Getting the point: Bronx native Suber adjusting to new role

KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa. – Da’Shawn Suber pulled up at the 3-point line and instead of firing, he set up a cutting teammate for an easy layup. The next time down, he drove all the way to the rim and scored. On the ensuing possession, he hesitated on a drive, leaving the ball for a teammate, resulting in a turnover.

The three possessions were just one small snippet, but accurate summation, of Suber’s performance during the first week of the live recruiting period, which included Hoop Group Elite Camp and Hoop Group’s Summer Classic East with the New York Gauchos.

There was some good, some bad and some in between for the rising senior guard who is still transitioning into a true pass-first point guard.

“He’s progressing, but he still has room to improve,” Gauchos coach Dwayne Mitchell said.

Suber grew up a scorer and was touted for his scoring prowess entering Rice. He thrived that way on the freshman team, leading the squad to a title, but after transferring to New Jersey powerhouse St. Patrick following his sophomore season, he quickly realized he needed to adapt.

He found himself alongside national prospects like Michael Gilchrist (Kentucky) and Derrick Gordon (Western Kentucky) and the only way he could contribute was by setting up those players.

“It was a really hard thing to do,” he said. “I was so used to scoring. Some games I struggled to get my teammates involved and myself involved, too.”

Colleges, anyway, aren’t looking for 6-foot gunners; 6-foot pass-first point guard with a quick first step and smooth stroke from beyond arc are another story. Suber says he still struggles finding an even balance, between looking for his own shot and distributing the ball. Former Rice and Gauchos teammate Melvin Johnson has seen a noticeable difference in Suber.

“That year at St. Pat’s changed him,” Johnson said. “He’s getting his teammates involved and that’s why the Gauchos are winning games.”

Suber, who helped the Gauchos reached the semifinals at Summer Classic East, said: “I can make my teammates look good and they can make me look good.”

Schools have noticed. Central Florida, Quinnipiac, Western Kentucky and Temple are all involved with the Bronx native who said he plans to return to St. Patrick even though coach Kevin Boyle left to take a job at Montverde Academy (Fla.).

Playing for new coach Chris Chavannes, who was formerly the program’s JV coach and an assistant on the varsity, Suber will need to further evolve as a point guard. He will be one of the team’s leaders, along with rising junior forward Austin Colbert, and be asked to find a happy medium as a playmaker.

“This year I have to step up and be one of the leaders,” he said. “I’ll be one of the [few] returning guys.”

Mitchell said one of the biggest things Suber needs to grasp moving forward is becoming that leader, knowing when to huddle with his teammates, who to set up when. A point guard is an extension of the coach, he can tell when a basket is needed to stunt the opposition’s momentum.

“That’s what college coaches are looking for,” Suber said. “They’re looking for someone to distribute the ball and make everyone happy.”

zbraziller@nypost.com