As the century draws to a close, the Deseret News is selecting an All-Century basketball team for the state of Utah. We've come up with a list of 62 top players from Utah, BYU, Utah State, Weber State and SUU -- players who earned national and league honors and are high on their school's career statistical lists. Please vote for players based on only their collegiate accomplishments, not professional or otherwise. If you feel we missed your favorite player, you can write them in on the ballot below. Please send your ballots to All-Century Basketball/Deseret News Sports/P.O. Box 1257/Salt Lake City, Utah 84110. Also please include your name, hometown and age. Results will be published in January.CENTERS
VERN GARDNER, Utah, 1945-49 -- Two-time all-American, star on 1947 NIT title team
MEL HUTCHINS, BYU, 1948-51 -- 1st-team all-American, star on 1951 NIT championship team, 12.7 rebounds in '51
GLEN SMITH, Utah, 1949-52 -- 11th on Ute scoring list in just three years (1,531)
ART BUNTE, Utah 1954-56 -- Two-year player averaged 20.4 points per game
BILLY McGILL, Utah, 1959-62 -- Twice first-team all-American, consensus in '61-62, 2nd on Ute scoring list (2,321), all-time leading rebounder (1,106), led nation with 38.8 ave. in '61-62.
TROY COLLIER, Utah State, 1962-64 -- Averaged 19.8 pts, 11.7 rebounds in two seasons
JOHN FAIRCHILD, BYU, 1963-65 -- Highest career scoring (20.92) and rebounding ave. (12.8) at BYU , 2-time all-WAC
WILLIE SOJOURNER, Weber State, 1968-71 -- 2nd on all-time WSU scoring list (1,563), top rebounder (1,143)
KRESIMIR COSIC, BYU, 1970-73 -- 1st team all-American, 8th on BYU scoring list (1,512), 2nd in rebounding (919)
JAY CHEESMAN, BYU, 1973-77 -- 9th on all-time BYU scoring list (1,408), 1st-team all-WAC
DEAN HUNGER, Utah State, 1976-80 -- PCAA Player of the Year, 2-time all-PCAA, 9th on USU scoring list (1,472), 12th in rebounding (649), Academic all-American
TOM CHAMBERS, Utah, 1977-81 -- 8th on the Ute scoring list (1,698), 8th best rebounder (876), 1st team all-WAC
JEFF CHATMAN, BYU, 1984-88 -- 6th on BYU scoring list (1,824), 1st team All-WAC
MITCH SMITH, Utah, 1985-89 -- U.'s all-time leading shot blocker, 9th on scoring list (1,628), 4th on rebounding list (1,036), 1st-team All-WAC
RICO WASHINGTON, Weber State, 1987-89 -- 8th on WSU scoring list (1,196), 10th in rebounding (603) in just 2 seasons
RICHARD BARTON, Southern Utah, 1987-93 -- 2nd on SUU scoring list (1,419), 4th in rebounding (557)
RUSSELL LARSON, BYU, 1991-95 -- 4th on all-time BYU scoring list (1,885), 7th in rebounding (821), 2-time all-WAC, 1st team academic all-American
ERIC FRANSON, Utah State, 1990-96 -- Big West Player of Year, 2-time all-Big West, 7th on USU scoring list (1,545), 4th in rebounding (885)
MICHAEL DOLEAC, Utah, 1994-98 -- 12th on all-time scoring list, 7th on rebounding list, 3rd in blocked shots. Twice first-team all-WAC, 1st-team academic All-American
FORWARDS
ARNIE FERRIN, Utah, 1943-48 -- Starred on both 1944 NCAA and 1947 NIT championship teams, 4-time all-American
JOE NELSON, BYU, 1947-50 -- BYU's first all-American, 14.5 ave. in '50
ROLAND MINSON, BYU, 1949-51 -- Leading scorer on '51 NIT champion team (16.7 ave.)
BOB IPSEN, Utah State 1957-59 -- In just two seasons, averaged 20 points and 9.2 rebounds per game
CORNELL GREEN, Utah State, 1959-62 - 2-time all-American, 4th on USU scoring list with 1,890 points, all-time leading rebounder (1,067)
WAYNE ESTES, Utah State 1962-65 -- All-American, 2nd on USU scoring list (2,001), 4th in rebounds (893), No. 1 in scoring average (26.7), No. 1 in FT pct. (85.6)
JERRY CHAMBERS, Utah, 1964-66 -- MVP of 1966 NCAA Final Four, scored 1400 points in just 2 years, 28.7 ave. in '66, all-WAC
SHALER HALIMON, Utah State, 1966-68 -- 26.8 points, 11.7 rebounds per game averages
KEN GARDNER, Utah, 1968-71 -- 17th on Ute scoring list (1,291) 4th best rebounding ave. (11.3), all-WAC
MARVIN ROBERTS, Utah State, 1968-71 -- 5th on USU scoring list (1,844), 2nd in rebounds (997)
NATE WILLIAMS, Utah State, 1969-71 -- Averaged 19.6 points, 8.3 rebounds in two seasons
JIMMIE WATTS, Weber State 1972-76 -- 4th on WSU scoring list (1,553), 2nd in rebounding (949)
JEFF JUDKINS, Utah, 1974-78 - 3-time all-WAC, 6th on all-time scoring list (1,740), 54.3 career shooter
BRUCE COLLINS, Weber State 1977-80 -- All-time WSU leading scorer (2,019), 3rd top rebounder (879), All-Big Sky
DANNY VRANES, Utah, 1977-81 -- 1st team all-American, U.S. Olympic team, 7th on all-time Ute scoring list (1,701), 5th on rebounding list (951), No. 1 FG shooter (58.4 pct.)
BRIAN JACKSON, Utah State, 1977-81 -- 3rd on all-time USU scoring list (1,903), all-PCAA
FRED ROBERTS, BYU, 1978-82 -- 5th on BYU scoring list (1,841), 5th in rebounding (838), 2-time all-WAC
DEVIN DURRANT, BYU, 1978-84 -- 3rd on all-time BYU scoring list (2,285), WAC Player of Year, highest BYU single-season point average (27.9 in '83-84)
TIMO SAARELAINEN, BYU, 1982-85 -- WAC Player of Year, 22.0 ave. in '84-85
GREG GRANT, Utah State, 1982-86 -- All-time leading USU scorer (2,127), 2nd top rebounder (1,003)
MICHAEL SMITH, BYU, 1983-89 -- All-time top rebounder at BYU (922), 2nd on all-time BYU scoring list (2,319), 87.8 free throw percentage, 2nd-team AA, 3-time Academic AA
ANDY TOOLSON, BYU 1985-90 -- 10th on BYU career scoring list (1,388), most career 3-pointers (141), 1st-team academic all-American
KEN ROBERTS, BYU, 1990-96 -- 7th on BYU scoring list (1,652), 2-time all-WAC
JOSH GRANT, Utah, 1988-93 -- 3rd all-time Ute in scoring (2,000), 3rd in rebounding (1,066), 2-time WAC player of year, led nation in FT shooting
AL HAMILTON, Weber State, 1989-93 -- 5th on WSU scoring list (1,452), all-Big Sky
JIMMY DEGRAFFENREID, Weber State, 1990-96 -- 2nd on WSU scoring list (1,624), 15th in rebounding (537), most career 3-pointers (196)
KEITH VAN HORN, Utah 1993-97 -- Consensus all-American, 2nd in Wooden Award, all-time Ute scorer (2,542) No. 2 in rebounding (1,074), No. 1 in FT pct. (85.1), No. 1 in 3-pointers, all-time best scorer in Utah collegiate history
GUARDS
JOE RICHEY, BYU 1950-53 -- All-American, helped lead BYU to NIT title
TOM STEINKE, BYU, 1954-57 -- 1st team Little All-American (under 6 feet), 19.7 ave. in '57
MAX PERRY, Utah State, 1958-61 -- No. 18 on all-time USU scoring list with 1,236 points
DICK NEMELKA, BYU 1963-66 -- led BYU to NIT title, 16.7 ave. is 7th on BYU scoring list, all-WAC
MERV JACKSON, Utah, 1965-68 -- 15th on Ute scoring list (1,458), sophomore starter on U. Final Four team, twice all-WAC
JUSTUS THIGPEN, Weber State 1967-69 -- 19th on WSU scoring list (1,005)
SKIP MEAD, Southern Utah, 1967-70 -- 3rd on SUU career list (1,275)
MIKE NEWLIN, Utah, 1968-71 -- 4th all-time leading Ute scorer (1,849) despite playing just three seasons, 3-time all-WAC, twice academic all-America
BERNIE FRYER, BYU, 1970-72 -- 7th best career ave. at Y. (18.7), 1st team all-WAC
LUTHER BURDEN, Utah, 1972-75 -- All-American, 2-time all-WAC, 5th on Ute scoring list (1,790)
JEFF JONAS, Utah, 1973-77 -- Two-time all-WAC, won Naismith Award as nation's top player under 6 feet, all-time Ute leader in assists with 7.1 career ave., academic all-America
DANNY AINGE, BYU, 1977-81 -- Consensus all-American, Wooden Award winner, top scorer in BYU history (2,467 points), Y. career assist leader (539), 4-time all-WAC
PACE MANNION, Utah, 1979-83 -- WAC Player of the Year, 27th on Ute scoring list (1,018), 4th in assists (4.6 ave.)
KENDALL YOUNGBLOOD, Utah State, 1988-92 -- 6th on all-time USU list (1,774), all-Big West
DAVOR MARCELIC, Southern Utah, 1989-92 -- All-time leading scorer at SUU (1,710), 4th on career assist list (270)
ANDRE MILLER, Utah 1994-99 -- WAC Player of Year, 2nd in Wooden Award voting, 10th on Ute scoring list (1,618), 2nd in assists (5.4 ave.), 1st in steals (254)
Please fill this part out and send it to All-Century Basketball, Deseret News Sports, Box 1257, Salt Lake City, UT 84110 or fax it to 237-2543 or vote online at www.deseretnews.com
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