Here and There in Friartown

By Craig Leighton
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Updated: August 12, 2016

News, notes, and opinions on Friar basketball, while wondering how am I going to get my next hoops fix after the Olympics are over…

Did Ben Bentil make a mistake coming out this year? At this point how can you think anything else? A partially guaranteed contract means that he will most likely not make the Celtics’ opening day roster and will spend most of next season playing in the D League for cheap money.
R.I.P to NBA Hall of Famer Nate Thurmond, one of my favorite players while I was growing up. “Nate the Great” and Wilt Chamberlain in same front court was really something to see. Too bad it was only briefly.

If Kris Dunn comes close to fulfilling his potential he is going to be a very rich man. He is a natural in front of the camera and advertisers will be clamoring to get him to be their spokesman.
The first thing you notice when looking at the 2016-2017 PC roster is that the only player from New England is senior walk on Casey Woodring. It’s been a while since the Friars hit on a local star. Hopefully that changes with Makai Ashton-Langford.
On the other hand, it seems that most high school players are choosing schools farther away from home. If you take a look at the list of ESPN’s top 100 players for 2016, only 25 of the 100 players decided to attend a college in their home state. When you take out three of the largest states (California, Texas, and Florida) only 13 players decide to go to an in state college in the other 47 states.
Why do local players choose to go away for college? I think in the Friars’ case familiarity breeds apathy. When players visit a school several times the campus loses its WOW factor. When you are visiting a campus for the first time it can look spectacular.
PC will get its share of New England players going forward, but having a top player in your own back yard is not the advantage it once was.
Congratulations to God Shammgod for accepting a player development position with the Dallas Mavericks. You always knew an owner like Mark Cuban would try and get God on his side if he possibly could.

Reason #43 why Ashton-Langford should select PC over Louisville: Heck, even Rick Pitino had his son go to PC rather than Louisville

Trivia Time: One of the top undergrad high school players in the country is 6’10, class of 2018 center Bol Bol. Yes, he is the son of former NBA legend Manute Bol. Who was Manute Bol’s first professional coach? (The picture should give it away)

One of the first things most recruiting junkies ask when they find out that their school is interested in a player is how many stars is he rated? Five star players are considered the cream of the crop, while two star players may need a lot of work to make a contribution at the high major level, according to those creating the rankings. Do these star ratings really make a difference in the long run? Here is a breakdown of the average star rating for current rosters of every Big East team:

Villanova: 3.71 stars

Marquette: 3.70 stars

Georgetown: 3.47 stars

Xavier: 3.25 stars

Providence: 3.10 stars

Butler: 3.00 stars

Creighton: 3.00 stars

Seton Hall: 2.99 stars

St. John’s: 2.92 stars

Depaul: 2.79 stars

(per Verbal Commits — transfers and JUCO players were given two stars)

Breakout Player Alert: Jalen Lindsey has really hit the weight room this off season and is noticeably bigger and stronger
Reason no. 87 why Ashton Langford should go to PC rather than UConn: Away games against Tulane, East Carolina, and Tulsa in the American Conference. Yuck!
With no scholarship seniors on the roster, look for the PC coaching staff to be very selective when adding additional players to the 2017 class. They would be ecstatic with the additions of Nate Watson and the aforementioned Ashton Langford. If the right players aren’t available, they could punt until 2018.
Speaking of the class of 2018, 24/7 Sports already has over 200 2018 players ranked nationally. Here is a listed of where some of the 2018 PC recruits are ranked

Jalen Smith, 6’9 pf, Mt St. Joseph (MD) 18th

Keldon Johnson, 6’6 sg, South Hill (VA), 19th

A.J. Reeves, 6’4 g, Brimmer and May, 48th

Preston Santos, 6’5 sf, Bishop Hendricken (transferred to Brooks), 55th

Cole Swider, 6’7 f, St. Andrew’s, 66th

Comac Ryan, 6’5 sg, Milton Academy, 73rd

Devon Dotson, 6’2 pg, Providence Day School, (NC) 83rd

Kiyon Boyd, 6’5 sg, Woodon Sr, High (DC), 89th

Nate Laszewski, 6’7 sf, Northfield Mount Hermon, 95th

Sidney Wilson, 6’6 sf, Brewster Academy, 106th

Eric Ayala, 6’2 g, Putnam Science Academy, 107th

John Newmann III, 6’6 sg, Grensboro High School (NC), 110th

Daniel Oturo, 6’9 pf, Cretin-Derham (MN), 142nd

Keyontae Johnson, 6’5 sf, Northview (VA). 190th

Emmanuel Umoffia, 7’1 c, Putnam Science Academy, 191st

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6 Comments

Ed Paluch

August 12, 2016 at 10:29 pm

Great job Craig Leighton!
Anonymous

August 13, 2016 at 12:49 am

You said it’s been a while since PC had a star player from New England. Uh what about Kris Dunn and Ryan Gomes?
Derec Lamendola

August 13, 2016 at 3:26 am

THINKS SO Much Derec Lamendola Craig Leighton We DiD Good JOB And Providence College Mens Basketball Got To Win This Year And Providence College Friars Mens Basketball GOT Work HARD YOU KNOW I Meen Work HARD TO AS Well
Derec Lamemdola

August 13, 2016 at 3:38 am

Providence Colllege Mens Basketball Got GO Work And I’m So Redeay And Providemce College Friars Mens Baksetball Start Caseay Woording This Year That’s We Need This Year IS Caseay Woodring I Won’t Him TO
Start This Year The Last Gauy Out In The Line UP Senior IS Caseay Woording Plerys I Won’t Him Start This Year
Caseay Woording Will Be So Good And I Won’t See Caseay Woording To Pertkias Let See What’s He GOT TO Do This Year What YOU Think

And Plerys I Won’t Him Start In The Staring Line UP Plerys I Won’t Coach Ed Cooley TO Purt Caseay Woording In Thery The CORT December 3 When Providence Colllege Mens Basketball Friars Dedember 3 Shut The Lights OUT And You Were Watch Casseay Woording HiTING The Buzzer Beeteder You Will See I Won’t HIM Play This Year I’m NOT Kding I Won’t Caseay Woording Start And That Gauy Rondey Boullck Starting 5 And Frezakis The HI Sqkoer This Year Provdience College Mens Basketball GOT Be Tuff This Year Thery Have TO When That New COVER POST I Won’t Be IN IT This Year
Wayne Pacheco

August 13, 2016 at 2:47 pm

Craig: Great job! I love articles like this where well grounded opinions are given. Makes for great reading! Would love it if you would do it more often. Good recall on Nate and Wilt the Stilt. Remember Guy Rogers, Al Attles and Tom Meschery?
Dan Duffy

August 14, 2016 at 8:06 pm

O.K. I give up. Who was Manutes first pro coach?