Top 100 Point Guards in the Modern Era

How would UT’s Daniel Gibson match-up with B.J. Armstrong? Or, for that matter, B.J. Tyler? Is Derek Raivio another Matt Santangelo or Blake Stepp or Dan Dickau? Ohio’s Jeremy Fears is a small school guy with some big school pub. Does that mean he’ll be the next Speedy Claxton?  With these questions in mind, Adam Stanco ranks the Top 100 Point Guards of the Modern Era.

Each day this week, CHN is releasing 20 players on this list.  Yesterday, Adam set out the guidelines, the factors that went into the ranking, and players #81 to 100.

TOP 100 POINT GUARDS IN THE MODERN ERA (1990 – 2005)

(all statistics are from the player’s final season)

80. Reece Gaines (Louisville, 2003) 17.9 ppg, 5.0 apg (3.0 tpg), 2.9 rpg, 1.7 spg, 46% FG, 75 3-FG

Tall, athletic scorer with deep range. Led Cardinals in assists for three straight seasons. Two-time First-Team All-Conference USA selection. Third-Team All-American selection.

79. Jeryl Sasser (SMU, 2001) 17.0 ppg, 4.2 apg (2.1 tpg), 8.3 rpg, 1.4 spg, 39% FG, 35 3-FG

Great size and smooth all-around game, but shot inconsistently. Two-time First-Team All-WAC selection and two-time Second-Team All-WAC selection. Led Mustangs in scoring, assists, and rebounding. School’s all-time leading scorer and ranks top-five in assists, rebounds, steals, and 3-pt field goals made.

78. Dajuan Wagner (Memphis, 2002) 21.2 ppg, 3.6 apg (2.9 tpg), 2.5 rpg, 1.2 spg, 41% FG, 66 3-FG

Dynamic athlete who exploded in only season at school. Honored as First-Team All-Conference USA and Honorable Mention All-American. Led Tigers to NIT Championship, earning MVP honors. Set school’s single-season scoring record (762 points).

77. B.J. McKie (South Carolina, 1999) 17.3 ppg, 4.0 apg (3.3 tpg), 3.4 rpg, 1.6 spg, 41% FG, 51 3-FG

Super scorer and tough penetrator. Three-time Honorable Mention All-American selection. Three-time First-Team All-SEC. Finished career as Gamecocks all-time leading scorer.

76. Litterial Green (Georgia, 1992) 19.4 ppg, 4.0 apg (2.6 tpg), 3.0 rpg, 1.1 spg, 41% FG, 62 3-FG

Smooth, aggressive leader. Left school as Bulldogs all-time leader in career points and assists. Three-time All-SEC selection.

75. Jeff McInnis (North Carolina, 1996) 16.5 ppg, 5.5 apg (2.5 tpg), 2.6 rpg, 1.2 spg, 44% FG, 67 3-FG

Rangy, tempo-controlling leader. In just three seasons, earned one Second-Team All-ACC selection and one Third-Team All-ACC selection. Led Tar Heels to one Final Four appearance.

74. Earl Boykins (Eastern Michigan, 1998) 25.7 ppg, 5.5 apg (3.2 tpg), 2.3 rpg, 1.9 spg, 47% FG, 85 3-FG

Tiny, explosive, and strong performer. Two-time First-Team All-MAC selection and one-time Second-Team All-MAC selection. Nation’s second-leading scorer. Honorable Mention All-American selection. MAC Tournament MVP after breaking tournament scoring record. Winner of the Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award.

73. Blake Stepp (Gonzaga, 2004) 14.7 ppg, 6.9 apg (3.0 tpg), 4.6 rpg, 1.2 spg, 44% FG, 77 3-FG

Tall, pure shooting performer. Two-time WCC Player of the Year who led Bulldogs to a 107-23 record. One-time Second-Team All-American selection.

72. Craig “Speedy” Claxton (Hofstra, 2000) 22.8 ppg, 6.0 apg (3.3 tpg), 5.4 rpg, 3.3 spg, 47% FG, 51 3-FG

Lived up to the nickname with surprising athleticism. Two-time America East Player of the Year. Three-time First-Team All-America East selection and one-time Third-Team All-America East selection. School’s all-time leader in career assists and steals, also a 2,000-point scorer. Six straight games with at least 29 points. Led Flying Dutchmen to NCAA Tournament. Named honorable Mention All-American.

71. Shanta Rogers (George Washington, 1999) 20.7 ppg, 6.8 apg (3.6 tpg), 4.0 rpg, 3.6 spg, 41% FG, 86 3-FG

Tiny guard with remarkable strength and ability to dominate all aspects of the game. First player in Atlantic-10 history to lead league in scoring, assists, steals, and free throw percentage. Led the nation in steals. Earned All-Atlantic 10 First-Team, Second-Team, and Third-Team honors. Atlantic-10 Player of the Year. Honorable Mention All-American selection and winner of the Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award.

70. Nate Robinson (Washington, 2005) 16.4 ppg, 4.5 apg (2.0 tpg), 3.9 rpg, 1.7 spg, 46% FG, 62 3-FG

Ultra quick and incredibly athletic playmaker. Team’s leading in only three seasons at school. Earned two First-Team All-Pac-10 selections. One-time Third-Team All-American selection. Led Huskies to school record for wins in a season (29) and first-ever No. 1 seed in NCAA Tournament, advancing to the Sweet Sixteen. Wooden Award finalist.

69. Jerome Allen (Penn, 1995) 14.7 ppg, 5.7 apg (2.3 tpg), 4.8 rpg, 1.3 spg, 43% FG, 41 3-FG

Strong, intelligent leader of dominant mid-major school. Twice-named Ivy League Player of the Year. Three-time First-Team All-Ivy League selection. Led Quakers to three straight undefeated conference seasons and three straight NCAA Tournament appearances.

68. Kiwane Garris (Illinois, 1997) 19.4 ppg, 5.6 apg (2.5 tpg), 3.5 rpg, 1.6 spg, 40% FG, 76 3-FG

Equally proficient at penetrating, passing, defending, and shooting. One-time Honorable Mention All-American selection. Two-time First-Team All-Big Ten. Second in the conference in scoring and assists. Finished second all-time on school career scoring and assists lists.

67. Travis Diener (Marquette, 2005) 19.7 ppg, 7.0 apg (2.5 tpg), 3.9 rpg, 1.3 spg, 42% FG, 68 3-FG

Crafty playmaker with a soft touch. Two-time First-Team All-Conference USA selection and one-time Second-Team selection. First player in conference history to lead league in points and assists. Led Golden Eagles to one Final Four appearance.

66. Brandin Knight (Pittsburgh, 2003) 11.2 ppg, 6.3 apg (3.1 tpg), 3.5 rpg, 2.1 spg, 37% FG, 57 3-FG

Big East Player of the Year and Third-Team All-American as a junior. Wooden Award finalist. Excellent decision-maker and defensive player, yet often struggled to score.

65. B.J. Tyler (Texas, 1994) 22.8 ppg, 6.3 apg (3.5 tpg), 3.4 rpg, 3.1 spg, 44% FG, 99 3-FG

Ultra-quick fast break specialist. DePaul transfer was a big-time scorer, but had trouble in half-court sets. SWC Most Valuable Player and Third-Team All-American selection. Potential slowed down by substance abuse problems and injuries.

64. Vernell “Bimbo” Coles (Virginia Tech, 1990) 25.3 ppg, 3.9 apg (3.3 tpg), 4.7 rpg, 2.3 spg, 40% FG, 67 3-FG

Tough, aggressive scorer. Top career scorer in school and Metro Conference history. First player to ever lead Metro Conference in scoring for three straight seasons and the first player to lead conference in scoring and assists in the same season. One-time Honorable Mention All-American selection.

63. Pepe Sanchez (Temple, 2000) 5.6 ppg, 8.0 apg (2.1 tpg), 5.5 rpg, 3.4 spg, 32% FG, 27 3-FG

Extraordinary defensive player with exceptional passing and leadership skills. Poor shooter who rarely looked for his own offense. One-time Third-Team All-American selection. Two-time Atlantic-10 Defensive Player of the Year selection. Two-time First-Team All-Atlantic-10 selection and one-time Third-Team All-Atlantic-10 selection. First player in Atlantic-10 history to win Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year honors, despite missing eight games due to injury. Finished second all-time on NCAA career steals list. Member of the NCAA East Regional All-Tournament team.

62. Luke Ridnour (Oregon, 2003) 19.7 ppg, 6.6 apg (4.2 tpg), 3.4 rpg, 1.9 spg, 43% FG, 81 3-FG

Sweet-shooting, creative passer. Second player in conference history to earn Pac-10 Player of the Year and Pac-10 Tournament MVP honors in same season. Two-time First-Team All-Pac-10 selection. Two-time Honorable Mention All-American selection. Led Ducks to two Pac-10 Tournament Championships. Member of the All-NCAA Tournament Midwest Regional team. 

61. Hollis Price (Oklahoma, 2003) 18.1 ppg, 2.8 apg (2.1 tpg), 2.7 rpg, 1.6 spg, 45% FG, 90 3-FG

Quick, skinny and consistent scorer. Two-time First-Team All-Big 12 honoree. Big 12 Tournament MVP and NCAA Tournament West Regional MVP. Wooden Award finalist. Led Sooners to school-record 111 wins, two Elite Eight appearances, and one Final Four appearance. One-time Second-Team All-American selection. More of a scorer than a true point guard.

Return to yesterday's Top 100 Point Guards Introduction and players #81 to 100.  Continue on to players #41 to 60.