At the small Big East school in Providence, Rhode Island, there is a team eager to prove that last year's 15-16 season was beneath its talents. The Providence College Friars men's basketball team is revamped and ready to charge toward a season that could unfold into a surprising success.
The team returns five seniors who have all played significant roles since coming to Providence, including Geoff McDermott and Jeff Xavier. They also have Weyinmi Efejuku, who has the ability to put together a senior season that could catapult him to the 2009 NBA Draft. The Friars' three other seniors are Randall Hanke, a 6'11" center with the ability to torture the glass, and Jonathan Kale, the beast of the paint.
The Friars have also added the 2008 Sporting News and Associated Press Coach of the Year in Keno Davis. Davis became a head coach in 2007 at Drake University and took a team picked to finish ninth in the Missouri Valley Conference to a regular season championship and tournament championship. Drake also made the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1971, as a No. 5 seed. Providence hired Davis on April 15, 2008, for a seven-year contract worth $7 million.
The last time this much anticipation was in Providence was when "Billy the Kid" Donovan teamed up with a young coach named Rick Pitino and together sparked a team that went to the 1987 NCAA Final Four.
This 2008-09 season could very well show the same exciting run that was made 21 years ago. The Friars have a team that goes nine- to 10-men deep and can shoot the lights out from beyond the arc. They will look to Davis to instill pressure defense and spread the floor out on the offensive side of the ball.
This team has the talent and could contest to be in the top six of the Big East when playing at its full potential, possibly making a run at the Final Four. To do this seems nearly impossible, right? Well, 21 years ago it seemed impossible to think Rick Pitino and Billy Donovan could make such magic happen in a little city, in a little state.
Prediction: If the Friars play at their absolute best, Elite Eight is within reach.
3 comments Last one added 8 months ago — Leave a Comment
Johnny Da Bone 8 months ago
Nice job!
I won’t be surprised in the least if Prov makes a tournament run.
I always fear Efejuku when my squad plays Prov.
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Joe Spetrini 8 months ago
Providence doesn't have a tough November schedule. Northeastern is about as good a team as they play early on and that game is at Providence. However, Providence will get a stiff test on November 27 when they play Baylor in the Anaheim Classic. Baylor tied Kansas for fourth place in the Big 12 preseason poll and came in 29th nationally in the USA Today/ESPN Coaches, Poll. That should be a good test for both teams (ESPN2).
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Shawn Owens 8 months ago
Any time you compare a current PC Team to the Pitino/Donovan days, they better be good.
I would like to see them make a tournament run but they had a tough go last season and unless they are real good and the team plays to their fullest potential, then well maybe we can talk about how far into the tournament they can go.
For now one win at a time.
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