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On Diallo’s Senior Year, Duke’s Numbers, and Old Friends

Diallo Clapping

News and notes while we wait for Big East play to begin…

1. As Alpha Diallo has struggled through the worst shooting season of his career, there have been pockets of the fanbase that have tossed out the idea of benching the senior forward. The frustration is understandable. For much of the first two months of the season Providence has lacked direction on the floor, and with that comes fingers pointed squarely at the player named 1st Team All Big East in the preseason.

Diallo is shooting 40% from the field, 21% from 3, and most frustratingly, struggled to the tune of 52% at the free throw line. This was a player who shot over 73% at the line his first two seasons at Providence.

Here’s why benching Diallo isn’t happening. Let’s start with his defense. Diallo is the only Friar regular holding his man to under 30% shooting from the field. He ranks in the 89th percentile nationally in points per possession against (.598), and he’s tops on this team in blocks and steals. Diallo leads the Big East in steals, in fact.

Offensively, Diallo has taken 55 fouls, good for over four fouls drawn a game. The next closest to Diallo in getting opponents to commit fouls is David Duke, with 38. Diallo is PC’s and-1 leader with nine (Emmitt Holt is second with five, while Nate Watson has four). His 29 offensive rebounds are 20 more than anyone else on the roster.

This isn’t to say Diallo hasn’t had a disappointing senior year to date, he has, but on rebounding (9.2 per game) and defense alone, Diallo has to stay on the floor. Providence (and Diallo himself) would benefit from him becoming more of a playmaker on the offensive end, however. That could come from out of the post, where Diallo is ranked in the 90th percentile nationally in efficiency. Posting up has become taboo in the era of space and pace, but Diallo has struggled otherwise (22nd percentile in spot up situations, 29th in transition, 10th in cuts, 27th offensive rebounding, 10th in isolation and off screens).

He threw a pretty behind-the-back bounce pass out of a double team against Texas out of the post.

2. Who remembers Kevin Marfo? Providence felt like they were close to getting a commitment from the big man from Worcester Academy a few years ago before he pledged to George Washington. Marfo has since transferred from GW to Quinnipiac where he is now leading the country in rebounding at 13.5 per game. He’s also averaging 9.9 points per game and shooting 77% at the free throw line.

3. How about some other old friends? Ryan Fazekas was off to a hot start at Valparaiso before hurting his hand two games into the season. He scored over 20 in their opener. Drew Edwards is playing big minutes for Charlotte, and has been solid — 10.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, 84% from the free throw line 36% from deep in 30 minutes per game.

After averaging over three points, three rebounds, and 1.5 blocks in 17 minutes per game, Dajour Dickens is transferring for the second time in his three year college career. He had been at Old Dominion. His coaching staff there found out about his transfer after he entered his name into the transfer portal. Dickens started nine of 12 games this season. Former teammate Aaron Carver was blunt after the first game following the ODU transfers, “There’s more camaraderie now. We all know that we’re all we’ve got.”

Ricky Council is playing 9.5 minutes a night for UMBC and shooting 22% from three.

4. David Duke is enjoying a breakout sophomore season, thanks in large part to a vastly improved jump shot. Duke is shooting over 48% from 3-point range. If he can improve his efficiency from inside the arc, where he is shooting 37%, he could take off further. Duke has had a tendency to dribble or jump his way into difficult shots at the rim, and once he figures that part of the game out he could become a takeover scorer.

Perhaps the biggest leap in his game has been as a pick and roll scorer, where he rates in the 78th percentile nationally. A season ago, he ranked in the 14th percentile in those opportunities. He has seen a big spike in production in most categories, including spot up situations (up to the 62nd percentile from 38th last year), transition (63rd from 45th), and of course with his 3-point range. Duke’s 48% shooting from deep is tops in the Big East, just ahead of another former PC recruit, Cole Swider of Villanova. Swider and Duke are both Rhode Islande natives.

5. A third sophomore from New England is having a dominant year for Creighton. Marcus Zegarowski is averaging 18.4 points a game, is top five in the Big East in assists, and is shooting 51% from the field and 38% from deep. This is no surprise to those who watched him emerge at Tilton.

6. Perhaps level of competition played a part, but Jimmy Nichols had held opponents to 1-14 shooting from the field prior to going down with an injury. Nichols could be looking at an injury redshirt this year, but Providence could dearly use a shot blocker and Nichols should be a factor there once he returns to form. PC really has not had a true rim protector since Carson Desrosiers and Pascal Chukwu left the program after the 2015 season. Diallo currently leads the team with 11 blocks in 13 games played.

5 Comments

  1. Kenneth Bernabe

    December 28, 2019 at 2:37 pm

    Inconsistency once again has plagued this team. Good game,poor games is the reality. The inability to minimize the poor passing, ill advised shooting, and the lack of smart play under the basket has significantly hurt this team. Finally, the emergence of any real team leader(s) for each game is quite obviously lacking. I hope this kind of play is minimized as they now will play for keeps in the Big East schedule of games.

  2. Wally

    December 28, 2019 at 9:30 pm

    Hope Nichols can return this season. Guy is long, lots of talent. This team needs him. I believe the rolls are now set and these guys will play up to their potential. GOFRIARS

  3. Carl

    December 28, 2019 at 9:56 pm

    That Texas game was something to build from. That was a team playing with a physical identity. You won’t win them all, but you’ll win more with a defined style and mindset.

    Trends come and go, but “ball don’t lie.” Diallo’s game is inside the arc. Unleash his game from the high post (a la Bonzie Colson) he’ll be a great playmaker and make everyone else better as well.

    I hope they keep it rolling for conference play. GO FRIARS!

  4. Marty

    January 2, 2020 at 5:55 pm

    Great 1st half against Georgetown, Horrible 2nd half. Coach needs to get these guys ready for 2nd half play. This team comes out too flat every game. I don’t understand it.

  5. Stephen L. Lockard

    January 6, 2020 at 1:09 am

    Absolutely, these guys have very good talent.

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