Duke basketball: Strong opinions on three future Blue Devils
By Matt Giles
6-foot-2. Jeremy Roach. player. 434. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. 180 lbs.. PG
After Jeremy Roach directed Paul VI Catholic’s 70-62 comeback win on Monday over powerhouse Sierra Canyon (Calif.) — featuring perimeter studs such as five-star 2020 Kentucky signee B.J. Boston, five-star 2020 UNC target Ziaire Williams, and freshman LeBron James Jr. — Rivals’ Eric Bossi summed up the future Blue Devil by explaining how his game contrasts with what fans are accustomed to seeing in recent years from starting point guards in Durham.
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“Roach is just now getting his legs underneath him as a senior, and he’s impressive,” Bossi wrote of the 6-foot-2, 180-pound five-star who missed his entire junior campaign with a torn ACL in his right knee. “He isn’t a game-manager type like either Tre Jones or Tyus Jones, but he’s got a gear athletically that those guys didn’t have. So he’s going to be a change of pace and will bring a different style.”
And 247Sports’ Evan Daniels provided an equally optimistic takeaway from the Roach show:
“[Roach] took advantage of the stage and the opportunity, helping lead Paul VI to a win over Sierra Canyon with LeBron James sitting courtside. Roach went for 16 points on 7-for-15 shooting, but it was his playmaking [seven assists, one turnover] and defense [five steals] that really stood out…
“Roach has always had a reputation as a good defender, and he looked engaged on that end throughout the win.”
Roach not only told Evans that the Duke staff wants him to take over for Tre Jones — should the current sophomore indeed cash in his talents at the next level after this season — but he also spoke about the “one-two punch” of himself and his potential backcourt running mate, who also drew high praise after his explosive showing at the event…