PC Basketball Enters 2015-16 Season With Depth Issue at Forward Position
Friday, August 28, 2015
Joe Calabro, GoLocalProv Sports Team
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Paschal Chukwu left program in May
The
Providence College Friars men's basketball team will enter the 2015-16 season with only four forwards on the roster. Of the four, only one, Ben Bentil, has played significant minutes for PC. The other three forwards are walk on Tom Planek, incoming freshman Quadree Smith and red shirt sophomore Rodney Bullock, who returns from an ACL injury.
The Friars roster suffered a blow in mid May when 7'2" forward Paschal Chukwu left the program and later committed to Syracuse.
"I think it is one of the dumbest decisions I have ever seen. I mean, he's playing with arguably the best point guard in the country in Kris Dunn. There is going to be at least ten NBA guys at every Friars game this season for Kris. He was probably going to be playing the entire game. He could have been an NBA pick next year," said Friars radio analyst Joe Hassett. "And then to go to Syracuse, he is gonna have to sit for a year and then the year he is eligible, Boeheim is retiring, so it makes no sense," Hassett added.
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Providence College head coach Ed Cooley added, "I think everyone was surprised at him leaving, but 750 kids transfer every year. Some kids just are looking for something different and I'm not sure what he was looking for,but no hard feelings, we wish him the best."
Style of Play
Chukwu averaged two rebounds and three points in 10 minutes of action per game for the Friars in 2014-15 and his absence will force PC to adjust their style of play.
"The style of play will be different because they don't have the size, but they do have shooting. I think [Ryan] Fazekas will help spread the floor. At 6'8" he can shoot the 3-pointer. Then you have Jalen Lindsey and Kyron Cartwright coming back this year so they will be able to spread the floor and I think Kris Dunn will be able to find some lanes to the basket," Hassett said.
As a team, Providence shot 31% from 3-point land in 2014-15.
Rodney Bullock Set to Play
Red shirt sophomore forward Rodney Bullock has been with PC for two years, but has yet to play a game for the Friars. Bullock was suspended his freshman season (2013-14) and
tore his ACL prior to the start of last season.
"We are all excited for him, he's a good player and will add some size and length to our team," Cooley said of Bullock.
Bullock attended Kecoughtan High School and averaged 21 points and 16 rebounds per game in the 2013 season.
"I don't know much about him, but seeing him in practice a few times. He's a very good athlete, can knock down the three-pointer, and he runs the floor very well. He has the tools to be a very good player," Hassett added.
Kris Dunn Returns
The collective nerves of Friar fans were calmed in late April when Kris Dunn officially announced that he was coming back to Providence for his redshirt junior season. Dunn averaged 16 points, seven assists and six rebounds for Providence last season and comes into this season projected as a top ten NBA pick and arguably the best point guard in the country.
"Everyone is excited that Kris decided to come back to school. It was a decision that he and his family made, but our fans, our staff and our alumni are all excited that he is back," said Ed Cooley.
One area in which Kris Dunn will look to improve this season is turnovers. Dunn averaged four turnovers per game for PC last season. However, Hassett said he is not worried.
"I don't worry about his turnovers. He has the ball 95% of the time, he runs the fast break, and he is trying to make plays for his teammates. I can live with the three or four turnovers per game," Hasset said.
2015-16 Season Approaches
The Friars open up the season on Saturday, November 14 when they host Ivy League power Harvard at the Dunkin' Donuts Center. PC will play four straight home games to start the season before heading to California to take part in the Wooden Legacy Tournament. Providence opens up the tournament by playing the Evansville Aces and if they advance could see national powers like Arizona and Michigan State.
PC's conference schedule has yet to be released.
Related Slideshow: GoLocal’s All-Rhode Island 2014-15 Division I Hoop Teams
Here is GoLocalProv's 2014-15 All-RI D1 basketball teams.
See the slides below.
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G - Kris Dunn
PC's Kris Dunn was the best player in the state of Rhode Island this season. On the year, Dunn averaged 16 points, seven assists and five rebounds leading Providence to their second consecutive NCAA Tournament appearence.
"He was a terriffic player, it was obvious as the year went on that he was the best pro prospect in the conference. Considering he hadn't played much prior to this season cause of injury, he had a great year," Friar legend Joe Hassett said.
Dunn posted eight Double-doubles and one triple-double during the season and led the Big East in assists and steals. Kris Dunn is the first player ever to lead the league in both of those categories.
Dunn's acolades this season included:
All-Big East First Team
Big East Defensive Player of the Year
Big East Player of the Year
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G - E.C. Matthews
E.C. Matthews led the Rams this season, averaging 17 points and five rebounds per game and leading URI to their first post season appearence since 2010.
Matthews scored int double-figures in URI's final ten games and 13 of the last 14 while his season high of 27 points came on December 10 against in state rival Providence.
"E.C. had a great year, adjusted well to being the go to perimeter player for us. He took on the other team's best defender every night and did a good job," URI assistant coach Jim Carr said.
During the season, E.C. Matthews was selected as a finalist for the Jerry West Award, and prior to the season Matthews was placed on the Bob Cousy Award watch list.
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G - Dyami Starks
Dyami Starks led the Bryant Bulldogs to their first division one post season win in program history when Bryant beat Sacred Heart in the NEC quarterfinal.
Starks averaged 19 points and three rebounds per game while shooting 91% from the free throw line.
In Bryant's 31 game season, Starks reached double-figures in scoring in every game accept for two and had at least 20 points in 11 of those games.
"He was terrific this year on and off the court for us. Dyami had a great career, we are going to miss him," said Bryant head coach Tim O'Shea.
After the season, Starks was named to the United States Basketball Writers Asscoiation All-District 1 selection. Starks was the only player from the NEC to be selected.
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F - LaDontae Henton
LaDontae Henton carried the Friars offense this season averaging 20 points and seven rebounds per game for Providence. Henton also posted seven double-doubles on the year.
On March 4, LaDontae Henton reached the 2,000 career points milestone making him only the second Friar everto record 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds. The only other Friar to do it is Ryan Gomes, the progams all-time leading scorer.
"LaDontae has been terriffic his entire career, especially this year in a good Big East conference that got six teams into the NCAA Tournament. For him to lead the league in scoring is quite an accomplishment," Hassett said.
Henton ends his Friars career with 2,051 points, making him the second all-time leading scorer in PC history.
For his efforts, LaDontae Henton was selected to the All-Big East first team this season along with teammate Kris Dunn.
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F - Hassan Martin
Hassan Martin was a force on the URI front line this season, averaging 11 points and eight rebounds per game for the Rams.
On the year, Martin blocked 103 shots and recorded 24 steals on the season.
On January 22, Martin nearly recorded a triple-double, pulling down nine rebounds, recording 10 blocked shots and pouring in 14 points in URI's 59-47 win over La Salle.
"For him to not be chosen as the A-10 defensive player of the year is mindboggling," URI assistant coach Jim Carr said.
Martin recorded eight double-doubles on the year, two of the most notable ones coming in the regular season against Davidson and Richmond. Martin pulled down 16 rebounds in both games.
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Rookie of the Year
Jared Terrell gets Rookie of the Year honors after starting every game except one and averaging nine points per game for the Rams.
Terrell's career high 23 points came in a 81-68 win over St. Louis.
On the year, Jared Terrell averaged 1.4 steals per game for a season total of 46 to help lead URI's lock down defense.
Other Contenders:
Jarvis Garrett (URI): six points per game, 33 games played, 25 minutes per game.
Ben Bentil (PC): 6.4 points, 5 rebounds per game, 21 minutes per game in 34 games played
Bosko Kostur (Bryant): 8 points per game in 23 games played, 12 starts.
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Coach of the Year
URI coach Dan Hurley gets Coach of the Year honors after leading the Rams to a 23-10 overall record and 13-5 in the A-10.
To put the wins in perspective, in Dan Hurley's first two seasons as Rams head coach, URI only won 22 games.
Under Hurley, URI got back to the post season for the first time since 2010 and won their first round NIT game against Iona at the Ryan Center.
Under Hurley, the future of URI basketball looks bright.
Other Contenders
Ed Cooley (PC): 22-12 overall, 11-7 in the Big East. Made it to NCAA Tournament for second straight season.
Tim O'Shea (Bryant): 16-15 overall, 12-6 NEC. Won first division I post season game in program history.
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Player of the Year
Kris Dunn is the player of the year in Rhode Island averaging 16 points, seven assists and five rebouds to help lead the Friars back to the NCAA Tournament.
Dunn is the only player in history to lead the Big East in both steals and assists.
Now the Friars and their fans wait on Dunn's decsion. Stay in college or go to the NBA?
"I say 50 percent chance he leaves. I think he can be an NBA player. But my advice to him would be to stay in school another year," said Joe Hassett.
Other Contenders:
LaDontae Henton (PC): 20 points, seven rebounds per game. Led the Big East in scoring.
E.C. Matthews (URI): 17 points and five rebounds per game. Was named tot he Bob Cousy Award watch list prior to the season starting.
Dyami Starks (Bryant): 19 points per game. Led Bryant to first division I post season win in school history.
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GoLocal Second Team
Here are five players that made the GoLocal second team.
G- Joe O'Shea (Bryant): 11 points per game, shot 47 percent from the field.
G- Jared Terrell (URI): Averaged nine points per game, 46 steals on the season.
G- T.J. Buchanan (URI): Averaged six points and three rebounds per game for URI. Provided a big spark and leadership off the bench.
F- Cedric Kuakumensah (Brown): Averaged 11 points, eight rebounds per game. Recorded 76 blocked shots on the season.
F- Rafael Maia (Brown): Averaged ten points, nine rebounds on the season. Recorded seven double-doubles on the season.
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