LITTLE ROCK — Steve Shields’ already thin list of returning guards has gotten a bit thinner.
The UALR men’s basketball coach said Wednesday that sophomore Chuck Guy is transferring at the end of the semester for family reasons, wanting to finish his two years of eligibility at a school closer to his hometown of Fort Worth.
Guy has been granted a conditional release of his scholarship with permission to speak with one other school, but a UALR official wouldn’t disclose the school.
Shields, who was in Dallas on Wednesday, said by phone that Guy had been mulling the decision since last summer, but his final decision wasn’t made until a couple of weeks ago.
Guy will have three years left to play his remaining two years of eligibility. He can transfer to another NCAA Division I school, but would have to sit out a year per transfer rules. If he transfers to a school that is Division II or lower, Guy can play right away.
“I want Chuck to be successful,” Shields said. “I wish him the best. It was a family issue.
“He wants to be back closer to home.”
Guy started 25 of UALR’s 31 games this season, including every Sun Belt Conference game, averaging 10.4 points and 3.5 rebounds per game. His scoring average would have put him behind only forward Will Neighbour (10.5) among UALR’s returners. He was also second on the team with 44 steals.
Guy’s 30.8 minutes per game led all players with returning eligibility. In addition to the loss of D’Andre Williams, a senior who was named first-team All-Sun Belt, Guy’s departure leaves the Trojans with one guard, freshman Ben Dillard, who started more than one game this season.
Dillard started six games, none against a Sun Belt team, averaging 4.7 points per game. He also hit 43.9 percent (18 of 41) of his threepointers.
UALR’s other scholarship guards who are expected to return are Eric Lawton, who started one game and averaged 2.4 points in 9.9 minutes per game last season, and Reggie Fondren, who averaged 1.8 points in 8.4 minutes.
Guy’s departure puts UALR at the NCAA limit of 13 scholarship players after Shields signed five in November. Four of those players — Strong’s Stetson Billings; John Gillon of Houston; Josh Hagins of Bossier City, La.; and Mareik Isom of Austin, Texas —are guards.
“We’re fine,” Shields said. “I’m excited about the guys we’ve got coming. I’m excited about the guys we’ve got coming back.”
Sports, Pages 15 on 03/29/2012