I think Gilder is good, but I don't think he has the range of shut-down ability that Kirk had. Like I'm not sure Gilder could lock down smaller quicker guards, but he's good against longer guys. But Gilder needs to do it a few more times before he's in this conversation.

To be honest, I think the fog of history has made Roland a better defender in everyone's minds than he actually was. He was good, but he wasn't put-him-on-their-best-guy-and-forget-about-it good. Kirk was also really good for a really long time, he averaged over 23 minutes per game his freshman year, and over 30 minutes the other three years. Roland backed him up for two years, and then had one season where he played 25 minutes per game, and then the start of the next year before he got hurt. So sheer volume of playing time has to play some factor here.

One thing I love is the "___________ is very underrated" when the blank is someone we all now was a good defender like Pompey or Roland.

I think a true underrated player in this discussion would be Dash Harris. He's not as good as Kirk, and he's probably not as good as Roland, but he played some really good on-ball defense for a long time here.

I think everyone is forgetting about Antanas Kavaliauskas... Lithuania!!!!

94chem said:

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Mike Clifford

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with or without his front teeth in?

Kirk is it.

I'd go with Kirk too, but with a "but" ... the defensive rules now versus then are very difficult to compare. None of the stuff we loved with BCG would be allowed any more. I think DKirk could adapt and would still be an elite defender, so I give him the nod, but I respect the hell out of how Gilder defends in this era.

Leandro Garcia-Morales!

I think Gilder and Wilson will work their way further into this discussion by the end of this season and think Starks will as well before his time in Aggieland comes to an end.

Got to say Andrew Darko was the best lock-down defender A&M has ever seen. Didn't get tons of minutes but really made the most of his opportunities

Agree with comments about Caruso. He is currently A&M's all-time steals leader, primarily by being an excellent thief on passing lanes and he was a good on-ball defender with good size (as was Danuel House on that team).

But Kirk is the best 'lock down' defender that I remember watching IMO.

Quote:

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ompey likely the most versatile....BCG would put Marlon on the other teams best offensive player....
did not matter if the guy was 6'0" or 6'11". I think Marlon was 6'8".

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No offense but you are incorrect if you believe Marlon was matched up with the opponents best player regardless of height.

Logan Lee.

That little Hawaiian f-er could take you completely out of the game.

I do wonder if all of these answers would be different if BK would get his head out of his ass and recruit Canadians.

MEEN Ag 05 said:

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DKirk for sure. I think it was Kirk who completely SHUT DOWN Gerry McNamerea in the NCAA tourny - held him to only two points. Only time in GM's career he didn't hit a jumper.

That 2006 game against tu was coaching brillance by BCG. The refs were being ridiculous touchy, especially down low. Jo Jones got two quick fouls so BCG sat him and put Pompey in. Pompey racked up two, three, four fouls. BCG left him in. Then Pompey fouled out with about a minute left in the first half. It served as a wake up call to the refs (who were much less sensitive in the second half) and saved JJones for the back part of the game. First time we rushed the basketball court in a long time - maybe ever. The rest is history.

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Gerry Mcnamara, a senior with almost 150 games played, the Big East all time season and career leader in both 3 pointers attempted and made, and a national championship winner. He came into the '06 tourney blazing hot after the 'cuse ran through the tourney as Big East champs where McNamara was named MVP. In his nearly 150 games played he had a field goal in each and every one of them. Yeah, Kirk went up against that guy and held him without a field goal for the first and only time ever in his career, and that performance propelled the Ags to one of the biggest tourney wins in our history. Yeah, put me down for Kirk. Loved dro, as he had a size and athleticism advantage of Kirk in my opinion, but Kirk embodies his coach's playing style and left it on the court.

Also, Kirk's offensive performance against Louisville in Rupp arena round of 32 in the tourney the next year won that game for us. Gamer.

Since all the good answers are gone, Brian Barone.

David Brittan.

Kirk

So nobody in the 1930's or 40's were any good?

Aggie1205 said:

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I would go Kirk, Roland, and then Pompey. All very good.

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this! Then Gilder, A.C. (tbh I don't know where to put RW, but he's a supreme rim defender).

Caruso was really good at cheating off his man under the guise that his teammate needed help. This resulted in tons of open 3's after one or two passes.

Jordan Green was a very good on ball defender

MallalieuAg said:

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So nobody in the 1930's or 40's were any good?

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Jewell Mcdowell best of all mentioned above -1950-51 IIRC - don't have enough time to elaborate right now - later!

MallalieuAg said:

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So nobody in the 1930's or 40's were any good?

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There was no defense. The game was complete garbage back then. The set shot was normal. Jump shots were not. No shot clock. No minorities. It was more of a game (like shuffleboard or bowling) than a sport.

Bruce Bowen nodout