Former Florida basketball assist king Ronnie Montgomery dies at 58

Ronnie Montgomery, one of just four Florida basketball players in school history to post 500 or more career assists, died this week at 58.

Montgomery had been living and working in Sunset Beach, N.C., at the River Hills Golf Course as a golf cart manager before his passing due to brain aneurysm.

During four seasons with the Florida Gators, from 1984-88, Montgomery dished 503 assists, a school record that stood for 24 years until Erving Walker broke it in 2012. His 503 assists now rank fourth in the UF record books behind Chris Chiozza (571), Walker (547) and Kasey Hill (530).

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A former standout at Jacksonville Ribault High, Montgomery was a pass-first point guard on the Norm Sloan-coached teams that featured high-scoring guards Vernon Maxwell and Andrew Moten and center Dwayne Schintzius, who died of leukemia in 2012. The group led UF to their first two NCAA Tournaments in school history in 1987 and 1988, with the Gators reaching the Sweet 16 in 1987 and Round of 32 in 1988.

"Ronnie is a very talented player," Sloan said in UF's media guide at the time. "He runs the ballclub well and is a very good pressure player. He's a kid who makes big free throws at the crucial times. Ronnie Montgomery wants the ball in his hands at the end of a game."

In addition to the 503 career assists, Montgomery scored 500 career points and amassed 138 career steals. Montgomery played two-and-a-half years professionally in Brazil following his college career, then went on to coach in his native Jacksonville before beginning his career working at golf courses.