Last Year: 21-12; Fourth (13-7) in the Big East Conference, lost in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament
Head Coach: Kim English (First Year; previously had been 34-29 in two season at George Mason, with no NCAA Tournament appearances)
Projected Starting Lineup
| PG Jayden Pierre – 6’2″, 180 – Sophomore |
| SG Devin Carter – 6’3″, 195 – Junior |
| SF Davonte ‘Ticket’ Gaines – 6’7″, 190 – Senior (5th) |
| PF Bryce Hopkins – 6’7″, 220 – Junior |
| F/C Josh Oduro – 6’9″, 240 – Senior (5th) |
Projected Starters’ 2022-23 Stats
Jayden Pierre: 2.5 ppg, 1.0 rpg, 1.9 apg, 0.2 spg – 54.5% 3FG
Devin Carter: 13.0 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 2.5 apg, 1.8 spg – 42.7% FG
Ticket Gaines: 7.3 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 1.2 apg, 0.6 spg – 34.3% 3FG @ George Mason
Bryce Hopkins: 15.8 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 2.3 apg, 0.8 spg – 36.4% 3FG
Josh Oduro: 16.6 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 2.6 apg, 0.9 bpg – 55.1% FG @ George Mason
Experienced Reserves
| G Corey Floyd, Jr – 6’4″, 210 – Sophomore |
| F/C Rafael Castro – 6’11”, 220 – Sophomore |
| G Justyn Fernandez – 6’5″, 208 – Sophomore |
Experienced Reserves’ 2022-23 Stats
Corey Floyd: 2.6 ppg, 1.2 rpg, 0.4 apg, 0.3 spg – 41.9% 3FG
Rafael Castro: 1.8 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 0.5 bpg, 0.4 spg – 51.4% FG
Justyn Fernandez: 4.1 ppg, 1.9 rpg, 0.5 apg, 0.3 spg – 37.0% FG @ George Mason
Freshmen
| G Garwey Dual – 6’5″, 190 – Freshman – Consensus Top 50 recruit |
| W Donovan Santoro – 6’8″, 205 – Freshman |
| F/C Eli DeLaurier – 6’10”, 220 – Freshman |
| W Richard Barron – 6’5″, 220 – Freshman |
New Providence head coach Kim English had seen some big moments prior to the opportunity he had this offseason. He had once committed to play Division I college basketball at Missouri; had twice been named all-conference as a Tiger, and was even named Big 12 Tournament MVP back when Mizzou played in that league.
Kim English had experienced moments such as receiving a call that told him he had been drafted by an NBA team; suiting up and playing for an NBA team; and even, just a couple of years ago, the joy of being named a Division I head coach. When Kim English fired up social media and went live to tell the world that he had beaten one of his key players in a game of one-on-one to convince that youngster to stay out of the Transfer Portal, well, that was a fairly unique moment. And one which, as the kids would say, slapped.
It was a tumultuous early spring atop Smith Hill. Longtime head coach Ed Cooley, who had taken PC to seven out of the last nine NCAA Tournaments, did the Friars like Robert Irsay once did the fans of Baltimore, bailing on PC to accept the same job and a couple extra bucks from conference foe Georgetown.
English was tabbed to take over as commander. Now, just two years after being an assistant at Colorado and less than a decade into his coaching career, English is trying to convince young players that he’s ready to lead them to the top of the Big East.
The good thing is, English has very quickly proven himself to be a terrific leader and communicator, and a coach for whom players want to play. D’Shawn Schwartz followed English from Colorado and had a career year, and now, former Patriots Justyn Fernandez, Davonte ‘Ticket’ Gaines – plus star big man Josh Oduro – have decided to come to Providence in order to play for English again. “My coach leaving and going there (Providence) had a big impact on my decision,” Oduro told On3. “Kim is a relentless leader who has the same vision for my game.”
Oduro is a proven star and brings a mature, well-rounded game to the Friars. “This is a good fit for me, coming to Providence,” Oduro told Peter Gobis for the Sun Chronicle this summer. “I haven’t been here long, but I feel very comfortable with the Friars.” Over the past two seasons, Oduro has averaged 16.6 points, 7.7 boards, 2.2 helpers, 1.3 blocks and a steal per game, and has been named all-conference each year. While his jumper can be streaky, there’s nothing Oduro can’t do. He was the Patriots’ defensive anchor, and is a terrific and very clever passer who always seems to know where his guys are or soon will be. A very agile big man, Oduro blocks shots both at the rim and away from it, and his active hands make it very difficult for opposing bigs to catch the ball where they would prefer.
Offensively, his jump shot has been more effective each season; but it’s from 15 feet and in where Oduro truly becomes a craftsman. With great, nimble footwork, a constantly-evolving array of spins and fakes, Oduro also has presence and patience. He seems to have a plan and executes it, and Oduro has become one of the nation’s best interior scorers. He can score with both hands around the rim, and last year, Oduro shot 68% on his 193 attempts there, per Bart Torvik. Oduro is not a one dimensional big, and can hit hook shots and turnaround jumpers if his path to the rim is cut off. In making a career-best 43.7% of his 142 mid-range tries, Oduro proved last year that he’s adding dimensions to his repertoire. He has a sudden first step and the ability to spin quickly off of it to either side, Oduro uses the glass and angles rather than trying to dunk everything. As he continues to extend his shooting range, Oduro should be ready for his turn in the spotlight as a Big East player.
His jump shot has been more effective each season; but it’s from 15 feet and in where Oduro truly becomes a craftsman
“I am so fortunate – we are so fortunate – that the George Mason guys decided to come here with us,” English told the Providence Journal. “They’ve been incredible helping bridge the gap between their teammates and us. Those guys, the returners, they don’t have to figure us out on their own. They have teammates.” The other former Patriots who followed English from Fairfax are Justyn Fernandez and Davonte ‘Ticket’ Gaines. A talented outside shooter with good size, Fernandez offers good potential with three years of eligibility ahead of him. Unfortunately, Fernandez badly injured his knee during summer practices, and his status for the season is somewhat up in the air. If he can play at all, it will be after the new year.
Gaines is a long, rangy, 3-and-D wing whose hard-nosed approach should help show his new teammates the way English wants his new team to play. After two largely invisible seasons at Tennessee, Gaines went to Fairfax, where under English the past two years he averaged 30 minutes, 9 points and 7.2 rebounds per game while canning 76 triples at a 37.3% rate. Last season, Gaines missed all of January and some of February with a hand injury, and his scoring was rather sporadic after his return. This year, English is hoping to get another (full) year of great defense from Gaines on the wing, where his reach and quickness will be a useful contrast with Hopkins’ strength and focus on the lane. As a guy who will stretch the floor and guard some of the other teams’ top scorers without needing the ball in his hands too much, Gaines is just the sort of veteran to ease the transition to English as coach.
There were plenty of impactful transfer arrivals for PC last year, also. Two of them are back in Friartown to combine with the GMU guys, as the returning core of this Providence team. After Cooley’s exit and the resulting chaos, it was a nice day in Friartown when star forward Bryce Hopkins and star guard Devin Carter announced together through social media that they were returning for another year.
One of the most ballyhooed prospects in the nation just a couple of years ago, Bryce Hopkins originally signed with Kentucky. It just wasn’t the right fit, though, so Hopkins transferred to Providence and immediately started putting up numbers. In his first season, Hopkins led the Friars and ranked seventh in the conference while finishing second in the league in rebounding and being named first team All-Big East. “I think the way that we play is tailor made for Bryce. He’s going to have a ton of space. We’re always going to have shooting around him,” English told the College Hoops Today Podcast this summer. “Any way you can imagine – that’s how we’re going to use him offensively. But it starts with how we defend because that’s going to be the key to us getting out in transition.”
Hopkins is a great athlete with great skills and a great approach to the game. His default setting is to bully his way close to the basket using his tremendous strength and low center of gravity, and Hopkins shot 57% on 203 such attempts last year, per Bart Torvik. While his shots became less reliable the farther away from the rim Hopkins drifted, he also managed to make 28 triples at just under 37%. The more he can force opponents to respect his outside shot, the more effective Hopkins will be crashing towards the rim. Hopkins knows how to isolate a defender and drive him to the paint when he sees a good matchup, and creates a variety of looks for himself both off the bounce or by fading away if his dribble is sufficiently cut off. This season, while more will be expected of Hopkins as a pillar of the squad, he will also look to refine his game and show that his potential still has yet to be maximized. He’s a candidate to become one of the top scoring threats in the country this winter, and has prepared like that’s his goal this offseason.
The other former SEC transfer who’s back from last year’s squad, Carter’s return has got to be really frustrating for all of the other Big East guards who don’t play on his team. Carter originally played for South Carolina, and in his first year at PC proved to be a one-man offense-wrecker who plays much larger than his listed size. He also began to flush out his scoring game a year ago, and this season, like Hopkins, is ready to show that there’s more where that came from. Carter had at least one block and one steal in 20 of PC’s 33 games last year, and is one of the most dangerous perimeter shot-blockers in the country. When he’s not using his explosive athleticism and quickness to harass opposing ballhandlers, Carter, the son of longtime NBA point guard and former WAC Player of the Year Anthony Carter, shows a great overall feel on offense. He’s comfortable playing on or off the ball, and Carter can create for his teammates no matter what else he’s doing. He made 59% of his attempts around the rim last season, with 29 dunks, and is one of the hardest-charging guards in the country when he puts it on the floor.
Carter can get up with the best of them, and is always a threat to go for a lob after he’s given the ball up to someone else. A terrific rebounding guard at both ends of the floor, Carter gets to balls that most players wouldn’t be able to, and buys his team extra possessions and cheap points with his hustle and hops. He also picks up free points at the line; Carter’s relentless dribble-drive game earned him almost five foul shots per game last year, and he made 72% of them. Carter shot just 31% on all shot attempts away from basket last year, and while he can heat up and rack up points in a hurry, he will need to become more consistent in order to reach the next level. Given everything he’s shown already, it’s a safe bet that Carter will have new dimensions to show off this winter.
| Five Stats Which Tell The Tale (with national ranks) |
| 77.3 – Points Per Game (31st) |
| 6.6 – Made 3FG Per Game (259th) |
| 32.4% – Team Offensive Rebound Percentage (21st) |
| 1.083 – Opponent Assists Per Turnover (217th) |
| 4.5 – Team Blocks Per Game (39th) |
The player who went toe-to-toe with English over whether or not he would stay in the Portal was Jayden Pierre, who proved that he’s as good as his word by re-committing to the Friars. Pierre is a point guard for whom the college game wasn’t too fast or chaotic to handle as a freshman while he didn’t score a lot of points, Pierre handed out 64 assists against just 24 turnovers, and showed that he’s going to be a solid defender as well. Pierre knows how to get to the rim, and like Carter, can stuff it when he gets there. Last year, Pierre’s worst shooting percentages were from midrange, yet he made 12 of 22 three pointers (55%). This year, Pierre hopes to provide more consistent shooting and more of the same confident overall minutes.
While Pierre will see a significant role – especially if he’s more efficient – he may also lose out on some minutes to newcomer Garwey Dual. Over the past year-plus, Dual has risen quickly up the recruiting ranks, and brings tremendous size, slill, and athleticism to PC. A long-armed prospect with a big frame on the perimeter, Dual is a strong defender with real versatility in guarding different types of players. “He’s a natural on the court, especially in the open court,” English told the College Hoops Today Podcast this summer. “He’s a very talented offensive player and defensively he’s very talented as well.” Dual has elite explosiveness attacking either rim or a defensive matchup, and as his assertiveness has improved, Dual has vaulted all the way up to being consistently viewed as a potential NBA pick.
“What’s allowed him to move up is how much he’s improved on the offensive end,” Eric Bossi appraised Dual for 247 Sports. “He still has work to do as a jump shooter, but his improved reads as a passer and aggressiveness as a scorer in the paint bode well for his future. Keeping him in the fold was huge for new Friars coach Kim English.” Dual isn’t a classic point guard, but he’s a playmaker, and there have been intimations that English could give the freshman a try starting next to Carter and see how it goes. If he can handle all of that responsibility while defending at a high level and sprinkling in highlight-reel buckets, Dual will be a Big East Rookie of the Year candidate. Even if he’s not quite all that straight away, Dual is a tremendous talent who will offer the Friars serious mismatch potential and plenty of excitement.
| Five Out-of-Conference Games to Keep an Eye on |
| N – Miami (FL) / Georgia – November 19 |
| vs Wisconsin – November 14 |
| N – Kansas State – November 17 |
| @ Oklahoma – December 5 |
| vs Milwaukee – November 10 |
Corey Floyd is a bigger scoring guard, and a counterpoint to the playmaking Pierre. Floyd originally committed to Connecticut out as a freshman, opting to reclassify to an earlier year and use a redshirt for his first season. However, Floyd then transferred to rival PC without ever having played for UConn. A strong driver and good outside shooter, Floyd is hoping to show off his talents this year, maybe even as the first guy off of PC’s bench. With a strong frame and long reach, Floyd can be a good defender as well, and projects as an off-guard who can help his team in a variety of ways for 20 or so minutes a game. English hopes that Floyd is ready to live up to that potential starting now.
Up front, Rafael Castro is back hoping to carve out a larger role than he earned in his redshirt freshman year. A big and mobile post player, Castro has gotten stronger each year in Friartown, and averaged the most rebounds and second-most blocks per 40 minutes on the team last season. Castro is unlikely to beat out Oduro for minutes, but could allow English to play a big lineup if he can hold down minutes next to him, utilizing the quick feet and rim-protecting athleticism he’s shown in flashes. Offensively, Castro hasn’t had the chance to show much of his repertoire. Part of that is because his mitts still aren’t the softest of any big, but Castro has worked hard on his feet and to develop some post moves. If he can defend and hit the boards, English will give Castro a chance to show what else he can do.
Two freshman forwards will round out English’s first PC squad. While neither arrives with the same recruiting fanfare as Dual, Eli DeLaurier and Donovan Santoro are rising talents who bring lots of potential going forward. After graduate senior big man Will McNair took off for Manhattan, KS, after the Friar’s summer exhibition trip to Spain, Castro’s importance increased; and freshman big Eli DeLaurier reclassified to this year in order to join the Friars. “Eli’s been a blessing,” English told the Providence Journal. “He’s been a blessing in disguise. He’s well beyond his years for a freshman.” While it’s unlikely that DeLaurier is ready to play big chunks of minutes immediately against the grown dudes who patrol the paint in the Big East, he has evident skill. DeLaurier is a big who can really move, and as he adds strength should become a versatile option who can play both frontcourt spots. He’s capable of making assertive moves to the goal, and DeLaurier will throw down when he gets close enough. He has range, but his jumper remains streaky. So long as DeLaurier is able to develop at his own pace, he should provide great value in the tears to come.
Santoro played with Dual in high school, and his profile as a recruit rose throughout his final year. A good shooter with real length, Santoro can get rolling from the outside and score points in a hurry. So long as he proves quick enough to guard on the wing, Santoro could become a matchup problem going forward. Richard Barron is a Chicago wing who was going to play for English at George Mason, but has instead joined the coach at PC. He’s unranked by some services, but Barron held offers from DePaul and Loyola Chicago. He’s more of a developmental prospect, but Barron has high major size and can already shoot the rock. With good, veteran players ahead of Barron, DeLaurier and Santoro, they should be able to marinate a bit this year before emerging as the foundation of future teams.
Things are sure going to be different in Friartown this year. Cooley wasn’t the greatest coach of all time, but he knew how to identify and land genuine talent and then get results. Thankfully, English has already negun to show that he can do those things, too. Now, the fast-rising coach with an NBA pedigree recruits can’t ignore is going to get his biggest opportunity yet.
“I think we’ve got a few great players. I think Bryce, I think Devin, I think Josh – they’re all really, really good,” English said this summer. There is a foundation for real success already in place for PC. 60% of the starters are potential all-conference stars, and Dual is a powder keg awaiting its spark. Gaines will hit timely triples and hustle at both ends of the floor, while young veterans like Pierre, Floyd and Castro look to make their move. Given the tumult which followed Cooley’s exit, Providence is really not in a bad situation. English and the administration have done their part so far, and now the true proving comes.
These Friars should play a bit faster than they have lately, but they will still know how to grind out possessions late. It’s still the Big East, and they’re going to face plenty of other star-studded linups. English has tremendous confidence in his guys, though. “Player-led teams are better than coach-led teams eight out of the seven days a week,” English said this fall. “Upping our leadership, upping our shared purpose and responsibility – it’s a challenge. It’s what we focus on. It’s our mission.” With the Friars on a mission to prove that PC is both a destination job to be admired and a place where serious winning happens, the future looks bright for the dawn of the Kim English Era.
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