Smart guy, this Armein Kirkland. The incoming University of Cincinnati freshman played in the Deveroes Summer Basketball League for Slats, which finished in last place at 1-7 and didn't make the playoffs.

        Players from Slats were free to join other rosters. So, Kirkland said, he was planning to play for Maaco-Blue Ash, the No.1 seed in the tournament, which begins tonight at Oak Hills High School.

TONIGHT'S GAMES

Deveroes Summer League   at Oak Hills HS   Stan Litz Law Office (4 seed) vs. John H. Flessa Law Office (5), 6 p.m.   Harmon, Davis and Associates (3) vs. Stratus Group (6), 7 p.m.   Cintas (2) vs. Mike Albert Leasing (7), 8 p.m.   Maaco-Blue Ash (1) vs. McCluskey Chevrolet (8), 9 p.m.

        The 6-foot-7 Kirkland and 6-2 guard Chadd Moore are the only new Bearcats to play in the summer league. Tony Bobbitt and Kareem Johnson aren't in town yet, and Eric Hicks is recovering from a gunshot wound he suffered trying to break up a fight in Greensboro, N.C.

        That recruiting class has been ranked as high as No. 5 in the nation by Bob Gibbons' All Star Sports (behind Duke, North Carolina, Michigan State and Villanova). Future Stars and Hoop Scoop have rated UC's class ninth.

        Kirkland, from Tyler, Texas, said he spent time at point guard, shooting guard and small forward this summer.

        “Sometimes I brought it up; sometimes I posted up; sometimes I shot the ball,” he said. “It's a pretty good league. Our team didn't have very good chemistry. It was good just to get out there and run and shoot against good-quality competition.”

        His goals before October practices start? “Just get in better condition, get stronger and be able to run longer.”

        Moore, a point guard from Oak Hill Academy who played only a few games for Slats, said he has gotten more out of open-gym games with UC teammates at Shoemaker Center.

        He battles every day against senior Taron Barker, one of the stronger Bearcats.

        “T's helping me know what I have to do on the court to improve myself,” Moore said. “It's fun. I have my up days, I have my down days. I'm glad I came (to Cincinnati this summer). I think I'm going to stay just to work out every day. I believe I need it.

        “I'm just working on running the team, trying to get stronger, trying to do what I can do.”

        He has learned one thing: Driving into the paint against bigger, stronger opponents isn't easy.

        Former Bearcat Terrence Davis, who plays during the season in Hungary, was on the Slats team and also plays pickup games at Shoemaker with the UC players.

        Davis said one of the keys for the new guys is to listen to Leonard Stokes, a four-year Bearcat and “the main leader” who knows what UC coach Bob Huggins wants.

        “They look very good,” Davis said of Kirkland and Moore. “They want to come in and work and get better. (Chadd) is a smart playmaker. He can make open shots for UC. If (opponents) try to run zone, he's got a very good jump shot. Armein is more of a creator. He can create his own shot. He's going to be tough.

        “I like what I see. They come in here, (and) we're keeping them tough. That's important — to be tough. They've got to learn that.”

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