By Bill Koch
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Three days before the regular-season opener against Akron on Saturday, the University of Cincinnati coaching staff still doesn't know if it has a reliable point guard.

Or if it really needs one.

Chadd Moore. (Jeff Swinger photo) | ZOOM |

"I don't know if it's as important to have a point guard," UC basketball coach Bob Huggins said Tuesday. "I think it's more important to have a bunch of guys who can pass the ball."

Point guard wasn't supposed to be an issue this season. Chadd Moore was returning for his sophomore season having shown promise as a freshman and junior-college transfer Nick Williams appeared to have all the skills a coach could ask for in a point guard.

But Williams, who has played mostly shooting guard during his career, has been slow to adjust to the point and Moore has been hindered by a herniated disk that has limited his practice time.

Moore says he thinks he can make it through the season, but even he admits that every day is an adventure.

"Every day when I come out here I wonder am I going to be able to make it through the whole practice," Moore said. "I just keep on going. Even when it hurts, I fight through it. I've been out here many days where I just felt like crying, but I stayed out here."

But there have been other days when he couldn't stay out there and that's why Huggins would like to have Moore's status resolved one way or the other.

"I think we're going to have to see what happens with him and make a decision on what to do," Huggins said. "He's going to have to go all out enough so that he can be productive because right now he's not. He took two days off last week. He comes back Friday and he can hardly go Saturday. He went about half the time yesterday and that's after having Sunday off."

Nick Williams. (Jeff Swinger photo) | ZOOM |

Without Moore, UC has Williams and players such as Armein Kirkland and Jamaal Lucas who might be able to play point guard. Huggins says forward James White, who becomes eligible on Dec..20, could also play some at the point.

The best solution, of course, would be to have Williams, who averaged 6.5 points and 3.5 assists in two exhibition games, blossom into the kind of point guard who can play 35 minutes a night and take charge of the offense, much the way assistant coach Keith LeGree did when he directed the 1996 UC team to the Elite Eight.

"I think we're going to be fine." LeGree said. "I think Nick is good enough to handle it, but he's going to go through some times where it's hard for him. He has everything it takes to play point. It's just the mind state of playing point. That's what he has to accomplish."

If Moore can play the entire season, he and Williams could complement each other nicely. Moore is a better defensive player and provides more energy to the offense, but Williams is a better shooter.

But if he's not able to go, the position is wide open.

"We're auditioning guys to play point," LeGree said, "whoever can take care of the basketball and can do the job. If Armein can handle the ball and make good decisions, maybe he can be up there. We're just looking for anybody to do the job."

Huggins and LeGree both agree that if the Bearcats can force turnovers and score in transition, the point guard position might not be so crucial.

"We'll do it by committee," Huggins said.

Season opener

Saturday: Akron at UC, 7:05 p.m.

TV: Channel 19.

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E-mail bkoch@enquirer.com