NEWEST FRIAR: KYLE WRIGHT

October 7, 2008

As reported earlier today in our Providence Recruiting Update, Keno Davis has added another verbal commitment to his 2009 recruiting class, this time dipping into the JUCO ranks as Hartford (CT) native Kyle Wright made the decision to pledge to the Friars.

"Yes, I believe Kyle committed yesterday," Jason Smith, head coach at Brewster Academy told the NBE Basketball Report this morning. "He took his official visit this past weekend."

At Brewster, Wright averaged about 13 points and 6 rebounds a game at the New Hampshire school.

"Kyle is a very, very skilled guard," coach Smith remarked. "He's 6'5 and has really gotten stronger since he graduated from Brewster in '06. He's a versatile player."

After Brewster, Wright made a stop at Stony Brook where he appeared in 23 games as a true freshman, averaging 2.8 points a game. Last season, Wright transferred to Colorado and sat out the season per NCAA transfer rules. However, now he has come back east and is enrolled at Monroe College in the Bronx, where he will play this season.

After an impressive summer playing in the Hartford Pro-Am, schools began looking closer at Wright. Schools such as Central Florida, Fordham, UMass and George Mason made their interest known, but the Friars sealed the deal.

"Providence was his first visit and he really wanted to go there," Monroe College assistant coach Brock Erickson told NBE. "He really wanted to go somewhere that his dad could go see him play."

With a very large senior class on the roster, the Friars needed some experience to be ready for the big East from the get-go in the class of 2009. It also helped that Wright has a skill set that seems ideal for the type of system that Keno Davis will be utilizing going forward with the Friars.

"They (PC) are going to be very young next year and they wanted someone who was a junior, had some experience at the D-1 level, and can step in to fit what they're trying to do," coach Erickson said.

Look for Wright to be used on the wing at PC. His verstility will be used by Monroe this season as they will use him at all three backcourt positions. PC assistant Pat Skerry had developed a bond with the Monroe staff through his recruitment of 6-foot-8 forward Charles Bunches, a native of Bayonne (NJ) who played last seson at Paris (TX) Junior College and Wright caught his eye as he continued to work on Funches.

"He can really shoot, he's intelligent, versatile, and has a good mid-range game," Erickson said of Wright's strengths that will assimilate into the Friar system.

No matter what happens on the court, the Friars are getting a quality addition to their program that everyone is universal in their praise of as a person. "Wonderful kid and family," coach Smith commented. "He will be a great addition to the PC community."

Keno Davis is working on putting his stamp on the Providence basketball program, and players like Kyle Wright should allow him to do so successfully.