The Talon
Basketball player prepares for greatness Tuesday, December 13, 2011 By LAILA GOHARIOON
With the NBA there has not been much basketball airing this season, but Derrico Peck, senior, has been practicing for 21 hours a week. His drive and motivation earned him Cherokee County Athlete for the week of Nov. 28 . Peck, who is on the Boys’ Varsity basketball team, has been committed to basketball at a competitive level since the beginning of his freshman year. The six-foot-six-inch, 180-pound player knew the sport was for him when he was on the Varsity team as a sophomore. However, his love for the sport truly began at two. “Most little kids get little, bouncy balls. My parents gave me a real sized basketball,” Peck said. Peck’s parents, who themselves played basketball, fostered his love for the game at such an early age that he has made basketball his passion. “My parents have been there for me since day one. My dad is my outside observer and when he talks about my play he really lightens up the mood,” Peck said. After every game, Peck and his parents and he will talk about plays, how he did, how he needs to improve and the overall game itself. These talks can last from an hour to two hours. “These talks are always fun because you feel happy that you have a support team that is always there for you,” Peck said. Peck’s parents expect no less than a B average in school for him to play basketball. “I have to stay focused and on track. There is no room to mess up. I want to do well, so time managing is key,” Peck said, on how he keeps up with grades and basketball through the school year. Peck manages his time by trying to get the most of his homework done during school hours. He then goes to Varsity practice from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. When he comes home, he showers, eats and finishes any other school related work before being able to catch a breath and relax for an hour. While he is a major influence on the court, he is with his peers at school as well. Peck was recently named “Boy Trendsetter” and “Most Likely to be Famous Boy.” “He is one of the funniest people I know off the court, but on the court he becomes very serious,” forward Damola Awe-Olaleye, senior, said. Peck is a competitive player who is a good leader on the court because he sees the floor well and slashes to the basket. “He is a solid rebounder and is very strong defensively. Defense is his strongest suit. He can change the game with his ability to guard, rebound, and block shots,” Don Hurlburt, Boys’ Varsity coach, said. Slashing, which is getting inside the defense at will, is Peck’s strong suits on court. Peck is also one of those players who can get to the basket at any time. Peck has multiple positions on the court because he is a versatile player. “I mainly play point guard. My role is to put pressure on the opponent’s defense and create opportunities for the team,” Peck said. Peck went to Northview High School for his junior year before transferring back to Etowah for his senior year. There he played only point guard because that was his assigned role. This season has started off well for Peck who scored 18 points against Sequoyah, 17 points against River Ridge and 22 points against Creekview. In all three games Peck has done, double, double which is getting double digits in two categories such as steals, points, assists, blocks and rebounds. Peck double, doubled in points and rebounds, he had 11 rebounds against Creekview. Peck believes this season will go well and is looking forward to having another remarkable play like he had his junior year. “I shot a shot from the opposite free throw line to our goal. It was like a movie scene because I tied the game at the end of the 4 th quarter and the crowd was cheering so loud,” Peck said. According to Peck, the crowd keeps the team energized. “If the crowd is involved, the team plays harder. You can see it. We become alive and go from 100 percent to 110 percent,” Peck said. Peck is currently being scouted by numerous colleges and universities including Harvard, University of Georgia, University of South Carolina, Mercer, East Carolina University, University of Charleston and Tennessee Tech University. Currently, Peck is undecided. “If Derrico continues to work on his overall game, he has the potential to play at the college level,” Hurlburt said. Peck plans to graduate college and enter the field of media involved with sports, possible as a sports caster and behind the scenes. Peck plans to keep basketball a part of his life by not only playing whenever he can, but by giving back to children who play basketball. He hopes to create a basketball camp and workout camp for children. He has already started to plan his camp by incorporating it as his Senior Project. Peck will host an invitational basketball camp that will focus on the overall game, improving skills and instilling confidence. The ages of his camp range from fourth graders to seniors in high school. By his peers and coaches, Peck has been called “driven.” |