By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech men's basketball program and head coach Steve Payne added yet another piece to the 2015-16 puzzle recently with the signing of Casper College guard Hakeem Rogers.
A gifted ball handler and precise scorer, Rogers joins a signing class already boasting the likes Tre Hansbrough, Micaiah Henry and Markell Henderson.
"Hakeem addresses a need for us, in both ball handling and passing and then the ability to score and shoot the basketball," Payne said. "He can reach a different gear, get by guys and create mismatches with penetration. That's something we didn't have a lot of last year and I feel that Hakeem can help us in that area.
"Coach [Kevon] Davis, the assistant coach at Casper College, and Coach [Rick] Cabrera have had a long term relationship in coaching and that definitely helped us in the recruiting process and getting to know Hakeem. Coach [Dan] Russell did a tremendous job in preparing him and getting him ready for the Division I level. We're looking forward to him continuing his winning ways here at Tennessee Tech.
"He's been successful his previous two years at a pretty high level in junior college. We're looking forward to him coming in and being a good player here."
Hakeem Rogers
6-1 – 175 – Guard – Elizabeth, N.J. – Casper College (Wyo.)
As a sophomore at Casper College (Wyo.), Rogers had little trouble scoring the ball, averaging 17.3 points per game on 46.5 percent shooting. The guard also knocked down 41 percent from beyond the arc and converted on over 73 percent of his free throw attempts. A complete player, Rogers added 3.4 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game as well.
Capable of scoring in bunches, Rogers notched three 30-point outings as well as nine 20-point performances. On Nov. 14, he dropped a career-high 32 points against Northwest College. He dished out a season-best seven assists in the first game of the season and also tallied a career-high seven rebounds twice.
Rogers on why he chose Tech:
When I came on my visit, the coaches were really cool and just nice to be around. I felt an instant bond with the players and knew right away we would be good teammates. Everyone showed me a lot of love and that they wanted me. It was a pretty easy decision to come play where I was wanted.
Rogers on what he hopes to bring to the table next season:
I'm going to bring a lot of effort and energy. Energy is key for the team to help confidence, which can lead to winning games and build more confidence. I plan to bring a positive attitude, keeping guys up and focused on what it takes to get better each day. If we can have confidence, it will make it easier to mesh together and win. I'm also just going to go out there and play hard every day.
Rogers on what he's looking forward to most in his first year at Tech:
I'm most looking forward to winning games. I want to win the OVC Tournament and make a run in the NCAA Tournament. It all comes down to hard work, effort, and confidence. Doing all those things and putting in the time together, we should have a great shot at making a long run in both tournaments.
Casper College head coach Dan Russell on Rogers:
Hakeem is a big-time scorer. He just has a knack for scoring the ball. He is very gifted with the ball in his hands and has a great overall feel for the game. He's a smaller two guard that can shoot and score in multitudes of ways. He's strong and crafty and just an overall tough kid that will bring a ton of potential to the Golden Eagles. Hakeem is capable of scoring at a high level and I fully expect him to keep doing so at Tennessee Tech.
Hakeem showed up to work every day at practice and brought a real positive energy every time. He's always smiling and just an overall joy to be around. He is a great kid that possesses a lot of charisma. He's had a rough three to four years dealing with several types of adversity, but he's never complained or acted differently. He just always showed up with a smile on his face, ready to go.
Any time something broke down or we just needed to get a bucket, Hakeem was our go-to-guy. And he usually produced in those moments. In our last 10 games, he averaged about 25 points per game.
Photos courtesy of Casper College
