The Peninsula Athletic League North Division Player of the Year was getting calls and letters from an array of Division II and Division III colleges.
With each passing day, the stress level was turned up a little more than a notch. So stressful was life that a double-overtime game at Jefferson would have made for a nice diversion.
 Elena Fava Emerson / Review Zack Peck is all smiles now that he has decided to attend Menlo College. |
"It's close by," Peck said. "It's not too close where I feel that I can live on my own. But it's close enough where I can go home to get the laundry done."
But while the distance between home and school is not that far, that wasn't the only reason why he chose Menlo.
"I like the coach (Kevin Nosek) a lot," Peck said. "I'm also going to get a lot of playing time."
Peck says that he would have received his fair share of playing time at other colleges that were looking at him.
But he felt most comfortable at Menlo.
In going to Menlo, Peck arrives with a solid winning tradition. But, last year turned out to be one of the worst years in school history, as the Oaks were 4-22 overall, 4-15 in the California Pacific Conference. Both marks were the worst marks since the college went from a junior college to a four-year school following the 1985-86 season.
But this was Nosek's first year coaching, after replacing Keith Larson, who is running the program at Cal-State Stanislaus.
"He's starting to build the program back up," Peck said. "I'm looking forward to being part of the building process."
The first-year record doesn't bother Peck.
Nosek has spent a lot of time in recruiting. While nothing is set, it appears that Nosek might get some players that Peck is familiar with.
"The coach might get a guy from Mission Viejo," Peck said. "(Half Moon Bay) played them in December (at the Maui Christmas Classic)."
Another player who might join the Oaks is someone Peck also saw play while in Maui.
Standing at 6-6, Peck was the starting center for Half Moon Bay. But at Menlo, that might change.
"I might either be a forward or a center," Peck said.
If the Oaks acquire some big men, Peck might be able to sit on the bench occasionally. The only time he did that while at Half Moon Bay was when the game turned into a blowout.
As much as he liked the basketball atmosphere, Peck is also a fan of the academic life that Menlo promises to give.
"Menlo has a good business school and a good liberal arts program," Peck said. "They also have some small classes."
When Peck made his decision, and signed the necessary papers, it felt like a weight was lifted off his shoulders.
"In the end, it was getting very stressful," Peck said. "I always hated talking about which college I would be attending, because at the time I didn't know."
Now that he knows that he will be a Menlo Oak, he can relax a little, but not much.
Since Menlo is close by, he goes there a few times a week to workout with his future teammates.
"When we get started in the fall, I will already be at the college level," Peck said.
