Providence men, URI women shore up hoop squads
Providence’s men and the University of Rhode Island’s women made formal announcements Tuesday to help solidify their 2023-24 recruiting classes.
The Friars announced six new arrivals for next season while the Rams added a fifth. Those commitments were confirmed by signing either a letter of intent or financial-aid paperwork.
Providence welcomes three transfers with previous ties to new coach Kim English. Josh Oduro and Davonte Gaines will each have a lone year of eligibility remaining while Justyn Fernandez comes in with three. English coached all three players during the 2022-23 season with the Patriots before being hired away by the Friars last month.
A mix of first-year and veteran players
Three freshmen also are on track to debut for Providence next season. Garwey Dual, Rich Barron and Donovan Santoro have each committed to the Friars over the past month — Dual and Santoro for the second time, Barron as a flip from George Mason. Each figures to be a perimeter player, with Dual and Barron lining up in the backcourt and Santoro shooting from the wing.
“We have a talented core of players in place from last season's NCAA Tournament team and we are looking forward to adding these six to an already strong roster,” English said in a statement. “All the players are eager to get the group together and start building toward next season.”
More: Ex-Providence basketball star Jared Bynum to spend final season at Stanford
Oduro is a frontcourt presence and two-time all-conference selection in the Atlantic 10, averaging double-digit points and at least 6 rebounds in each of his last three years. Gaines is an athletic wing who produces when healthy, putting up 10.2 points and 8.1 rebounds over 30 games in 2021-22. Fernandez was a top-100 recruit who played double-digit minutes in each of his last 18 games and should eventually offer scoring help in the backcourt.
Dual and Santoro were each part of Providence’s original recruiting class under Ed Cooley before he departed for Georgetown. Santoro reaffirmed his commitment to the Friars during an English visit to Los Angeles in March and Dual did the same after an open period that lasted multiple weeks. Barron followed English after pledging to the Patriots, a three-star prospect from Chicago.
Providence should be in postseason contention again next year thanks to its additions and the retention of a solid core. Bryce Hopkins, Devin Carter, Jayden Pierre, Corey Floyd Jr. and Rafael Castro have all pledged to return. Jared Bynum will exhaust his eligibility at Stanford and Alyn Breed remains suspended from the program following his arrest earlier this month on a host of domestic charges.
The Friars have at least one open scholarship remaining and could be in position to add another guard. They’re finalists for Cal Baptist transfer Taran Armstrong, a point man who listed Providence along with Xavier, Creighton and Gonzaga. Wyoming forward Graham Ike didn’t make his scheduled visit to campus last weekend and has yet to publicly set a new date.
Rams add two graduate backcourt players to the mix
URI announced the signing of Syracuse guard Teisha Hyman, a second graduate backcourt addition for 2023-24. Hyman joins Manhattan guard Dee Dee Davis, who previously committed to the Rams after four years with the Jaspers. URI also expects three first-year perimeter players to arrive in Eva DeChent, Katie Ledden and Sophia Vital.
More: Dolly Cairns leaves Rhode Island women's basketball, enters transfer portal
“Teisha is a dynamic, athletic guard who can score at all three levels and has the sweetest mid-range game,” URI coach Tammi Reiss said in a statement. “She can create her own shot off the bounce and manufacture shots for others.”
Hyman missed some time with a lower-leg injury last season but still managed to average 10.4 points over 31 games. She also totaled 99 assists, 60 steals and averaged 4.0 rebounds per game. Hyman hit double digits 16 times and at least 20 points three times, including a season-high 27 on 11-for-20 shooting at Louisville.
Hyman took a medical redshirt in 2020-21 while rehabbing a right knee injury and bounced back with authority in 2021-22. She topped the Orange per game in scoring, rebounds, assists and steals. It was the second ACL tear Hyman has suffered in her career – her first came while prepping in her native New York.
More: Erin Batth rebuilding Providence women's basketball staff; Who are the latest additions?
Hyman was recruited to Syracuse by Reiss during her time on staff as an assistant. Reiss left for URI in the 2019-20 season — this will be her first time coaching Hyman in college. The Rams are coming off a share of the regular season league title, a pair of WNIT wins and a 26-7 record overall.
URI stands to lose up to six players from that historic 2022-23 roster. Madison Hattix-Covington, Sayawni Lassiter and Emma Squires are out of eligibility after arriving as graduate transfers. Anete Adler, Dolly Cairns and Emmi Rinat have each entered the transfer portal and are on track to depart.
On Twitter: @BillKoch25
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Friars men, Rams women add several transfers to basketball teams
