By Paul Meyer
www.rmucolonials.com
October 21, 2010
Meyer on Morris Link
Moon Township, Pa. - The Robert Morris University recruiting class brought in for the 2007-08 season included junior college transfer Bateko Francisco and freshmen Khalif Foster, Will Royal and Gary Wallace.
Francisco was a standout during his two seasons, averaging 7.8 points in his 69 games, including 67 starts, and was named the Northeast Conference Defensive Player of the Year in 2009, the first Colonial so honored.
Foster and Royal contributed sparingly before leaving the program.
Thus, Wallace begins his senior season as the only member of that recruiting class still with the team.
And to add to Wallace's "Lone Ranger'' status, consider that every other member of this team, except for incoming junior college transfer Lawrence Bridges, is either a sophomore or freshman.
"It's tough for Gary because he's like the father of our team,'' sophomore guard Karon Abraham said.
"Tough'' might be an understatement.
"At times, it's been overwhelming,'' Wallace said.
That's because there are so many young players for Wallace to mentor.
"That's a factor,'' Wallace acknowledged, although he quickly pointed out that he's helped by Abraham and redshirt sophomores Velton Jones and Russell Johnson. "They know what it takes to win an NEC championship and they've gone to the NCAA Tournament. Having those guys by my side will help me out. I'm just trying to use them as (support staff).''
Wallace, a 6'3'' guard from Montclair, N.J., also knows what it takes to win an NEC championship and go to the NCAA Tournament. He helped the Colonials win or share the past three NEC regular-season titles. He helped them reach the NIT Tournament in 2008. He helped them win the past two NEC championships. He played in two NCAA Tournament games.
In short, he's known nothing but success in his time at Robert Morris.
"All he knows is (going to the) postseason, which is awesome,'' Abraham said.
And if the Colonials manage to reach a postseason tournament this season, Wallace would be the only Colonial in history to participate in four consecutive postseason games beyond the NEC Tournament.
"That would be crazy,'' Jones said. "It would be great.''
"That would definitely be an incredible achievement,'' Wallace said, "but at this moment we're just trying to get things together and take it one practice at a time and then once the games get started take it one game at a time. And if we do what we need to do it will all come together.''
Wallace can achieve another milestone this season. He was part of 73 victories in his first three seasons. If the Colonials win at least 18 games this season, he'll be a member - the only member - of the winningest class in program history. Last season's four-year players, Dallas Green, Mezie Nwigwe and Jimmy Langhurst, were on hand for 90 wins.
"That would be cool,'' Wallace said of reaching at least 91 wins, "but you know what? I'm going to keep that in the back of my mind. If I think about that, it's going to take away from everything else. I'm going to try to take it game by game and when it comes, it comes.''
Spoken like the true team player Wallace is.
He's been pretty much a role player since the day he walked into the Charles L. Sewall Center, starting only a few of the 104 games in which he's played - which happens to be every one of the games the Colonials have played during his tenure.
It's likely the only game he'll start this season will be on Senior Night against Mount St. Mary's Feb. 26.
He very likely won't finish his career with 1,000 points. He scored 524 points in his first three seasons - a total that makes him the leading returning career scorer this year.
And yet there's a certain glue-like presence to Wallace. The younger players know he's been here and done that.
"I think Gary accepts his role very well,'' Jones said. "He's good off the court, on the court. He just helps a lot of us out with things we need to learn, things we need to do. With him being the only senior, he's stepping up to that role. He's been great so far. He knows what he has to do for the team. He's the type of guy who will do anything for the team.''
"It's a big role,'' Abraham said. "He's going to do all the little things and make winning plays - make steals, take charges, just whatever. And he's going to make sure we stay on track. He's going to push us, and we're going to push him. And that's how we're going to make (everybody) better.''
As has been the case during the past three seasons, first-year coach Andrew Toole will play nine or 10 players in every game. Wallace will be a member of the bench wave that probably will include redshirt freshman Coron Williams and freshman point guard Anthony Myers.
"Gary's had great success off the bench for three years,'' Toole said. "He'll be some kind of stabilizing force in that group of kids. I'm going to need somebody in that group to give some leadership.''
Toole has talked with Wallace about providing more scoring this season, something that seems to be an annual endeavor. This season, though, Wallace will primarily play on the wing, leaving the point guard duties to Jones and Myers.
"We've talked to him about doing it the last couple of years, but he was always shifted back to this role of having the ball in his hands and he thought he had to start the offense,'' Toole said. "I don't want to confuse him. I want him to know, 'OK, you're on the wing. Shoot and score.' Let's see if he can do it.''
"I believe I can,'' said Wallace, a decent three-point shooter and a fine free throw shooter. "I've had spurts here and there. I know what it feels like to score.''
He does have 12 career double-figure games, including a career-high 15 points against Wagner Jan. 17, 2009.
"When I stop thinking and just go, that's when I'm at my best,'' Wallace said. "I think that area has been a big improvement over the last couple years. Coach Toole wants me to score and be aggressive. He says, 'You're so physically gifted, just go have fun. Make sure you have fun, but be aggressive and know your teammates have your back.' That's what I'm trying to do.
"I think sometimes the coaches get a little frustrated with me because I (haven't) grown (as a scorer) as fast as they wanted me to. But I think in the overall picture they've realized that I've become a valuable asset to the team. I'm consistent. (This year) I'm trying to work on being more than consistent and becoming (a player) that puts teams on edge and makes them look at me as another guy to look out for.
"Now as the lone senior, it's more of an emphasis that I really have to score. It might take the newcomers a while to learn the offense. Me being a veteran, I kind of know the ins and outs, so I'm going to have to use that to my advantage and be aggressive.''
Wallace paused, then began looking ahead to his final season at RMU.
"We have some very talented incoming freshman,'' he said. "The new guys are coming along. Early on, I think there were some struggles (with) not knowing what to do. That initial jump from high school to college was just kind of overwhelming. But the more we drill, the more we're at practice, the more we get into game situations, they'll be all right. I'm real excited to see what the season has for us.''
