High Point's Tournament Hopes Rest In The Hands Of Senior Devante Wallace
By Danny Cox
Name: Devante Wallace #23
University: High Point
Year: Senior
Height: 6'5"
Weight: 185 lbs.
Hometown: Baltimore, MD
Position: Guard
The young man out of Baltimore, Maryland, has really made a name for himself in the Big South conference, and Devante Wallace has High Point University hopeful for an NCAA Tournament berth. Yes, it could be a seed as low as 15 or 16, but getting in is a huge accomplishment in itself.
While at Dunbar High, he led them to the Maryland 1A Championship during his senior year and was also named the Most Outstanding Player. Dunbar High won consecutive championships while going 43-8 in Wallace's final two seasons at the school.
Upon arriving at High Point, he started by coming off the bench and really showing a lot of promise. For the last eight games of his freshman season, Wallace jumped into the starting line-up. He averaged 7.5 points and five rebounds per game in leading the team to a 5-3 record over that span.
Things didn't start off well in Devante Wallace's sophomore season, though. A foot injury caused him to miss the first 10 games of the season, and it's believed that it affected him the whole season. He still played in 21 games and finished the season with averages of five points per game, 2.7 rebounds, and 1.5 assists.
By the time his junior season came about, it was Wallace's time to shine. He was fully healthy and really looking to show High Point what he could do.
In the 2013-14 season, he played in all 31 games with 25 starts, and he averaged 12.6 points per game and 4.6 rebounds while notching almost 30 minutes per contest. He earned an All-Big South Honorable Mention due in large point to leading the league in three-point shooting with a percentage of 49.1.
Devante Wallace had come to the front of the pack, and he wasn't done yet.
As a Senior, he's averaging 10 points per game to go with 5.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists. His game has really improved in plenty of aspects even though his three-point shooting percentage has dropped this year.
Still, Wallace has helped lead the High Point Panthers to a 22.6 record and first place in the Big South Conference. Now, they are hoping that an NCAA Tournament berth is in their future and they know it's only going to be a tougher road from that point on.
Coming from a small school, Devante Wallace may not get the most looks for the NBA Draft, but scouts are still watching him. It's almost a lock that he will be invited to some training camps or even Summer League play for a team or two that is looking for a sharp, smart, fast, talented, and hot-shooting guard.
Danny Cox knows a little something about the NFL, whether it means letting you know what penalty will come from the flag just thrown on the field or quickly spouting off who the Chicago Bears drafted in the first round of the 1987 draft (Jim Harbaugh). He plans on bringing you the best news, previews, recaps, and anything else that may come along with the exciting world of the National Football League. Danny is a freelance writer covering all things NFL. His work can be found on Examiner.com.
