It’s been awhile since I last put out a recruiting update post, but that doesn’t mean Ed Cooley and his staff haven’t been on the trail searching for players for 2016 and beyond. In fact, Cooley was on the recruiting trail on Wednesday as he traveled North to Brewster Academy for 2016 forwards Alpha Diallo and Taurean Thompson. Cooley and his staff have also kept an eye South and have arranged an official visit with 2016 big man Isaiah Whaley. Associate head coach Andre LaFleur was down on Long Island on Sunday to take in action at the Shooting Stars Showcase event held at Long Island Lutheran.
Providence coaches get another in-season opportunity to stay close to home but still be hot on the recruiting trail. This weekend St. Andrew’s hosts their annual Holiday Classic with a number of Providence recruits scheduled to play games at the Barrington school’s gym on Friday and Saturday. Cox Hub will also have live streams of 3 Friday games. You can read an excellent preview of the event by the New England Recruiting Report over at Cox Hub.
Goodluck Okonoboh announced his intention to transfer from UNLV on the Friday after Thanksgiving. Because of the timing, some fans might have missed the news or forgotten that the former NEPSAC big man and top-30 recruit in the class of 2014 is now available and looking for a new home for the final 1.5 years of college eligibility. Okonoboh is looking to enroll somewhere for the second semester and would have to sit out that semester and the Fall semester next year before becoming eligible for competition, per NCAA transfer rules.
Two weeks ago Ed Cooley and his staff got the opportunity to take the short trip down 95 South to New Haven for the National Prep Showcase. That was a great opportunity — a short drive down the road — for Cooley and his coaches to watch, evaluate and be seen by high level recruits. Now in early December, Providence’s coaches have an even more local opportunity to watch, evaluate and be seen by high level recruits with the Zero Gravity Prep Classic taking place this weekend in Barrington, RI at St. Andrew’s — a 20 minute drive from Providence’s Smith Hill campus. Providence is still recruiting hard for 2016 — especially big men — but this will also give the staff a chance to get some face time with some members of the classes of 2017 and 2018. Cox Hub will also have live streams of 3 games Friday night.
The annual National Prep Showcase will be in New Haven, CT this weekend beginning with a 10:30am tip between Notre Dame Prep and Fork Union Military Academy. The Providence staff will take the trip down 95 South — watch out for night construction! — to attend the event hosted by the New England Recruiting Report. Of particular interest to Ed Cooley and his staff is a big man from a different military academy.
The early signing period for college basketball begins on Wednesday, November 11th and lasts until November 18th. Players have that 7 day window to lock in their pledges and bind their commitments to their schools. Providence currently has 1 player committed in the class of 2016: Maliek White. He is going to sign his National Letter of Intent on Wednesday with dual ceremonies happening at his school — George Wythe — and the facility of his grassroots team — River City Reign. There should be some photos and quotes from that out tomorrow.
Isaiah Whaley doesn’t remember exactly when Jeff Battle began recruiting him “but he has been recruiting me for awhile,” Whaley told pcbb1917.com this week. Whaley is a 6’9 power forward who hails from Battle’s former home state of North Carolina. Whaley transferred to Evelyn Mack Academy about a month ago following an arrest for petty larceny. The details of that minor run-in with the law can be found here for those interested. Providence is clearly interested in the lanky Whaley and they have a big need in their frontcourt.
pcbb1917.com - Providence College Basketball 