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Perspective from the Next Generation of PC Fans

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Friar fans of all ages have been enjoying the resurgence of Providence College basketball since Ed Cooley was hired as head coach a little more than three years ago. Jacob Taylor has been an avid Friar fan since his father took him to his first PC game at age five. Now 17 , and getting ready to enter his senior year in high school, Jacob hopes to enroll in PC upon graduation. He reached out to us at Friarbasketball.com and asked to share his perspective on the team, and we are happy to provide him a forum to do so. 

As a five year old, I attended my first Providence Friar basketball game. I remember it like it was yesterday. Although I didn’t know much about it at the time, it was a pretty big game. Bob Huggins and his West Virginia Mountaineers came rolling into the Dunk.

Even though the Friars lost that day, I could feel a special bond surrounding Friar basketball and myself, thanks to my father. It was great, the crowd was fantastic, and everyone was energetic and on their feet the whole time. I remember my dad kept glancing at me throughout  the game, and smiling, as I had the biggest smile on my face. After the game he asked if I wanted to go again, and here it is 12 years later I can probably count how many games I’ve missed since that first game.

What my dad introduced me to that day was something greater than just basketball. PC basketball turned out to be one of the many bonds that we share, but this one turned out to be even more special than the rest. To this day my dad can’t help but smile at me, knowing that even with a loss, a rare occurrence at the Dunk, we still had a blast.

One game in particular, besides the West Virginia game, that was very special for me was the Pitt upset on February 24, 2009. This game also happened to be my mom’s first and only appearance at a Friar game to date.The hype surrounding the game was insane, as Pitt was coming to the Dunk ranked #1 in the nation. The crowd was energetic, loud, supportive, and rambunctious as always. The Friars, led at this time by Keno Davis, put on an absolute show. From start to finish the Friars dominated, and the students were fired up as they stormed the court. 

Another more recent game that I loved, and will always remember, is this year’s NCAA Tournament game against North Carolina. During this game my favorite player, Bryce Cotton, exploded and made a name for himself by scoring 36 points against blue bloods of North Carolina. What was awesome was how Cotton single handedly kept PC in it, making Roy Williams throw fits on the sidelines. Although this was a loss, it seemed like America finally got to see Bryce Cotton, and it seems to be paying off now.

Another thing that makes the Friars even more special for me is that they don’t really have an offseason. Coach Cooley and his staff are always out recruiting, trying to improve the team in order to take the program to the next level. They are always looking towards the future, so it is like they are always one season ahead, whether preparing their players or finding new ones.
Providence College basketball has taught me a lot through 12 years, but most importantly, they showed me true Heart and Soul through those years.
Jacob Taylor will be a senior next year at Seekonk High School . I’d like to thank him for sharing his thoughts with us. 
You can follow Jake on Twitter: @Jake_Taylorr

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