Greatness Personified?

Posted by Brad Zak

He's averaging more points per game so far this season than every member of the pre-season All-American team.  He’s shooting 81% from three point range and has even blocked six shots.  Boston College basketball fans have been asking themselves all week, is there anything Tyler Roche can’t do?

Sure he’s been playing against intramural All-Star teams his first two games of the season, but it’s hard to ignore the confidence and dominance that he has displayed so far this season.  His three point accuracy and flashes of athleticism conjours up images of a young Wally Szczerbiak (and yes that’s a compliment). 

Tyler Roche has been a beneficiary of increased opportunities since Rakim Sanders and Corey Raji have both taken on a spectator role so far this season.  At the same time, these same opportunities have been provided to everyone, especially Joe Trapani.  Trapani has played adequately, averaging 12 points and 7.5 rebounds a game, but he hasn’t risen to the level that Roche has all season. 

The upcoming Paradise Jam will be a good measure of how Roche will start fitting into the rotation going forward.  Is it possible that a few more spectacular games could warrant him moving into the starting five in place of Trapani? Not likely, but his ability to stretch the floor could be invaluable when the Eagles begin ACC play.  The more athletic lineups of St. Joseph’s and possibly Purdue and Tennessee could put Roche to the test and really make him prove his worth.

So far this season the BC crowd has only come alive when Roche starts getting from hot outside the arc (and when an unassuming Superfan manages to air ball three shots from the free throw line in a minute at halftime).  Roche is moving towards John Oates’ like cult status on this BC basketball team and could be the type of role player that holds this team together. 

Now that Roche has flashed his ability and climbed into the top ten in the nation in scoring, it’s time for BC to start working on his Wooden Award campaign.  Now I think that’s something that every fan of BC basketball can rally behind.