Peacock a strong finisher for Tech

By Carroll Rogers

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Zachery Peacock could have been the perfect warm-and-fuzzy example of how a player, who started 30 games as a junior, reacted with class and grace when he found out he wouldn't be a starter as a senior.

But the 6-foot-8 senior power forward for the Yellow Jackets went for something more tangible. He's not a starter anymore? He became a finisher.

No. 20 Georgia Tech (17-6, 5-4) has won five ACC games this season. Peacock has made the winning shot in four of them. For a team still searching for its offensive identity, Peacock's role is clear.

Game on the line? He'll take the ball, thanks.

Tech's sixth man wouldn't mind more last-minute heroics Wednesday night as he plays in his hometown of Miami, against the Hurricanes, in front of a group of extended family that includes his parents, grandparents, four sisters, a younger brother, aunts, uncles and cousins.

"Every second I'm getting a text message, ‘Hey you got anymore tickets?' " Peacock said.

Peacock made the winning free throws with 1:04 left Saturday against N.C. State, with the game and a 16-point lead caving in around the Yellow Jackets.

He finished with 22 points in 24 minutes, on 7-of-8 shooting, including 2-for-2 from 3-point range. He went 6-for-7 at the free-throw line, while the rest of the team went 9-for-22. It was the sixth time Peacock has led the Yellow Jackets in scoring this season. He also led them with 11 points in their loss to Duke on Thursday.

On Jan. 9, Peacock made the winning shot at home against Duke, picking up a loose ball and laying it in. He drove the lane and scored the winning basket with 25.7 seconds left at North Carolina. He made two free throws with three seconds left for the winning margin at home against Clemson.

Peacock missed the front end of a one-and-one with 26 seconds left in a loss at Florida State. But at home against Florida State, when Tech went to overtime before losing, Peacock scored 17 points. He made the tying shot at the end of regulation and scored all five of Tech's points in overtime.

"Zach has a good feel for taking what the defense is giving him," Tech coach Paul Hewitt said. "He's such a tough matchup because he can make a [3-point shot], but then he can go off the dribble, and he's pretty decent in the post as well."

Where other teams might focus on Gani Lawal or Derrick Favors in the low post, Peacock relishes the opening left for him.

"Oh definitely, especially when they decide to double-team [one of them]," Peacock said. "I feel like I can really take advantage of that being the versatile [power forward] that I am."

Coach Mike Krzyzewski has seen enough of Peacock over the years to call the rotation of Favors, Lawal and Peacock, "as good a three-man rotation for those two spots as there is in the country."

Hewitt, for one, hopes that Peacock gets his due at least around the ACC.

"He's a guy who should be considered for all-league," Hewitt said. "I just hope because he's coming off the bench, people don't overlook him."