What makes Auburn’s Tahaad Pettiford shine on the biggest stages?

Kelvin Sampson needed a timeout.

His usually impenetrable Houston defense was starting to crack, and it was coming at the hands of a 19-year-old who failed to register a point in his college debut three days earlier.

Auburn’s freshman guard Tahaad Pettiford had just made two straight 3-pointers, both coming off the dribble, with the second one banking in off the backboard, a message from the basketball gods that Nov. 11, 2024, was going to be his night.

Those baskets put Auburn up 19-12 with a little under eight minutes to go in the first half, but it was just the beginning of Pettiford’s college basketball coming out party on national television versus the Cougars.

He finished the game with 21 points, leading Auburn to a 74-69 win over No. 4 Houston. Then, Pettiford scored 14 more against No. 5 Iowa State. Later came 20 at No. 9 Duke, 18 against No. 18 Purdue, and most recently, a career-high 24 at No. 23 Georgia, a game in which Auburn was without its best player, All-American big man Johni Broome.

The moment has never been too big for Pettiford, though, and it comes from his unique basketball upbringing that made standing out despite being the youngest guy on the court normal for him.

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It’s hard to talk about Pettiford’s strengths on the court without mentioning his poise. As a McDonald’s All-American, his talent was no secret coming into college, but it’s much harder to predict if a prospect’s maturity will translate to a level of the sport that seems to be getting older every year.

Pettiford attributes his poise and maturity to playing up during his youth basketball years, getting him used to playing against older and often bigger players.

Travis Pettiford, Tahaad’s father, knew there were advantages to having his son play basketball with older kids. So, when he began training a young Tahaad in third grade, he did not hesitate to have him start playing up.

“I always thought playing against higher competition will get you better,” Travis Pettiford said in an interview with AL.com. “And it’s just paying off with him because he’s such a gym rat.”

Hudson Catholic Regional High School in Jersey City honors student athlete Tahaad Pettiford during an assembly on Thursday, Feb. 15 for being selected to play in the 2024 McDonald's All American Games in Houston on April 2. Tahaad Pettiford poses for a photo with his father Travis.Reena Rose Sibayan | The Jersey Journal

Tahaad Pettiford’s third-grade AAU team often played against teams stacked with older players, creating plenty of growing pains during the beginning of his youth basketball career.

There was no bigger example of those lumps than when Pettiford’s team played in USBA Nationals in the third grade, only to lose every game of the tournament. Even for a team that featured a young Pettiford and North Carolina guard Elliot Cadeau, the group was overmatched.

“The third grade was all tears, all tears on my shoulder,” Travis Pettiford said.

But the disappointment did not last long, as the team returned to the same tournament in fourth grade, this time winning the whole thing in the fifth-grade bracket.

At that age, Travis Pettiford said the difference came down to making layups. While that seems elementary, it’s a crucial stage in the development of players in elementary school. Taking that step, as Travis Pettiford described, laid the groundwork for developing Tahaad’s now elite jump shooting, along with teaching him how to train and improve.

“There wasn’t a day we didn’t go without doing something with basketball unless he was sick or on punishment,” Travis Pettiford said, “Which was rare because he didn’t do too much, but play basketball.”

A young Tahaad Pettiford and Elliot CadeauPhoto courtesy of Travis Pettiford

Tahaad Pettiford continued to play up throughout elementary and middle school, but it was his freshman year of high school when his father knew he was raising a special player. A year later was when the scholarship offers began rolling in, eventually leading to a decision between Auburn and UConn.

The offers started coming Pettiford’s way in tenth grade, but the hype only continued to build throughout high school. He finished his high school career with over 1,200 points despite only playing two full seasons.

Even in high school, the games were as competitive as ever. Pettiford played for the renowned Hudson Catholic basketball program in Jersey City, where he played against national powerhouses in the area such as Don Bosco Prep and Camden High School, matching up with other blue-chip guards such as Dylan Harper and DJ Wagner.

Hudson Catholic head coach Nick Marinello is no stranger to elite-level high school basketball and top end talent, coaching around 80 future Division I basketball players, and McDonald’s All-Americans such as Pettiford, former Alabama and Memphis guard Jahvon Quinerly and former Oregon forward Louis King.

Pettiford is the most recent in that lineage and the poise in big moments he possesses at Auburn was already on display during his high school career.

“We played a triple overtime game against Don Bosco, who had Dylan Harper at the time, and he was unbelievable in that game,” Marinello said in an interview with AL.com.

Tahaad Pettiford (0) of Hudson Catholic brings the ball up the court against Dylan Harper (2) of Don Bosco Prep during the NJSIAA North Jersey, Non-Public A semifinal boys basketball game between Don Bosco and Hudson Catholic at Don Bosco Prep in Ramsey, NJ on Thursday, February 29, 2024.Mile Djordjiovski | For NJ Advance Media

“We played Roosevelt Catholic last year in a, I think it was a double overtime game, and he hit a shot at the buzzer and a shot in overtime to give us the lead, to propel us to win the game,” Marinello added, “And it just was the biggest game, the biggest stage we had last year. He was unbelievable.”

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At Auburn, a similar gauntlet awaited Pettiford.

He was stepping into the toughest non-conference schedule in the program’s history and a Southeastern Conference that’s more talented than ever before. But it didn’t take long for Pettiford to make it clear he was prepared for that level.

“He’s got great talent. And, sometimes when you talk about someone’s talent, they haven’t worked at it. He’s worked at it,” Bruce Pearl said after Pettiford’s 21-point outing against Houston. “He’s absolutely not afraid of the moment.”

Pearl has also been complimentary of Pettiford’s family, saying Travis Pettiford sent Tahaad to Auburn assistant coach Ira Bowman and told him, “Do whatever you want to do.”

“That old school is still alive,” Pearl said.

That mentality instilled in Tahaad allows a former five-star recruit and McDonald’s All-American to fit in seamlessly with an Auburn team of former JUCO, Division II and mid-major transfers, many of whom were overlooked by high-major programs and recruiting websites in high school.

The freshman from New Jersey is currently averaging 12 points per game and shooting 43.8% from 3-point range. That puts him third on the team in scoring and first in 3-point percentage all while averaging 21.1 minutes per game and having yet to make a start this season.

“Most people couldn’t handle the role he’s in,” Marinello said. “That kid wants to win.”

Not only does Pettiford seem to have his best games against Auburn’s best opponents, but many have also come in road or neutral site venues.

He’s averaging 14.7 points per game away from Neville Arena and 17.3 in true road games, while shooting 54.5% from 3-point range.

“I wouldn’t say I get excited. I just get mentally prepared for it,” Pettiford said when asked if he gets more excited to play on the road. “BP, he’ll let us know throughout the week what type of game this is going to be, what type of environment. He’ll let us know how he wants us to play.”

Whether it’s preparation, poise or natural maturity, Pettiford has it. And as Auburn navigates the brutal SEC waiting on Broome’s return, Pettiford’s contributions are more important than ever.

The next giant Pettiford and Auburn hope to slay is No. 6 Tennessee, an opponent that brings ESPN’s College GameDay to the plains and possibly the most raucous crowd of the year.

But if history is any indication, those are the circumstances Pettiford wants.

Peter Rauterkus covers Auburn sports for AL.com. You can follow him on X at @peter_rauterkus or email him at prauterkus@al.com