New HornSports basketball recruiting analyst Jon Nemec will be previewing the new faces coming in to the program, and there’s no better place to start than with the centerpiece of the 2015 class…
When Shaka Smart accepted the job to be the new head basketball coach in Austin, his first priority was to secure the recruits that committed to Rick Barnes. Fortunately for Smart, guard Kerwin Roach had no second thoughts on his decision to sign with Texas.
Kerwin Roach is a 6’ 3â€, 160-pound combo guard out of North Shore High School, in the Houston area. Before I get talking about him, I think it is important to note that Coach Smart was able to keep him in the fold. Greater Houston is a hot bed for talent, and recruited heavily. Smart maintains a strong presence in that part of the state and Roach is a solid start.
Roach on offense
Roach played primarily at point guard for North Shore, and was the best player and ball handler on the team. He has a great stroke, with range that extends to the 3-point line where he can easily sink open or contested shots.
His shot is smooth and has a nice easy pace, meaning that the stroke on his shot has no hitch and it leaves the pocket of his body to release all in one motion. He has great fundamentals, elevating off the ground to get his range and is athletic enough to get his release off over defenders. Lastly, his shot is the same every single time, which means it is well groomed and he is consistent with its form start to finish.
Roach sees the court very well and always has his head up as he’s dribbling and navigating through traffic. He passes very well, especially out of pick and roll situations, which maybe his best offensive attribute. He does a good job of finding the open man on dribble drives.
His handle, while fundamentally sound, could be an area for improvement. He shows good ball handling and control, while making ball security a priority. Roach has very fundamental handles, and dribbles with purpose and efficiency, but tends to dribble a little high. His quick first step allows him to beat defenders, which ultimately resulted in him being able to get away with dribbling standing up in high school.
At point guard, Roach was the best player on the court and maximized his time with the ball. Since he creates for himself and others, it makes the most sense to have your best player with the ball – this is especially true at any level below college.
Overall, on offense his bread and butter is the pick and roll where he can do it all. The play gives Roach flexibility: He can come off the screen and shoot a contested or open three (if the defender goes over the ball screen); he can refuse the screen and take his man off the dribble; or he can use the screen and get to the rim. Roach also excels at finding the roll man for an easy bucket or the kickout shot.
Roach plays with a controlled, athletic game and is able to excel in all phases of the game. An area for improvement at UT will be getting low and rubbing off screens tightly, which would free him up to attack the opposing defense.
Roach on defense
North Shore uses a full court press a lot on defense, and Roach serves as the point man. His job is to force an errant pass or a trap situation on the in-bound pass. His speed and athleticism help the pressing defense create havoc.
On turnovers he can quickly slash to the goal for an easy dunk or find the cutting teammate on the break. I haven’t been able to find much of his on-ball defense, but expect that he uses his athleticism and quickness to advantage.
As a controlled and decisive offensive player, and an athletic defender, Roach is exactly the type of player Shaka Smart needs to help him build a roster. He should be a great addition to Coach Smart’s team.
