadline, he was free to accept any offer - or offers - until the time he set foot on campus.
But the freedom of choice quickly became a burden for the soft-talking Petty, who was sensitive to the feelings of coaches at both schools.
"I knew the Metro coach didn't fly out here for nothing,'' Petty Jr. said. "He said he didn't mean to put this much pressure on me. He told me to take another day before I made a decision. He had me feeling pretty guilty. But I had to remember this is a business.''
Before making his decision Petty asked for advice from two of his closest friends and teammates from North Salinas' 2004 basketball team that upset top-seed Palo Alto in a Central Coast Section quarterfinal game - Orlando Johnson and Marco Ramos.
Johnson signed with Division I Loyola Marymount last November, and Ramos had just ended two standout seasons with Monterey Peninsula College.
"They said to follow my heart and go where I want to go,'' Petty said.
Mississippi Valley State was more than just a Division I basketball program to Petty.
It was also a home away from home.
Petty Sr. had grown up in the same area as the college, and his biological mother still lives nearby.
Petty visited the school in May, played some hoops with some of the returning players and generally liked everything he saw.
"I'm glad it's over,'' Petty said. "It was pretty stressful. I was feeling a lot of pressure. But now I'm ready to get down and go to work.''
The Mississippi Valley State schedule includes games against such high-profile schools as Ole Miss, Creighton and Baylor.
"I know I'll be able to hold my own,' said Petty, who scored 42 points in a late-season game last year against San Jose City College. "And I'm not worried about playing time. They're not bringing in a JC recruit to sit on the bench.''
The Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils compete in the Southwestern Athletic Conference along with University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, Grambling State, Texas Southern, Prairie View A&M, Southern University, Alabama State, Alcorn State and Jackson State.
The Delta Devils were conference champions last year with a 13-5 record and went 18-16 overall.
Their season ended with an opening round loss in the NIT.
No comments:
Post a Comment