Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

Providence adds to front court depth with late addition

Maryland boys 2A final: Potomac vs. Oakdale

Maryland boys 2A final: Potomac vs. Oakdale

The Washington Post/Getty Images

Having lost three seniors, one of whom being a player in Tyler Harris who moved on to Auburn as a graduate student, and 7-foot-2 center Paschal Chukwu from last year’s NCAA tournament team, Providence was in need of another front court body heading into the 2015-16 campaign. Wednesday afternoon head coach Ed Cooley and his staff received a commitment from power forward Quadree Smith, who becomes the fifth member of the Friars’ 2015 recruiting class.

News of Smith’s commitment was first announced by IMG Academy, where he wrapped up his high school career. The 6-foot-8 forward joins guards Drew Edwards and Ricky Council and forwards Ryan Fazekas and Alex Owens in Providence’s crop of incoming freshmen.

Given the departures Providence was expected to be a young team, with redshirt junior guard Kris Dunn and Junior Lomomba being their most experienced players. In the front court, while Providence doesn’t have an upperclassman in its rotation the Friars do have talent and the addition of Smith gives them a boost depth-wise.

Ben Bentil, who averaged 6.4 points and 4.9 rebounds per game as a freshman, and Jalen Lindsey (13 starts) are Providence’s most experienced front court players with redshirt sophomore Rodney Bullock (who’s yet to play a game at the college level) coming off of a torn ACL.

Fazekas, Owens and Smith round out the front court for a team that will look to make its third straight NCAA tournament appearance with Dunn, the Big East Co-Player of the Year last season, leading the way.