PC Continues Search For Big Man
Monday, March 26, 2012
While college basketball fans at Kansas, Ohio State, Louisville and Kentucky all look forward to next weekend’s Final Four in New Orleans, fans of other teams already have an eye on next season.
Here in Providence, Friar fans are hoping that Ed Cooley and his staff can complete what is already a sensational recruiting class with a quality big man.
To date, that search has been relatively fruitless. 6’-8” forward Jakarr Sampson led many to believe that it was a two-horse race for his services between Providence and Kansas. He ended up picking St. John’s where he was going to play this past year before prepping at Brewster Academy.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTThis year’s top prize – 6’-10” Nerlens Noel of the Tilton School has developed a very good relationship with the PC coaching staff and a coach at a New England prep school told GoLocalProv.com last month that he believed PC was leading in his recruitment. But Noel has narrowed his list of finalists to three schools and none of them are named Providence. Syracuse, Georgetown and Kentucky are the three fighting for his services which may very likely be for one year only before he turns pro.
Even juco forward Orlando Sanchez (6’-8” F Monroe College) who was believed to have had PC at the top of his list, now is said to be leaning towards St. John’s instead.
Does this mean that the Friars will come up empty handed in their quest for a big man? Maybe not.
6’-9” sophomore forward Evan Smotrycz has announced that he will be transferring from the University of Michigan. Could Providence College be his next stop?
Smotrycz is a local product from Reading, Massachusetts who was recruited by Keno Davis and his staff a few years ago. Other Big East schools like Syracuse, Pitt and Notre Dame were also involved with him.
Smotrycz started the first half of the season for the Wolverines this year. He averaged 7.7 points and 4.9 rebounds for John Beilein’s team but felt that Michigan just wasn’t the right fit for him.
Another big man recruited by Davis and the Friars announced that he will be transferring as well. 7’-0” center Carson Desrosiers announced that he will be leaving Wake Forest after this, his sophomore season. Like Smotrycz, Desrosiers is also somewhat of a local kid from Windham, New Hampshire. He played his high school basketball at Central Catholic in Lawrence, Massachusetts.
Desrosiers started 16 of the team’s 31 games this season averaging 4.8 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. Will he consider Providence for a second time? Who knows? But he would certainly fill a need.
One thing to keep in mind with both players is that they would have to sit out a year before being eligible to play wherever they decide to go. They would each have two years of eligibility remaining.
NOTES:
-6’-8” forward Sidiki Johnson who has transferred from Arizona to PC is apparently looking good in pick-up games on Smith Hill. Those who have seen Johnson say that he is already PC’s best big man which isn’t necessarily a huge accomplishment given the weakness of the team’s front line. Still, there’s hope that he will bring a presence to the floor for the Friars.
There’s still some question as to whether or not Johnson will be eligible to play first or second semester. Initially is was thought that he would not be available until second semester for PC, but the school may be appealing on his behalf for him to play right away given that he played sparingly (2.3 minutes per game) in just 3 games for the Wildcats last fall.
-The major rennovations to PC's Alumni Hall are underway. This is essentially the final step to turn Alumni Hall into a state-of-the-art facility with other rennovation projects that have already been completed in recent years. The project includes a new ceiling, air conditioning and heating systems, upper level windows, new seating in the upper and lower arena. The entire communications and data systems will be overhauled and a video scoreboard will be installed, along with an enhanced audio system for public address and in-game entertainment needs.
Friar fans gan go to the school's website www.friars.com for updates on the rennovations.