For the past decade, Pitt has been blessed by excellence at point guard with three players who will rank among the all-time greats in school history.

Brandin Knight, whose jersey was retired last season, manned the position from 1999-2003. He was followed by three-year starter Carl Krauser, who was followed by three-year starter Levance Fields. All three rank among the top five in school history in assists and top 20 in scoring.

In each succession, the understudy benefitted from a season of learning behind an incumbent. Krauser learned from Knight and Fields from Krauser.

Pitt's transition to a new point guard might not be as seamless. Three players are vying for the starting job as preseason practice gets under way today, and the player with the most point-guard experience played at a different school the past three seasons.

Chase Adams transferred to Pitt this summer after three years as the starting point guard at Centenary College in Louisiana. The other two are sophomore Ashton Gibbs, a natural shooting guard who was the backup to Fields last season, and redshirt freshman Travon Woodall, a natural point guard who played in 10 games last season.

"We lost a very good point guard in Levance, just like we lost Brandin and Carl," Pitt coach Jamie Dixon said. "Everyone wondered how we would replace them. We've always had a couple of point guards in the program. This is what we were preparing for when we recruited Ashton and Travon. We recruited for this situation right here. You lose a great player, but we couldn't be in a better situation than we are with these two guys."

While Dixon is confident that the point-guard situation will be a positive, it will be different. Whereas Fields played 35 minutes per game, Dixon could split the minutes evenly among the three because they all bring something different to the mix.

• Adams (5-10, 190) was the defensive player of the year in the Summit League last season when he played at Centenary. He ranked eighth in NCAA Division I steals with 2.7 per game.

• Gibbs (6-2, 190) is a lights-out shooter who led the Big East in 3-point shooting percentage last season as a true freshman and has the leadership skills necessary after being a major contributor on the under-19 USA basketball team that won a gold medal in the FIBA world championships this summer.

• Woodall (5-11, 190) is an accomplished passer whose court awareness and vision makes him most like Pitt's recent point guards.

"I think they're all going to play because the guards are the strength of our team," said Knight, who coaches the point guards. "Those guys play well together, and they will be playing together. It's just a matter of who might start. But they could be splitting minutes. Their attitudes have been great. Although there is that competition, there is still that camaraderie."

For the time being, Gibbs will practice more at shooting guard because of the foot injury to starter Jermaine Dixon. That means Woodall will have an opportunity to impress the coaches over the next few weeks and make their decision a difficult one when Dixon does return.

"My confidence has skyrocketed," Woodall said. "I feel like this is the year I can spread my wings and show everyone what I can do. Everyone wants me to be the next Levance Fields or Carl Krauser or Brandin Knight. But, at the same time, I have to be Travon. I have to make my own footprints. I can't follow in nobody else's."

When Dixon is healthy -- and all indications are that he will be ready for the Nov. 13 season opener against Wofford -- coach Dixon envisions playing his four guards interchangeably at point and shooting guard.

Dixon also said all three, despite their lack of height, could be on the floor at the same time. That is made possible because Adams is a much better outside shooter than the coaches anticipated and Gibbs' improved quickness and athleticism.

"I think all three are very unique," Knight said. "Chase is probably the best defender out of the three. Travon is probably the best facilitator. Ashton is probably the best shooter. But all three can do all the other things. That's what makes it exciting."

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NOTES -- Dixon rarely gushes about freshmen, but it is obvious he expects big things from the rookie class of Dante Taylor, J.J. Richardson, Talib Zanna and Lamar Patterson. "This will be the best four guys we ever brought in," Dixon said. "I said that before with Sam [Young], Levance [Fields] and Tyrell [Biggs]. They lived up to that. This foursome is probably as good as we've had. They're going to be good." ... Everything is on track for redshirt junior Gilbert Brown, who is serving an academic suspension, to return to the team Dec. 20.

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