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Fazekas to Transfer and the Class of ’15

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With the news that sophomore Ryan Fazekas is transferring, it’s looking more and more like Providence’s recruiting class of 2015 is shaping up to be the only bust of the Ed Cooley Era.

Cooley struck gold weeks after taking the Providence job, grabbing LaDontae Henton in the spring of 2011, and he followed that up with a monster 2012 haul that included McDonald’s All American Kris Dunn, as well as Ricky Ledo and Josh Fortune.

PC signed top 60 recruit Brandon Austin and current leading scorer Rodney Bullock the following year, and knocked it out of the park with a 2014 class that included Ben Bentil, Jalen Lindsey, Kyron Cartwright, and Paschal Chukwu.

Cooley benefitted from an instant impact in 2016, with Emmitt Holt proving to be a terrific inside/out scorer, Alpha Diallo emerging in conference play, with Kalif Young and Maliek White flashing throughout the year.

2015 is the one blip. Fazekas was the first to commit, verbally pledging during the fall of his junior year of high school. The staff then took a shot on the talented, but troubled Alex Owens who never made it to campus. Drew Edwards had the look of a solid four year player at times during his freshman season, but has never been fully healthy, while Ricky Council and Quadree Smith were a pair of late signings that have provided little. Smith left after his freshman season, and Council has barely seen the court in in two seasons in black and white.

Early in his freshman season it looked as though Fazekas would be a solid four year player for the Friars. He scored 17 points on 5-8 shooting from 3 in just his third game at PC, and he was a starter in his first game (a win over Illinois in which he played 36 minutes and scored 10 points).

Providence probably doesn’t come back against Arizona in November 2015 without Fazekas’ momentum-shifting 3 pointer late in the second half, and a few games later he played 35 minutes in a buzzer beating win at Rhode Island.

A bout with mononucleosis derailed the rest of Fazekas’ freshman season. He missed nearly a month and never seemed to find his form.

Fazekas started his sophomore season shooting the ball well, making nine 3-pointers in PC’s first four games, including 3-6 in an opening night win against Vermont. He eventually fell behind more versatile players in Alpha Diallo and Isaiah Jackson, making just two two field goals from Feb. 1 until the end of the season.

Providence will try to fill Fazekas’ roster spot this spring if they can find the right fit. Michigan guard Greg Elliott visited PC in February. A senior, Elliott is one of the more attractive high school guards left on the board and is seeing interest from Marquette and Michigan State.

The staff could also look to the 5th year transfer market for an experience hand to contribute to a team returning its core.

Twitter: @Kevin_Farrahar

Email: kevin.farrahar@friarbasketball.com

9 Comments

  1. Ray Thibault

    March 23, 2017 at 2:18 am

    I’m very discouraged to read this. For the life of me I couldn’t see how Ryan fell out of Cooley’s favor this season. This is a HUGE miss, as Fazekas had unlimited potential as a sharp shooter. It really looked like the kid just looked discouraged, which stems from the coaching staff’s support in my opinion.

  2. Sean

    March 23, 2017 at 12:14 pm

    Same thing with Chukwu he was on bench behind the stiff Derosiers. That cost Cooley a 7 ft good player. Should not happen

  3. Derec Lamendola

    March 23, 2017 at 2:23 pm

    Derec Lamendola Look Can I Jus Say Somthing This MY JOB And I’m Woking On IT Right Now And I Don’t Care About Chuwku Do I Care Lsing Do I Care About Him Know So Why I DiD I Care And I Care
    About Carlson Derosiers You Know I Meen That’s I. Care About And Becusse All Are The Best Pleryas Are Lering The School That’s Why When You Don’t Like The School In Providence College You Don’t GO School This Inskely Why
    You We Lost Bentil Shrd OF Stand OF Stated In College You Know I Meen And And When You GO TO School You Don’t Come Back To Providence That’s Why I Hate Pleryas GO And Transferd When Every One Lefevis Thery Pogram In Providence Colllege For The Skolship You Know I Meen This So Redcklers You Know I Meen And Bouther Away Coach Ed. Cooley IS NOT Gofling And Becuase I Work AT MY Pleryas Somthing About The Golf Tourmment Somthing And I Don’t Won’t Ed Cooley TO Play Golf This Year Who I WORK For Becuase He Has A lot TO Do Roght Now Coach Coooley Dunest Have That Time TO Golf Eneney More I WORK For You Know I Meen And Becusse Coach Cooley GOT Keep On Working AT His OFFiS And Will YOU Let Me Know Who We Geting For Recauding Class We Need Fast Guyas And BIGER Guyas Come In Providence Coach. Cooley NOT In The Mood For Gofling This Year Who I WORK Becuase He GOT A lot To Do And Some Phone Call In MY WORK About Ed Cooley Last Year Somthing And I DIDNT Know And This Year Coach Cooley HAS GOT STOP Haerting Him Slef

  4. Bob Perrino

    March 23, 2017 at 6:13 pm

    I like Ryan a lot and am sorry to see him go. His enthusiasm and love for his teammates was very apparent. That being said Ryan has through no fault of his own dropped on the depth chart behind two players that were not as one dimensional also with Drew Edwards playing next year Ryan made the right decision for himself. As for Chuckwu, if he was as good as you might think why wasn’t he playing for Cuse. His eye injury happened at the end of the year and he had a whole year off to work on his game with the practice squad. Stop questioning our coach! No coach in the History of Providence College has done what he has. Stop and think before you post negative garbage.

  5. Anonymous

    March 24, 2017 at 12:54 am

    I’m also disappointed to hear this news. I think Fazekas could have helped the team in the next two years, but Cooley never gave him much of a leash, he’d come in, miss a shot and immediately be taken out of the game. You could see this coming once his minutes were cut down to about 5 per game. I hope he finds a place where he can play and showcase his skills, good luck Ryan

  6. Darryl Rousseau

    March 26, 2017 at 7:55 pm

    Agree totally Bob especially your last sentence. Go Friars!! I see big things in the near future!!!!

  7. Collins

    April 4, 2017 at 1:38 pm

    Fazekas will not be missed. He couldn’t create his own shot, he would miss open opportunities, and his defense was horrible. Any player could blow right past him. Hopefully, Bullock will stay and this team should be top 25 next year

  8. Johnothan Cooley

    April 4, 2017 at 10:25 pm

    He’s not leaving because of the coaching staff, he’s leaving because Jackson, Diallo, and Bullock are all better then him. He’s tired of sitting on the bench which is the result of being worse then those 3 players.

  9. Johnathan Cooley

    April 4, 2017 at 10:26 pm

    He’s not leaving because of the coaching staff, he’s leaving because Jackson, Diallo, and Bullock are all better then him. He’s tired of sitting on the bench which is the result of being worse then those 3 players.

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