Guard Play

BringBackBradBanks

All-Conference
Jul 19, 2022
760
1,688
93
Isn’t it fun to see guards play at Iowa that can shoot, create, and defend?!? Iowa State has had that every year, even when they were bad. Iowa hasn’t seen a guard like that in 15 plus years. Thanks for the memories Bennett and co!
 

Palmerhawk

All-Conference
Jul 3, 2025
1,628
3,132
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If Bennett gets drafted in 1st round, he will be the first Iowa guard since BJ Armstrong to achieve that status, I believe. That was like 38 years ago.
We are definitely not " Guard U".

As we all know guards seem to often dictate success in the postseason.
Probably not a coincidence that our best tourny success has been with Ronnie,BJ,and Andre.

Ben Mc.has had lots of postseason success and is known as a pg whisperer...go find the next one.

Pg is not quite at the QB level of importance to team success but it is the most important position in basketball.

I was watching Bulls last nite( yes,I'm the one)
and on the post game show Kendall Gill( former illini AA and bull) was talking about the impact of Tre Jones,bulls pg, returning from injury has on the bulls offense.
He said that in his career in bb, when your good pg was on the floor, everyone can relax.
He cited his brother in HS, Steve bardo at illinois, as guys that you trust to take charge and settle everybody down.
Tre jones is not big,or spectacular but he is a born floor general who makes the smart play.

I suspect Ben will find pgs like tre Jones and Hawks will benefit.
 
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eyesofhawk

All-Conference
Apr 17, 2011
1,842
2,113
113
If Bennett gets drafted in 1st round, he will be the first Iowa guard since BJ Armstrong to achieve that status, I believe. That was like 38 years ago.
We are definitely not " Guard U".

As we all know guards seem to often dictate success in the postseason.
Probably not a coincidence that our best tourny success has been with Ronnie,BJ,and Andre.

Ben Mc.has had lots of postseason success and is known as a pg whisperer...go find the next one.

Pg is not quite at the QB level of importance to team success but it is the most important position in basketball.

I was watching Bulls last nite( yes,I'm the one)
and on the post game show Kendall Gill( former illini AA and bull) was talking about the impact of Tre Jones,bulls pg, returning from injury has on the bulls offense.
He said that in his career in bb, when your good pg was on the floor, everyone can relax.
He cited his brother in HS, Steve bardo at illinois, as guys that you trust to take charge and settle everybody down.
Tre jones is not big,or spectacular but he is a born floor general who makes the smart play.

I suspect Ben will find pgs like tre Jones and Hawks will benefit.
Ricky Davis?
 

eyesofhawk

All-Conference
Apr 17, 2011
1,842
2,113
113
Isn’t it fun to see guards play at Iowa that can shoot, create, and defend?!? Iowa State has had that every year, even when they were bad. Iowa hasn’t seen a guard like that in 15 plus years. Thanks for the memories Bennett and co!
Dev Marble? Tony Perkins?

Matt Gatens not necessarily known as a creator. But did average 2.6 assists and could create his own shot.

Not every guard that can shoot, create, and defend is an all-American
 
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uihawk82

All-Conference
Nov 17, 2021
2,249
3,348
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Isn’t it fun to see guards play at Iowa that can shoot, create, and defend?!? Iowa State has had that every year, even when they were bad. Iowa hasn’t seen a guard like that in 15 plus years. Thanks for the memories Bennett and co!
Yep. I complained all the time about how Fran the college pt guard couldnt get highly skilled pt guards and develop them further. Fran had the run and gun offense which you would think would bring all kinds of very good guards to the team but instead the last few years or more we had Connor and JBo running the point.

It was just a big miss by Fran.

Who were some of Fran's best pt guards? The one guy who came in with Woodbury could dribble and penetrate but didnt have a consistent jump shot
 

eyesofhawk

All-Conference
Apr 17, 2011
1,842
2,113
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At 6'7", more of a small forward in his year at Iowa,imo
Yes, he was a guard/forward at both Iowa and the NBA.

These days he'd pretty much be considered a guard. And Ricky was probably closer to 6'6".

Not a PG, I get it. But you just said guard
 
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BringBackBradBanks

All-Conference
Jul 19, 2022
760
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93
Yea. Fran either had guys like Bohannon or Oglesby/Ellingson (supposedly) that could shoot but not defend or create. Or guys like Gesell and Clemons that could defend and create but couldn’t shoot. And then you had Cmac who couldn’t do either, but boy those were some nice entry passes!
 

CRHAWK

Senior
Sep 7, 2025
233
636
93
Isn’t it fun to see guards play at Iowa that can shoot, create, and defend?!? Iowa State has had that every year, even when they were bad. Iowa hasn’t seen a guard like that in 15 plus years. Thanks for the memories Bennett and co!
I feel like Tony Perkins could did all that. Obviously not to the level of Bennett, but still could do all that.
 

Jonesy5960

Heisman
Feb 1, 2023
5,496
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I feel like Tony Perkins could did all that. Obviously not to the level of Bennett, but still could do all that.
Perkins definitely had skills. He just didn't do it consistently. Didn't have the passing/playmaker skills either.
 
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eyesofhawk

All-Conference
Apr 17, 2011
1,842
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Perkins definitely had skills. He just didn't do it consistently. Didn't have the passing/playmaker skills either.
Perkins was more of a natural 2.

But 4.6 assists/game in '23/'24 is an awful lot for a guy who couldn't playmake. Games of 15 and 14 assists say hello
 

BringBackBradBanks

All-Conference
Jul 19, 2022
760
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I’ve made comments before that if you drafted Iowa State and Iowa guards for the last decade to 12 years (obviously before Bennett) I’d take nine out of ten guys from Iowa State. And Tony Perkins would be the only Iowa guard.
 
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Jonesy5960

Heisman
Feb 1, 2023
5,496
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I’ve made comments before that if you drafted Iowa State and Iowa guards for the last decade to 12 years (obviously before Bennett) I’d take nine out of ten guys from Iowa State. And Tony Perkins would be the only Iowa guard.
Until this year I assume. 🙂
 

2432Hawk

Heisman
Jun 22, 2002
5,712
10,481
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As we all know guards seem to often dictate success in the postseason.
Probably not a coincidence that our best tourny success has been with Ronnie,BJ,and Andre.
Andre never made it past the 1st weekend. Dean Oliver was our last PG to make the Sweet 16