GEORGETOWN ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME

Guard play was a highlight of Georgetown teams of the early and mid-60's: three point guards from 1958 through 1966 each were selected to its Athletic Hall of Fame. The second of the three, Jim Christy, was not only a fine passer but an able shooter, and over his three years he was a scoring leader in every phase of the game.

Christy started as a sophomore in place of the graduated Brian Sheehan, helping the 1961-62 Hoyas reach new heights with what was a senior-laden starting lineup. Fourth in scoring, Christy turned in big games against George Washington, Rhode Island, and Niagara. His 25 points against VMI earned him all-tournament honors in the Richmond invitational, and scored a layup with five seconds to play to upset Seton Hall in overtime, 84-82.

For his junior year, Christy was the only returning starter on a team that relied on as many as five walk-ons to fill the roster. Teaming with sophomore Jim Barry, Christy and Barry were the main weapons on a team that earned a .500 record against a tough schedule. Christy scored double figures in 22 of 24 games, with a 26 point effort versus Maryland, 32 against Rhode Island, and 34 against Holy Cross. Together, Christy and Barry scored over 1,000 points, with Christy finishing runner up to Barry for the scoring title.

Expectations of a second year with the two scorers were ended when Jim Barry was lost for the season with a knee injury before the start of the season. Christy took the scoring mantle in 1963-64 and provided Hoya fans some of its most remarkable games of any season.

In December, 1963, Christy led the Hoyas with 30 points to help Georgetown upset #1-ranked Loyola-Chicago at the Quaker City Tournament in Philadelphia, GU's first ever win over a top-ranked opponent. In January, Christy sank eight consecutive field goals to lead the Hoyas to a win over LaSalle. He topped the 1,000 point mark two weeks later in a big win over NYU, with a late layup that turned the tide of the game and raised the Hoyas' NIT hopes.

Christy's signature game came late in the season versus Maryland. Scoring 11 of the first 16 points of the game, Christy finished 14 of 19 from the field and 16 of 18 from the line to set a new school record with 44 points. More importantly, the 44 helped upset the Terrapins 81-78 at Cole Field House and earned Georgetown the so-called "Big Three" title among the area's then three major college teams (Georgetown, Maryland, and George Washington).

Though the Hoyas ultimately finished short of NIT consideration with a 15-10 record, Christy's efforts did not go unnoticed, earning him MVP honors and a 10th round selection by the New York Knicks in the 1964 NBA draft.

Jim Christy graduated in 1964 as the school's second all-time scorer and his scoring average is still among the top 15 in school history. A record of equal renown was his ability at free throws. A career 81% scorer from the line, he remains second all time in free throw accuracy.