Jan. 24, 2008
Like his senior teammates, Jonathan Wallace quietly goes about his business.
There's a workman-like demeanor he carries to himself. He doesn't betray emotions on the floor. He doesn't expose himself to his opponent.
And then, when you least expect it, Wallace can strike a dagger with a three-pointer from the top of the key or a cut to the basket for a backdoor layup.
It is those types of moves that have made Wallace one of the most important players for the 2007-08 Georgetown men's basketball team.
He came to Georgetown four years ago as an unheralded recruit, a player who was intending to go to Princeton. When John Thompson III came to coach the Hoyas for the 2004-05 season, Wallace came as well. He wasn't guaranteed a spot, but he was given a chance.
And that was all he needed.
Wallace started his first game - a home loss to Temple - and has been a part of every lineup Thompson has put on the floor since then. As of January 10, that was 115-consecutive games donning the Blue and Gray.
Along the way, he has made his mark felt more than just at the introductions of the starting lineup.
Perhaps the biggest moment came on a basketball court at The Meadowlands in New Jersey on March 23, 2007. Trailing North Carolina by 14 points late in the game, Georgetown mounted a furious comeback, capped by Wallace's three-pointer from the left of the key that sent the game into overtime. In the overtime, of course, Georgetown out-scored the Tar Heels 15-3 to advance to the Final Four. Wallace finished that game with 19 points, adding seven assists in the process.
During the 2006-07 season, Wallace finished third on the team in scoring with 11.4 points and led the team with 73 three-pointers, the fourth-most in a single season at Georgetown. He added 2.7 rebounds and 3.05 assists, earned second team All-BIG EAST honors in the process.
When the 2007-08 season started, Wallace assumed his role in the starting rotation. After a somewhat slow start to the season, things picked up for the 6-1, 195-pound guard from Alabama.
As 2007 turned to 2008, he had a streak of five-straight games in double figure scoring. His three-point shooting was on, as he hit 10-of-12 during that span.
Against Fordham, in the team's final game before the start of BIG EAST Conference play, Wallace hit a pair of shots that will keep him in the Georgetown annals for a long time.
His second three-pointer in the first half against the Rams gave him 190 for his career and moved him past Kevin Braswell as the school's all-time leader. In the second half, the team's first basket in the 82-55 win gave him 1,000 career points and he became the school's 39th player to reach that historic mark.
Typically, afterward, Wallace downplayed his role.
"It's a blessing to have that record at Georgetown," Wallace said. "A lot of good shooters have come through here, with (Allen) Iverson, Kevin Braswell and Dwayne Bryant. He (Bryant) talked to me before and said 'You're never going to break that record,' but it finally happened and I'm thankful for it."
Off the court, Wallace has been just as successful. He was accepted into Georgetown's School of Law at the start of the school year. And prior to classes starting, Wallace and senior teammate Tyler Crawford took time to see another side of life during the summer, visiting Wall Street and meeting with executives on the New York Stock Exchange to learn more about the business world.
"It was very eye opening, and kind overwhelming at the same time," Wallace said. "It was great exposure for both Tyler and myself to see the Stock Exchange floor and all of the different avenues and how the financial system works. It was great to get an inside look on everything."
So now, as the conference slate takes full swing, Wallace will continue to go about his business. And quietly thrill Georgetown fans as he has for the last four years.
By Mike "Mex" Carey
Sports Information Director
