Roberts steps down as boys basketball coach at Notre Dame

~ Paul Unterreiner, an assistant, is taking over the boys program

Notre Dame basketball coach Kevin Roberts went home to St. Louis over the weekend to visit family.

When his 9-month-old son began to cry in his grandmother's arms, Roberts' mind was made up -- it was time to move home.

"He screamed and cried when he went to my mom's arm," Roberts said about his son. "So it's like, 'This is not right. He needs to be around family.'"

Roberts resigned after six years as the Bulldogs' coach. Paul Unterreiner, a Notre Dame graduate who has served as Roberts' assistant the past two seasons, already has been named his replacement.

"Paul started out as the assistant girls coach and he's been with me I guess for two years now," Roberts said. "This is his second year. He'll do a tremendous job. I'm sure he will."

Notre Dame finished 17-9 this season and lost in the semifinals of Class 4 District 1. All but two players -- Jordan Williamson and Jordan Barber -- will return to the Bulldogs next season.

"It would be selfish of me to stick around just for next year considering Notre Dame should have a good team next year with all those juniors returning, but I've got to look after my [family]," Roberts said. "My family is the number one priority in my life, and it should be in everybody's life."

The timing of the move was also based on the age of Roberts' twin daughters.

"It was based on my wife and my -- our decision. I'm from St. Louis, my wife's from St. Louis. We have three little kids," Roberts said. "My twin girls are starting kindergarten next year. We have no family around here, so it's time for us to move back."

Roberts said he plans to continue to coach and will pursue a job in the St. Louis or St. Charles area, but he'll miss the connections he made while at Notre Dame.

"I've been coaching there 10 years -- four years as an assistant under Paul Hale and six years as the head coach," he said. "There's so much I can take away. You really can't say one or two things, but just the experience of being in Southeast Missouri. I played at SEMO. I love this town. I love Notre Dame. I'm going to take away so many memories, so many friendships and relationships that I have with people from this area. These are really, really good people down here."