The news came down late Friday afternoon before Memorial Day Weekend and was a big shock to me when I saw it but Josh Fortune is in fact transferring from Providence College.

While some Friar fans are brushing off the news, this cannot be seen as anything but bad for an already thin backcourt for Ed Cooley’s 2014-15 squad. While I agree with people who say Fortune isn’t an irreplaceable player in terms of skill set, when you look at losing him in the context of the current roster situation, he’s pretty damn irreplaceable.  Right now, PC has the following guards on the roster:

• Kris Dunn
• Kyron Cartwright
• Junior Lomomba
• Casey Woodring

So just to recap the above – there is a point guard coming off a 2nd shoulder surgery who will not be rushed back, an incoming freshman backup point guard who was previously committed to Loyola Marymount and is ranked around the 45th point guard in the class of 2014, a transfer from Cleveland State who sat out last season and has a reputation as a defensive specialist and rim slasher and a walk on who saw a total of 10 minutes last season all in garbage time.

Losing Bryce Cotton and Kadeem Batts was tough enough but now the Friars are losing another player who averaged over 30 minutes per game in Fortune. Ed Cooley will now have to replace 103.5 minutes per game out of 200 from last season. PC will only have 3 players returning who played meaningful minutes last season in Henton, Harris and Desrosiers.
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