5 Big Rhode Island Sports Stories This Week

Last PawSox Season in Rhode Island in Doubt

The summer of 2020 was supposed to be the PawSox' final season in Rhode Island.

The PawSox owners had previously decided to take the money and run to Worcester, Massachusetts. 

The fate of the PawSox season has not been announced, but Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo has banned groups of 50 or more for the entire summer, thus, the likelihood of games being at McCoy before a crowd is very low. 

It is likely an unceremonious end to what had once been a venerable institution.

And not unfitting. 

Notre Dame Landed RI's Top High School Prospect

Hendricken's Jason Onye has committed to Notre Dame. The Hawks' standout football star now takes his athletic and academic talents to the most hallowed grounds.

Onye joins other recent top recruits from Hendricken land in big-time college playing fields.

Kwity Paye ’17 was selected to play in the 2017 Under Armour All-American Game, and recruited to play defensive end for the University of Michigan Wolverines; and Xavier Truss ’19, the most highly-recruited football player in state history to date, chose his post-Rhode Island career to be an offensive lineman for the University of Georgia Bulldogs.

Where is Jalen Carey Going? URI? PC?

Syracuse sophomore guard Carey is leaving the Orangemen and on his primary list of options is the University of Rhode Island.

The others on his list are Marquette, Creighton, Connecticut, and Georgetown, as well as Alabama, and BYU.

Providence College may also be in play.

URI Lands New Recruit - But There Is One Big Problem

It is no secret that the University of Rhode Island has had a massive exodus. Between graduation and transfers, seven Rams are gone.

Allen Betrand announced this week however he is transferring to Rhode Island after two seasons at Towson.

He made the announcement in an Instagram post on Saturday.

The problem is that he will not be eligible to play. 

The undermanned Rams are desperate for transfers, but unless there is a dramatic change at the NCAA, Betrand will not be eligible in the 2000-2021 season.

Betrand picked the URI over a Richmond, Butler, Minnesota, DePaul, and Dayton.

At Towson, he averaged 13.6 points per game on 44.1% shooting, including 38.7% on 3-pointers, as a sophomore for the Tigers.

Russell to the NBA?

The NBA has announced that 205 players have filed as early entry candidates for the NBA Draft, including 163 college players and 42 international players.

Among those who have formally announced is Fatts Russell of the University of Rhode Island.

Russell has until the NCAA deadline of June 3 to withdraw his names from consideration and retain his final year of college eligibility.