EVAN SMOTRYCZ TALKS PC VISIT

August 29, 2008


While Catching Up With Carson Desrosiers and then Catching Up With Evan Sotrycz, the NBE Basketball Report talked to two of the latest players to pay a visit to Keno Davis and Providence College in recent days.

Smotrycz is a 6'9, 205 lb skilled forward who is transferring from Reading (MA) Memorial HS to the New Hampton (NH) School and will also reclassify to the class of 2010. The multi-skilled and versatile player enjoyed his time at PC this week.

“It was an unofficial visit (to Providence),” Smotrycz said. “I went up with Carson Desrosiers and Coach Skerry and Coach Davis gave us a great tour. I also had a chance to sit down and talk to head Coach Keno Davis.”

Overall, the visit to Providence rated quite high for Evan and he thinks the new regime has pumped new life into the program.

“I was very impressed by the overall look of the campus everything seemed brand new and well maintained,” Smotrycz continued. “I also really liked the look of The Dunkin Donuts Center’s new seats. They seam to have a great staff, and campus with all the tools to have an impact in the Big East.”

Currently, schools such as Georgia, Syracuse, Notre Dame, Virginia, Pittsburgh, Michigan and Oregon State have thrown their hat into the ring as interested parties in the recruitment of Smotrycz. He recently took the visit to Providence and will head to Michigan this coming weekend (8/29 – 8/31).

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SMOTRYCZ, DESROSIERS VISIT PROVIDENCE

August 27, 2008


While the NBE Basketball Report was Catching Up with Carson Desrosiers it was learned that the 6-foot-10 class of 2010 big man took an unofficial visit to Providence College on Tuesday with Mass Rivals AAU teammate Evan Smotrycz.

“I was impressed with the campus and liked the philosophy of the coaching staff and the direction they want the program to move,” Desrosiers said of Providence. “(We) took a tour with Coach (Pat) Skerry and sat down and talked to Coach Skerry and Coach Keno Davis.”

Along with the Friars, Desrosiers told the NBE Basketball Report that Syracuse, Pittsburgh, Purdue and Penn State were also coming after him pretty hard. Later this week, Desrosiers plans to take an unofficial visit to Syracuse as well. Jim Boehiem, just back from China with a Gold Medal, will be hosting the Syracuse Elite Camp this weekend.

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BIG EAST RECRUITING UPDATE: PROVIDENCE

August 18, 2008


VERBAL COMMITMENT ALERT: Antoine Allen, 6'2 G from Baltimore (MD) and Notre Dame (MA) Prep


Keno Davis is on the board as a recruiter as PC Hoops Nabs Recruit (Providence Journal) Antoine Allen out of Baltimore.


Projected 2008-2009 Roster


Seniors: Sharaud Curry (PG), Brian McKenzie (SG), Ray Hall (C)
Juniors: Jamine Peterson (F), Marshon Brooks (G), Alex Kellogg (F)
Sophomres: Bilal Dixon (F)
Freshmen: Antoine Allen (G)




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Keno Davis takes over a situation at Providence that is both good and bad. The good part is he inherits a program with a very experienced line-up. The Friars will open the 2008-2009 season with seniors Weyinmi Efejuku, Geoff McDermott, Jonathan Kale and 5th year seniors Randall Hanke and Jeff Xavier. Also, juniors Ray Hall and Brian McKenzie return and point guard Sharaud Curry will be back in the line-up after missing last season with a foot injury. As for the bad news, coach Davis and his staff must make quick work on the recruiting front to replace the talent and depth of the roster that will not be here much past this season.

Over the weekend, Providence took their first steps toward re-stocking the program by receiving a verbal commitment from 6-foot-2 guard Antoine Allen. The Baltimore native cited schools such as Rutgers, Maryland, Rhode Island, Auburn, Towson and others as schools interested in him during July. Playing for the Cecil Kirk AAU program, Allen caught the eye of the NBE Basketball Report at events such as the Pittsburgh Jam Fest and the Nike Main Event in Vegas. Each time, Allen showed a high-level athletic ability with speed and strength to get to the basket and rack up points. At times, he also showed the ability to knock down the deep ball and is a very confident offensive player.

The Keno Davis system that was used at Drake last season should fit a player like Allen well. Getting up and down the floor and attacking the basket is what Allen does well. At this point, he is definitely in the classification of a scoring guard, but he also shows the ability to drive and dish. He is a quality addition to the Friar program that will have a very useful skill set for PC and their new direction.

Keno Davis seemed to get off to a slow start on the recruiting trail, but of late, more and more players are listing the Friars on their recruiting lists. Some of the top targets emerging for the Friars include Samford (CT) forward Tevin Baskin, Torrington (CT) BF/C Jordan Williams, NYC forward Kevin Parrom, James Padgett of NYC, Delaware prospects Isaiah Philmore, a 6-foot-7 forward, and Erique Gumbs, a 6-foot-8 big man, fast rising Maryland guard Devon Saddler, Michigan prospects Duke Mondy, a 6-foot-3 guard, and 6-foot-7 forward Ben Simons and Maine big man Thomas Knight.

The Friars are also keeping a watchful eye on the class of 2010 as interest has been evident in players such as NYC's David Coley, BF Carson Desrosiers of Lawrence (MA) and NJ guard Isaiah Epps.

With many positions open to fill, we expect the PC recruiting news to be plentiful this fall as Keno Davis looks to make his mark on the Providence program and Big East recruiting battles. We will follow these stories closely as they begin to develop.

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PROVIDENCE OFFERS 2010 BIG MAN

Friars jump on board 2010 fast-rising big man with offer


August 8, 2008



Carson Desrosiers had a tremendous summer playing for the Mass Rivals on the AAU circuit and those summer performances have not gone unnoticed in the eyes of college coaches. Following the productive July evaluation period, Desrosiers Gets First High Major Offers (NERR) as both Syracuse and Providence have made scholarship offers this week.

Desrosiers plays for Central Catholic in Lawrence (MA) and caught the eye of NBE Basketball Report’s Brian Crownover while in Vegas for the Adidas Super 64. The 6-foot-10 post player showed the ability to step away from the hoop and drain the three-ball, a skill college coaches are becoming more and more enamored with in their bigs that helps improve their Odds in College Basketball success greatly.

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