March 16, 2004
Jarrett Jack knows that playing point guard at Georgia Tech isn’t like playing point guard at one of the other 325 Division I schools in the nation.
“There’s a tradition here, and you have to accept that responsibility,” the sophomore stated. “The guys before me were great, and it’s a challenge to play at that level.”
In his second year, Jack has shown that he’s certainly up to the challenge of being mentioned in the same breath as Price, Anderson, Best and Marbury. His steady hand this season has been a guiding force in the Jackets ascent onto the national scene.
“He’s grown so much in regards to being a true floor general,” noted senior Marvin Lewis. “During his freshman year, he was shell-shocked, and there were times that he was really down on himself.
“This year, he’s really maintained his confidence and really run the team. It’s not about scoring 15 points or always having double figures in assists. It’s about getting the ball to the guys that need it.”
While he has improved in every statistical category this season, Jack saved some of his best performances for the stretch run. Over the final six games of the regular season, he averaged 16 points and nearly six assists per contest, helping the Jackets secure a third place finish in the ACC with a 9-7 record.
That included what he called “the biggest win of my life” against Duke on March 3 at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Jack scored 15 points, including a key basket and several clutch free throws in the final minutes to seal the game and end Duke’s 41-game winning home streak.
“It’s something I’ll never forget,” he said. “Not only winning there, but to do it for our seniors was something special.”
The victory also give him bragging rights over his second cousin, Duke senior guard Chris Duhon. “Now I can call my cousin with a little bit of pride,” Jack laughed. “Now I can throw something back at him. It’s kind of good to get him the last time we’ll face each other, especially up at his place.”
Three days later, Jack scored 18 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, a career high, against Florida State, clinching his selection as ACC player of the week.
But Jack put an exclamation point on those late-season superlatives with his dramatic, game-winning shot against North Carolina in the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament. With Tech trailing by a point, he inbounded the ball to Marvin Lewis with seven seconds left, then took a pass from Lewis, dribbled inside the three-point line at the top of the key and nailed the 17-foot jumper with 1.4 seconds left. That shot capped a standout performance that included 17 points, six assists and no turnovers in Tech’s 83-82 victory.
While Jack gets plenty of credit for his team’s success this season, last year was a more of a roller coaster experience. Even though he was ranked among the best prep point guards in the nation, Jack founded himself overmatched at times.
Coach Paul Hewitt cites the arrival of Will Bynum last January as a turning point for Jack. The Arizona transfer provided tough competition during practices.
“There’s no question, because Will is a competitor,” said Hewitt. “You can see that his competitiveness since he got here last year has helped Jarrett a lot.”
The addition of Bynum to the rotation this season has also given Jack the luxury of resting during games. Without a secondary ball handler last season, the team had difficulty running its offense when Jack was on the bench. However, Bynum has been able to assume that responsibility.
“Sometimes when you’re getting too overanxious at the beginning of a game, you can come out and watch to see how things are developing,” Jack explained. “You can see how teams are playing certain plays or players. It definitely helps to watch from the side and cool yourself down, so you can make better decisions.”
“When he’s had a rough moment or two, you can pull him out a game and sit him on the bench,” added Hewitt. “He can then see what’s going on. Last year, he was playing through it, and he didn’t know what he was playing through, because he was a freshman.”
So what will Jack’s place be in Tech’s storied point guard tradition?
Named to the all-ACC third team last week, Jack is starting to make his mark in the Tech record book. His 372 career assists place him tenth in school history, and he’s on pace to break Drew Barry’s school record.
“I think what’s going to put him in that class of a Mark Price, Travis Best or Kenny Anderson is if his team wins,” said Hewitt, referring to the postseason accomplishments of each player. “That’s how you judge a point guard. If he is getting his team in the winner’s circle in big games and big moments, then yeah, you can put him in that class.”
“That’s tough company to put me in,” said Jack, who has met most of his predecessors over the last two years. “That’s definitely one of the reasons I came here with the point guard prowess they’ve had in the past with Marbury, Best, Mark Price and Kenny Anderson.”
The next few weeks will give Jack an opportunity to put his name in that elite category, and he’s ready to carry the torch. “I’m starting to accept it and trying to pave the way for the next guy coming in,” he said.
