Former Wake Forest center Carson Desrosiers made the call on Tuesday.
The7-footer from Windham, N.H., picked Providence over Vanderbilt and Oregon State.
“Just committed to PC,” he said by text. “I connected with Coach [Ed] Cooley instantly and everybody’s excited for the immediate future of PC basketball, including myself.”
He will have two years of eligibility remaining after sitting one season. (more…)
If you’re confused about who’s coming and who’s going from the Providence basketball team these days, you’re not alone.
After some back and forth, Arlington (Fla.) Country Day point guard Ian Baker told SNY.tv he has committed to the Friars and will join the team next year along with a recruiting class of Kris Dunn, Ricky Ledo and Josh Fortune.
“I did commit,” the 6-foot-1, 180-pound Baker told SNY.tv. “The thing I liked about Providence the most is my relationship with the head coach. It also seems like a great place. I’m going to be comfortable and have the opportunity to play right away according to coach [Ed] Cooley.” (more…)
While the college basketball world waits for Shabazz, Nerlens and Tony to name their college choices, another potential diamond in the rough remains uncommitted.
Bradley Hayes, a 6-foot-11 center from Jacksonville (Fla.) Sandalwood with a very high ceiling, has yet to pick a school.
“The kid can run like a deer, has soft hands and has finally embraced his size and gifts,” Todd Washington, a Hayes family friend and founder of the Puerto Rico Playmakers, told SNY.tv. “He didn’t always take basketball seriously but he is focused and prepared.” (more…)
NEW ORLEANS — New Rhode Island coach Dan Hurley has rounded out his staff with the addition of Jimmy Carr from Rutgers.
Hurley’s staff now includes his brother, Bobby, Carr and Preston Murphy, who worked for former coach Jim Baron and will stay on with Hurley.
“Jimmy Carr has been a tremendous asset to me and my staff, not only for his knowledge of Rutgers University, but the Big East as well,” Rutgers coach Mike Rice said. “Jimmy is a great coach and an even better person. We are excited for him to have this opportunity. We wish Jimmy and Natalie nothing but the best.” (more…)
Did any coaching staff work as hard on recruiting this week as Ed Cooley and the guys at Providence?
First, they went up to New Hampshire Monday to watch Nerlens Noel and JaKarr Sampson battle it out in the big Tilton-Brewster game.
Then they came down to Long Island and saw Chris Obekpa and Our Savior New American on Tuesday night.
Click here to read the full story on FiveStarBasketball.com.
**Read the Five Star Big Board on Providence here.
The immediate futures of several Big East schools could be decided by a pair of late-signing seniors from Our Savior New American High School in Centereach, N.Y.
Chris Obekpa, a 6-foot-9 shot-blocking center, and Felix Balamou, a 6-2 wing, both took pivotal weekend trips to Big East schools.
Balamou took a weekend official visit to St. John’s that included viewing practice Friday and taking a trip to Madison Square Garden Saturday for the Johnnies’ 66-63 victory over UCLA. (more…)
Former Arizona forward Sidiki Johnson has landed at Providence.
Per NCAA regulations, the 6-foot-8 Johnson must sit out a year and will become eligible in December.
“It’s a good fit because it’s closer to home,” Johnson told FiveStarBasketball.com. “Coach [Ed] Cooley is a real good guy and I like the way he’s rebuilding the program up there.”
Johnson will join a loaded recruiting class that includes point guard Kris Dunn and scoring wing Ricky Ledo. (more…)
While it has become fashionable for some national bloggers to trash Ricky Ledo, a high school student, Providence coach Ed Cooley is high on the young man and believes he can build around him going forward.
“When we talk about Ricky Ledo and his journey of wanting to come to Providence College, we’re going to help that young man grow in so many ways,” Cooley said Thursday during a press conference.
“And I think he being one of the best natural scorers in the country is going to allow us not just to attract other players, but other local young men that have dreams and aspirations of coming to Providence College.
“We hope he can score a lot of baskets for us and also make sure he goes to class on time.” (more…)
In this interview from Big East Media Day, Providence coach Ed Cooley talks about the new culture he’s trying to institute in his first year as head coach of the Friars.
SOUTH KENT, Conn. — Ricky Ledo and Chris Thomas share a lot in common.
Both are potential pros who are still trying to get a grasp on maturity issues.
Both have had difficult family lives and are being raised by grandparents.
And both have landed at the South Kent school with a chance to make — or break — their futures together.
“I’m hoping it clicks and they make it to college and go on to make a lot of money one day,” South Kent coach Kelvin Jefferson told SNY.tv Wednesday after an open gym at the school. (more…)
“Adam Zagoria sees the story behind the daily happenings.”
~ St. Anthony Coach Bob Hurley
Zagoria covers the New York Knicks and Big East hoops for NBA.com and SNY.tv. He also appears as a Big East Basketball Insider on SNY and 1050 ESPN Radio.
He is an award-winning journalist whose articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, SI and Basketball Times.
