Friar Basketball
Home / General News / Season Preview: The Frontcourt

Season Preview: The Frontcourt

Bentil Defensive Stance

Our next “15 in 40” article takes a look at how Providence looks to replace a lot of production, and length, in the frontcourt. 

They’ll keep hearing the question until they finally take to the court in November: Will Providence have enough in the frontcourt to reach a third straight NCAA Tournament?

The question is a fair one. Gone is LaDontae Henton, one of only two players in PC history to score 2,000 points and grab 1,000 rebounds. Henton led the Big East in scoring by a wide margin last year (his 19.7 ppg put him well ahead of St. John’s D’Angelo Harrison’s 17.5) and he had been Ed Cooley’s rock over Cooley’s first four seasons at Providence. Henton hardly ever left the court as an upperclassman (over 37 mpg his final two years at PC), and while his numbers were gaudy, there is an intangible toughness that will be even more difficult to replace.

Providence also lost Carson Desrosiers to graduation. As a fifth year senior, Desrosiers blocked over 2.5 shots per game, good for second in the Big East, and finished top 20 nationally in block percentage.

Tyler Harris is taking his near 10 points per game to Auburn as a fifth year senior in a mutual parting of the ways, while 7’2 center Paschal Chukwu shocked Friartown by announcing his decision to transfer in May.

And just like that the seventh tallest team in the country from a season ago may have the shortest frontcourt in the Big East this season.

Still, the biggest questions this frontcourt faces aren’t necessarily in regards to length, but production. Without Desrosiers and Chukwu the Friars will be without a true shot blocker for the first time in two years, and beyond sophomore Ben Bentil questions abound.

The staff couldn’t have been higher on Bentil than they were last fall, and he emerged over the final month of the season, becoming as consistent a third option as PC had in February and March. Bentil closed with five double doubles in the final five weeks of the season.

It wouldn’t be surprising in the least to see Bentil make the leap to All Big East performer in his second season given additional minutes and a greater role in the offense. He proved he could finish in traffic as a freshman, shot 80% at the free throw line in conference play and has range out to the 3 point line.

Rodney Bullock may have fallen off of the radar of fellow Big East schools, but the expectations are high on campus, despite the fact that he sat out the last two seasons — most recently due to a torn ACL.

The Friars may lack a natural center, but the staff views the 4 and 5 spots on this team as interchangeable parts. And in Bentil and Bullock they’ll hope to expose less athletic big men trying to cover the duo on the offensive end.

Freshman Quadree Smith is a big man both in stature and style of play. The 285 lb Smith figures to be an effective ball screener for PC’s guards and did his damage at the high school level on the interior. How quickly he can adjust to the speed of the game at this level may determine how many minutes he sees.

Smith figures to be the only 4 or 5 on the roster to operate strictly inside. In addition to Bullock and Bentil, Associate Head Coach Andre Lafleur said both Ryan Fazekas and Jalen Lindsey could see time at the 4 as the Friars try to force matchup problems.

“We’re going to get up and down the court and put a lot of pressure on big guys to have to play our skilled stretch 4s on the perimeter,” Lafleur said.

“Our post players will be able to put the ball down. They’re skill guys, so it’s not necessarily a 1-2-3-4-5 system. Our post 4-5 will be interchangeable.”

The emphasis in Providence this season looks to be getting the five top players on the floor at the same time. “With the evolution of the game, especially over the last several years with the Warriors winning the championship this year, it’s been proven that you can play not necessarily small ball, but by putting your best five players out there in skill positions,” Lafleur said. “You don’t necessarily have to have a dominant rim protector.”

* * *

2015-16 “15 in 40″ season preview articles:

15. Finding the Range from Deep: http://friarbasketball.com/2015/08/19/15-in-40-finding-the-range-from-deep/

14. Where Are They Now? http://friarbasketball.com/2015/09/11/15-in-40-where-are-they-now/

13. Rodney Bullock’s Day Approaching: http://friarbasketball.com/2015/09/12/rodney-bullocks-day-approaching/

12. Learning More About the Freshmen: http://friarbasketball.com/2015/09/18/learning-more-about-the-freshmen/

11. Season Preview: Jalen Lindsey: http://friarbasketball.com/2015/09/20/season-preview-jalen-lindsey/

10. Season Preview: Ben Bentil: http://friarbasketball.com/2015/09/23/season-preview-ben-bentil/

9: Not Dunn Yet: Video on Kris Dunn’s Career: http://friarbasketball.com/2015/09/25/new-video-not-dunn-yet/

8. Season Preview: The Backcourt: http://friarbasketball.com/2015/09/27/season-preview-the-backcourt/

 

 

One Comment

  1. Derec Lamendola

    September 30, 2015 at 7:49 pm

    CRIAG LEIGHTON DEREC LAMENDOLA IM All Redey For PROVIDINCE COLLEGE. FRARAS Mens Basketball Aomast Time For PC Soon Novmber 14Th The Frist Opner Playing Hardvard I GOT ALL MY Pleryas Redey Criag LEIGHTON IM Going Do MY Plerys Tommerrow Fill UP Dus The All Team Need ALOT Pleryas Becuase IM Making Pleryas Form The All Team Rasing The Banner

You must be logged in to post a comment Login