VA Gatorade POTY Candidate: Jeremy Roach
Taking a note from fellow contributor Adam Ayalew’s “All-Met Candidate” series, we’re going to take a look at 11 guys across the state of Virginia who should compete for the coveted Gatorade State Player of the Year. While taking everything into consideration, we’re going to be looking at three categories in particular: individual production, team performance and the competition level that the programs play. We will release each candidate in alphabetical order over the next few weeks.
To get it started, we look at Paul VI junior and top 20 nationally ranked point guard Jeremy Roach.
PRODUCTION
This will be the 6’1” junior point guard’s third year at Paul VI, and since he’s come in he’s been a focal point of their attack on both ends of the floor. The dynamic point guard hasn’t just done it in the WCAC, he’s done it on the national level with Team USA and Team Takeover. So the only question is this: Will the balanced attack of Paul VI hold Roach back from putting up the numbers that most POTYs do. Still, Roach has as much takeover ability as anyone in the WCAC, and his killer instinct is second to none. He does everything on the basketball court, and the fact that he stuffs the stat sheet is good for him.
PERFORMANCE
Roach has to deal with the same problem teammate Anthony Harris has to when competing for this award in that his team is so balanced it’s hard to attribute one key guy to the success. Still, Roach is as important as anyone in the WCAC to his team, and if they’re going to compete to win the WCAC he’s going to be a main factor. He controls the temp and sets the tone on both ends, and he’s the guy who has to step up and produce big against the top teams.
COMPETITION
According to anyone in the DMV, there is no competition like the WCAC, which many call the best conference in America. I’m not entirely sure if that’s the case, but it is an absolute superb conference of basketball that I like to call a “purgatory” level of basketball. They play with many college rules, including a 30 second shot clock and no on ball five second call, and the schools are allowed to actively recruit. Needless to say, this is one of the top conferences around, and PVI also plays a number of national powerhouse programs from outside of the area.