FAYETTEVILLE - Mike Anderson can expound at length on the potential of his 2013-2014 Arkansas Razorbacks basketball team yet still be asked, “What’s your point?”

Point guard was an undefined, unclaimed position for the 2012-2013 Razorbacks. It was passed around among a committee of combo guards, including sophomore scoring guard BJ Young.

Young turned pro and awaits hearing his name called in Thursday’s NBA Draft.

Judging from Anderson’s reply to a question during Monday’s annual summer SEC basketball coaches media teleconference, Arkansas’ point guard position is still by committee, at least in part, but junior-to-be Ky Madden and sophomore Dee Wagner do have an edge.

Anderson has had opportunities to evaluate his team during the limited amount of time the NCAA allows coaches to attend summer workouts.

Anderson mentioned senior combo guards Rickey Scott - “He is going to have to be a better distributor,” Anderson said - and Fred Gulley among the candidates at point guard but emphasized Wagner and especially Madden.

Wagner, 5-10, is the only Razorback recruited specifically as a point guard. He played his best game last season in a 91-82 loss against Syracuse that was closer than the final score indicated. Wagner played a career-high 23 minutes off the bench with 6 points on 2 three-pointers in 4 tries with 1 steal and 3 assists without a turnover.

That performance earned him a start in the following game against Oklahoma. Arkansas won that game 81-78, but Wagner logged just six minutes in his only start and was scantly used thereafter.

“Dee Wagner was a freshman last year and played like a freshman at times,” Anderson said Monday. “Now he has got a better grasp.”

Madden, the two-year letterman from Lepanto and East Poinsett County High School, stands above in experience and height, 6-5.

Madden’s versatility - he has played four positions - often seems to have kept him off the point, but Anderson seems on point with him now.

“I think the guy that really has a lot of talent and we are looking for him to have that kind of breakout year is Ky Madden,” Anderson said. “I think Ky has a great basketball IQ. He handles the basketball well. He can shoot the basketball. He can distribute it well, and his size is an advantage that we certainly have to take advantage of. He has had a couple of years under our system.

“Hopefully this year will be the year that he can really shine.”

Seniors Mardracus Wade, Kikko Haydar, Scott and Gulley will be counted upon to pick up Young’s scoring slack. Late last season as a freshman, Anthlon Bell displayed potential toward becoming a shooting star.

“You’ve got to have a guy that you can go to,” Anderson said. “Anthlon Bell led our team in three point shooting last year, so he’s a guy that’s going to get better.”

Nobody, from taking the key charge to hitting the unexpected three-pointer, galvanizes the Hogs off any given play like Haydar, who Anderson often refers to as “the Energizer Bunny.”

“He’s going to give you everything he has,” Anderson said Monday.

Sports, Pages 16 on 06/26/2013