Pac-10 offers for 2006 Wallace

Three-star prospect Lathen Wallace from Jefferson High School in Portland, Ore., turned it on during the latter part of the summer while playing on the AAU circuit with his high school teammates. The 6-foot-3, 180-pound shooting guard from the class of 2006 already has two offers from the Pac-10.

“Stanford, Oregon State and Fresno State have already offered Lathen,” said Jefferson assistant coach Paul Kelly. “Connecticut and Missouri are also showing interest. The main thing that all these schools like about Lathen is that he is a fearless pure shooter.”

Wallace began the summer circuit playing with the Portland Panthers. With the Panthers, he was not in a situation where he could play to his strengths. In need of a system where he can come off screens without the ball, Wallace excelled later in the summer with his Jefferson teammates on the Friends of Jefferson AAU team.

“With the Panthers, Lathen was asked to do too much, and his game suffered,” said Kelly. “He had to handle the ball more than he is comfortable with and to force the issue to score.

“He ripped it up when he started playing for Friends of Jefferson. He was playing defense and knocking jumpers down off screens. He was just so much more comfortable playing in our system, which gets him in situations where he can do what he does best. He averaged 18 points per game at the Best of Summer.”

A smooth shooter with length, but average athleticism, Wallace is looking for a college system where he is a scoring specialist coming off screens.

“The main thing for Lathen is that he finds a system that fits him,” said Kelly.

Wallace averaged 14 points and 6 rebounds as a sophomore for Jefferson, which finished 26-2.