Friar Basketball
Home / Game Recaps / 5 Things: Friars Fall to Nova

5 Things: Friars Fall to Nova

Group Nova Loss

Five things from Providence’s 72-60 loss at home to #3 Villanova.

1. Providence trailed 56-41 with under eight minutes to play before the long ball started dropping. The Friars connected on four straight 3 pointers in a two minute span, as they went on a 12-2 run that brought them to within 58-53 with 5:17 to play.

On the ensuing possession Villanova went inside to Darryl Reynolds, who drew two defenders and found Kris Jenkins for a 3 to push the lead back to eight. The air was taken out of a building that was begging to burst all afternoon.

Reynolds was having a great game starting in place of Daniel Ochefu (concussion). He made 9-10 shots on his way to a career high 19 points. Yet, for as well as Reynolds had played to that point, the decision to double team a player who hadn’t scored more than four points in a Big East game was questionable — especially with the crowd at a fever pitch.

If Reynolds goes 1:1 and scores on Bentil in that situation tip your hat to him.

2. Kris Dunn has struggled the last two games, going just 5-20 against DePaul and 4-15 with six turnovers versus Villanova on Saturday.

Ed Cooley spoke afterwards of the immense expectations that seem to be growing with each game, and how the coaching staff needs to alleviate some of that pressure off of him.

Dunn plays the game at such a frenetic pace that he’s susceptible to bad turnovers when trying to hit a home run. Sometimes an opposite field single will do.

That being said, Dunn will continue to carry a heavy burden until he gets most consistent production from his fellow guards. Starters Junior Lomomba and Kyron Cartwright combined to shoot 0-9. Cartwright has taken a step forward in recent weeks, and still managed to dish out eight assists and grab six boards in 32 minutes, but with Bentil out on Tuesday and hobbled Saturday, Dunn has pressed.

3. Could consistent scoring punch come from freshman Ryan Fazekas? It’s been a long road back from mono for the 6’8 shooter. Cooley said after the game that the staff has him running up to two miles after practice to get his conditioning back, and it looks like he’s finding his legs.

Fazkeas made 3-6 from 3 point range, a game after shooting 3-6 from deep against DePaul.

In his first seven games back from illness Fazekas scored 15 points and was 3-20 from deep during that span.

Over the last two games he’s 6-12 from 3 and put up 22 points. He and Jalen Lindsey combined to make 5-11 from beyond the arc on Saturday.

4. Ben Bentil came off of the bench after being listed as day-to-day earlier in the week. Bentil was ineffective early, scoring just two points in the first half before exploding for 18 in the second.

With Bentil on the bench Villanova jumped out to a 10-0 lead two minutes into the game and it was an uphill fight for the Friars the rest of the way.

Providence got one field goal from their starting lineup over the game’s first 14 minutes.

5. The students were ready to pop prior to this one, and it would have been a perfect time for a victory with a group of elite recruits at the Dunk.

Fresh off of a win at the National Prep Showcase Invitational on Saturday morning, Cushing Academy trio Makai Ashton-Langford, Wabissa Bede and Jarrod Simmons were in attendance, as were Putnam Science’s Alpha Diallo and Eric Ayala.

We’ve covered Ashton-Langford and Bede extensively here. Ashton-Lanford is a Worcester native and one of the most explosively quick guards in the country. Like Bede, he’s a 2017 prospect and he’s one of the top 50 players in the class.

Bede is new to the prep ranks this season, after starring at North Andover High School (MA) a year ago. He broke out with a 57 point performance last season and connected on five 3 pointers when I watched him play on Friday night.

Both Bede and Ashton-Langford were AAU teammates of former PC target Wenyen Gabriel with the Mass Rivals. Carson Desrosiers played for the Rivals.

The 6’5 Diallo is one of the top 10-20 players in the class of 2017, and has received interest from Kansas, Syracuse, Kentucky, UConn and a host of others. Putnam Science is also in town for the Prep Invitational.

Twitter: @Kevin_Farrahar

Email: kevin.farrahar@friarbasketball.com

2 Comments

  1. Pingback: PC-Villanova Post Game Links - Friar Basketball

  2. Samir

    February 12, 2016 at 9:26 pm

    PBS’s New Series, God in America is six-part series, which will air on Monday, October 11, 2010 – Wednesday, October 13, 2010, 9-11 p.m. ET.It will offer hiiaorsctl role of Today’s Religious and Political Controversies in the public life of the United States

You must be logged in to post a comment Login