Saturday, October 13, 2001
Logan ready to shoot or pass
Bearcats star could move to point
By Michael Perry
The Cincinnati Enquirer
One of the most important questions to be answered before the University of Cincinnati's Nov.16 basketball season opener at Oklahoma State is this: Who is going to bring the ball upcourt and get the offense going?
Will it be Taron Barker, a junior-college transfer from Odessa (Texas) College, with a barrel chest and no Division I experience?
Or senior Steve Logan, who spent most of his time at point guard before moving last season to shooting guard and becoming the Conference USA Player of the Year and team MVP?
He is far and away the best point guard in the league, UC coach Bob Huggins said of Logan. What we've said all along is the worst-case scenario for us is we play Lo at point which is maybe the best-case scenario. I don't know what (Taron) can do, how many minutes he can play.
Lo's going to have to have a lot of responsibility.
Barker and Logan, both 6 feet and tough-minded, have been playing against each other in open-gym pickup games. Barker is strong he bench-presses more than 350 pounds and prides himself on defense. Logan is savvy and prides himself on being able to score against anyone.
He's quick, Logan said of Barker. He likes to lock guys up. It's a challenge for me to go against him every day, because he makes me better.
Logan is coming off a stellar season in which he averaged 17.6 points a game, scored in double figures the last 21 games and totaled at least 25 points six times, including a career-high 32 against Memphis and Saint Louis.
Logan has 1,215 career points, and if he duplicates last season's effort, he would finish No.3 on UC's all-time scoring list, behind Oscar Robertson and Danny Fortson. He is No.21 now.
Logan said he will not worry about points, only victories. He said he is prepared to play either guard position and do whatever the coaches ask. He wants to become a better leader, reach out to the new players and show more patience when mistakes are made.
I've got to change myself, he said. I've got to be more vocal. If they ask me how to do something, I've got to know. We've got a lot of young guys. Everything's not always going to go right. I've got to help them and at the same time keep my composure.
Said Huggins: I think he's grown up a lot. Lo had a tendency to maybe overreact sometimes to some things, and that he can't do.
Logan also has thought many times about his second-half performance against Stanford in the Sweet 16 of last season's NCAA Tournament when the Bearcats lost 78-65 despite leading by four points at halftime.
After scoring nine points in the first half, Logan scored just two points on 1-of-6 shooting in the final 20 minutes, missing both of his 3-point attempts. He has watched video of that game several times, including Thursday afternoon. I stopped attacking, he said.
A year ago, Logan told the Enquirer that after averaging 9.4 points in his first two seasons at UC, it was time to let it out and that he had a lot to show people.
After a slow start, he averaged 20.9 points in C-USA play.
What I really want to do is put last year behind me, Logan said. It was a great year. There were some great moments I'll never forget about. But I've still got a quest. I'm still on a mission, and that's to win it all. That's what I came to college for, and I don't want to settle for anything less. I can't wait to get started.
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Ohio football scores
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Anderson 29, Amelia 0
Batavia 18, Bethel Tate 8
Beechwood 42, Holy Cross 0
Bellevue 37, Ludlow 0
Boone County 17, Dixie Heights 13
Campbell County 28, Conner 13
Cin. Hills Christian Academy 33, Landmark Christian 16
Cincinnati Country Day 37, Lockland 6
Colerain 42, Middletown 0
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Goshen 21, Norwood 14
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Summit County Day 74, Yellow Springs 13
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Washington Court House 28, Jonathan Alder 15
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Winton Woods 24, Turpin 7
Wyoming 49, Finneytown 20