It can be difficult for a combo guard to find the right role on a team. Brandon Spearman thinks he’s finally discovered that elusive fit.

The Hawaii men’s basketball team plugged a big hole in its backcourt with the addition of Spearman, a 6-foot-3, 190-pound guard out of Indian Hills Community College (Iowa) who announced his commitment on Monday. An official UH announcement is pending the processing of his paperwork.

Spearman’s first Division I stop, the University of Dayton as a true freshman in 2010-11, left the Chicago native dissatisfied with his limited role and fit with the Flyers, leading him to pursue the junior college route for another chance elsewhere. A successful sophomore season at IHCC — a national title contender in the JUCO ranks — meant it was time to spread his D-I wings again. He averaged 11.7 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.1 steals as a captain and team leader, helping the Warriors go 33-4 and finish seventh in the NJCAA Division I national tournament.

Despite the distance —he’d never been to the West Coast, let alone Hawaii — Spearman responded favorably to his official visit to UH over the weekend. He was ready to commit to the Rainbow Warriors immediately after returning to Iowa. His other top suitors were Detroit, Wisconsin-Milwaukee and San Francisco, but he didn’t need to visit any of them to make his final call. UH’s first signee of the spring period said he’d arrive back for summer school on July 2.

"Probably the people," Spearman said of what was memorable at UH. "The way people act. Everybody’s loyal to the basketball team, and pretty much every sport down there. Just the people down there are real friendly, you know. … I loved the visit.

"I was pretty much picking Hawaii all the way. After a few schools dropped (off), I was like, ‘OK, this is the place I gotta go.’ "

Just as he needed UH, UH required a player with his diverse skill set: a degree of ball-handling, slashing, shooting and physical backcourt presence wrapped into one.

UH coach Gib Arnold can’t comment on Spearman until his paperwork is cleared, but IHCC coach Barret Peery has no such restriction.

"He can really get to the rim and finish," Peery said. "He’s a good rebounding guard and defensive guard. He’s got a big, strong, powerful body and is a good athlete. I think he’ll really fit well with what Coach Arnold wants to do."

Spearman’s shooting percentages at IHCC weren’t spectacular — he shot 41 percent from the field, including 32.5 percent on 3-pointers, and 62.4 percent at the free-throw line — but Peery raved about his leadership and intangibles that transcended numbers. He was the team’s second-leading scorer, and one of four players to average double-figure scoring.

"I think Brandon’s reliable," Peery said. "Brandon’s always going to be in the right place at the right time. He’s not going to make mistakes off the floor that’s going to get him in situations that he shouldn’t be in. He goes to class, he’s a good studier of the game. Spends time at the gym. He’s just a reliable guy. I told Coach Arnold that it’s not very complicated with Brandon. He’s a reliable, solid young guy who knows what he wants, and spends time working at it."

Spearman was one of four recruits to visit UH over the weekend, along with ex-Texas Tech guard Cameron Forte, Pasadena (Calif.) High swingman Blake Hamilton and Pasadena (Calif.) City College guard Givon Crump. Hamilton and Forte are considered likelier possibilities to join UH; Arnold is believed to have at least two scholarships remaining to assign for next season.

"Blake, Givon, Cam, it was some real cool guys and I got along with them guys while I was down there," Spearman said. "I could definitely see me playing with those guys."