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Reactions: Women's basketball's best Users score high points for high scorers
Posted: Tuesday February 01, 2000 12:33 PM
CNNSI.com asked users to make their case for the best guard in women's college basketball. Many different athletes were mentioned, but Jackie Stiles was the overwhelming favorite. A sample of the most interesting responses follows:
Jackie Stiles has the ability to score in clutch situations, and still leads the nation in scoring even though she has been double and triple-teamed the past two years. She is on pace to break the Missouri Valley Conference scoring record early next season. She also plays the point guard position a great deal of the time, which sometimes can limit her scoring opportunities. She recently surpassed the SMSU scoring record and still has nearly a year and one-half left in her career.
I believe UConn's Sue Bird is the best point guard in the country for one simple fact. Last year, UConn could not win the big games mainly due to the lack of an experienced point guard to run the show. This year, UConn has come out on top in every big game due to the greatly talented Bird. Plus, she's only played in some twenty games or so and yet she plays like a senior should. Match up any other point guard with Bird, and I have no doubt who will come out on top.
Stacy Clinesmith of UC-Santa Barbara is the most gifted point guard I have ever witnessed. No other guard impresses me as much as she does. Even as a sophomore, when the other team was ahead by 22 points, she pushed her teammates to play their best to pull out a win (UCSB vs. Nevada, March '98). She has consistently been one of the nation's assist leaders and can be a true 3-point threat. She can find a way around any defense and lifts the entire team to be their best. Stace is the Ace.
Jackie Stiles, should be considered as one of the best guards in women's basketball because of what she brings to the game (energy, excitement, and just pure athleticism). Defensively, and offensively she is the total package. And her ability to handle things on and off the court, makes her a tremendous role model and spokeswoman for women's college basketball. Having her leading the nation in scoring doesn't hurt either.
Sometimes the best things come in small packages. Like 5-5 senior Stacy Clinesmith of UC-Santa Barbara. She has been phenomenal this season. She has it all: scoring, passing, defense, speed, ball control, intelligence, and court sense. There is no question she makes UCSB's other players better. On offense, she has consistently controlled tempo, trashed full court presses like they aren't even there, and put up high point and assist totals despite being constantly guarded by great defensive players such as Chavonne Hammond and Nicole Kubik (last year's AP defensive player of the year). She's simply the best point guard out there -- and proves it every game.
I know there are some great point guards in women's college basketball this year, so picking one as the best is difficult. But I cast my vote for Stacy Clinesmith with the UCSB. Stacy has a great shooting touch, is an excellent ball handler, shows superb leadership skills and has an outstanding assist to turnover ratio. She definitely is one of the best point guards in the nation. I hope you all get a chance to see her play during March Madness.
Stacy Frese is the best pure shooting guard in the women's game today. If her Iowa State team needs a clutch three, she provides it. When a defensive stop is required, the senior guard usually finds a way to disrupt the opposition. Her fiery intensity is evident on and off the court, as witnessed in her leading ISU to its first ever Elite Eight last season and her countless hours of shooting baskets in the dark after practice at Hilton Coliseum. Before Frese came to Iowa State the program was an unknown to both local fans and the national media. And, this year, both have shown their support, with ISU drawing over 10,000 fans per game and the team reaching a ranking as high as No. 6 in the country.
I think that Stacy Frese is the best guard in America. She not only is a great leader on and off of the basketball court but she is an excellent player. She has the ability to drive to the basket and make a layup or get fouled. When she gets fouled she rarely misses her free throws. Best of all, Frese is the best three-point shooter I have ever seen. When shooting three pointers, she can pull up and freeze her defender and shoot it right in their face and make it. There are many guards in the country who are good leader, drivers, or three point shooters, but none of them have all three abilities like Stacy Frese.
Tamechia Jackson is the whole package when it comes to guards in this country. She is so quick with her eyes, hands and feet that it is virtually impossible for the other team to not feel the ultimate frustration when trying to bring the ball up the court against her. She can shoot the three, or drive to the basket.
If there is anything close to a Michael Jordan in women's college basketball, it would have to be Jackie Stiles. I have never seen a player guarded so well by a defense and still be able to make a basket. The problem is she's not playing for a Tennessee or a Uconn, and she doesn't get the recognition that she should get. The MVC Conference has some very good teams and she has earned every point she has made by leading the nation in scoring. Jackie Stiles is one of the very best women's basketball players in the nation.
Jackie Stiles is the greatest guard. She has style and grace. She is pleasant but deadly. She reacts quickly and not only can play on offensive but she can play on defense. She has run point and two guard spots. She has just broken the SMSU scoring record and is only a junior.
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