Who Will Be Providence’s Next Priority Recruit in 2016?

With the news on Sunday night that 2016 guard Temple Gibbs gave his verbal commitment to Mike Brey and Notre Dame, the Providence staff will now have to shift their focus in the class of 2016. Gibbs had been a priority recruit for the 1 open scholarship that PC has for next year. He had visited Providence for Late Night Madness last October in Bob Simon attended a number of his Seton Hall Prep games throughout the season. The question now becomes, who will the Friar coaches prioritize next in 2016?

Let’s take a look at some potential targets that could become the next priority recruit.

Players are sorted by their 247sports Composite National Ranking. Offer information is courtesy of VerbalCommits.com.

Dennis Smith, Jr.

• Point Guard
• 6’1 173 lbs
• Fayetteville, NC (Trinity Christian)
• 247Sports Composite National Ranking: 4
• Team Loaded
• Offers:

Dennis Smith, Jr. is new name to Providence fans but if you are a recruiting fanatic you have probably heard of the player that is ranked as the top point guard in the class of 2016 by ESPN. While it may seem like a long-shot that the Friars end up landing Smith, Jr., he recently told Zagsblog.com that he has been hearing from Providence lately. He also said Louisville is recruiting him the hardest. If the rumors of Jeff Battle being hired by Ed Cooley turn out to be true that could possibly help with Smith, who is a native of North Carolina and may have a relationship with Smith, Jr. and/or his coaches. Battle’s reputation as a developer of guards like Chris Paul can’t hurt Providence’s chances either.

His ESPN scouting report describes him as “an attacking point guard that is best at getting his teammates involved regardless of what the defense throws at him. He has all the physical tools to run a team and score as needed.” Smith, Jr. runs with Team Loaded on the Adidas Gauntlet series and is leading the entire series in assists/game through the first 9 games of play. He is also averaging an impressive 17.3 points/game (40.8% FG). The assist number is 6.9 assists/game and he is also averaging 4.8 rebounds/game, 2.1 steals/game, 1.0 blocks/game while compiling a 2.2/1 assists/turnover ratio. He is doing this all in 26.6 minutes/game for Team Loaded, who won the championship during the last live evaluation period of April in Indianapolis. The team is now 8-1 through the first two weekends of action with their only loss coming in their first game of the season against a very talented Atlanta Celtics squad.

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6WEPzRuBxQ]

Bruce Brown

• Shooting Guard
• 6’3 175 lbs
• Wakefield, MA (Vermont Academy)
• 247Sports Composite National Ranking: 46
• BABC
• Offers: Arizona State, Auburn, Boston College, Connecticut, Georgetown, Indiana, Iowa State, Manhattan, Miami, Michigan, Minnesota, Pittsburgh, Providence, Purdue, Rhode Island, SMU, St. John’s, Texas, Texas Tech, Tulsa, UCLA, UMass, VCU, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, Xavier

Bruce Brown has been on Providence’s radar for some time. The Vermont Academy and BABC guard was followed closely by the Friar staff last summer on the AAU circuit and that is likely to continue this year as Brown has continued to climb up the national rankings. Brown has a long list of suitors and there was a rumor circulation that he was considering re-entering the class of 2015 to enroll at a school this fall but Brown has since said that is unlikely.

His ESPN scouting report describes him as “an attacking guard on both ends of the floor. He is long and cut with elite level quickness and the ability to start and stop on a dime.” Brown runs with BABC on the Nike EYBL circuit and is putting up big scoring numbers through 8 games. The team is 4-4 in those 8 games and Brown is averaging 17.1 points/game (40.4% FG), 6.5 rebounds/game, 3.6 assists/game and 1.7 steals/game in 30.4 minutes/game. His scoring average is 13th-best in the entire 40-team EYBL. He has also scored the 11th-most points and made the 5th-most free throws.

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2R034CxX4UE]

Trent Forrest

• Combo Guard
• 6’4 185 lbs
• Chipley, FL (Chipley HS)
• 247Sports Composite National Ranking: 48
• Georgia Stars
• Offers: Florida State, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Miami, Murray State, Oregon State, Providence, Tennessee, Texas Tech, UCF, UNLV, USC (CA), Vanderbilt, Wake Forest, Wichita State

Trent Forrest received an offer from Providence in the summer of 2014 while running with the Alabama Challenge on the Nike EYBL circuit. Forrest is a very skilled guard who plays at his local public high school but has managed to still garner national attention and a high national ranking because he has proven himself on the grassroots circuit. In 2015 he is still playing on the EYBL circuit but he is now running with the Georgia Stars. Through 8 games this season he is averaging 13.2 points/game (55.6% FG), 5.2 rebounds/game and 2.8 assists/game in 22.2 minutes/game. His team has gone 6-2 in those games.

His ESPN scouting report describes him as “a strong, physical and skilled combination guard that can score in a variety of ways…He is a scorer first but can run the team and make teammates better.”

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCBiRTd7xrc]

Tony Carr

• Point Guard
• 6’3 170 lbs
• Philadelphia, PA (Roman Catholic)
• 247Sports Composite National Ranking: 92
• Team Final
• Offers: Arizona State, Florida State, George Washington, Georgetown, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, La Salle, Maryland, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Providence, Rhode Island, SMU, St. John’s, Stanford, Temple, VCU, Virginia Tech, Wichita State, Xavier

Tony Carr is a new name for Friar fans. Carr only got a Providence offer on April 28th but the Friars are not alone in recently offering the Philadelphia native; 15 of the offers listed above have been issued since April 12th. Part of the recent interest from a number of schools could be because his ESPN scouting report describes him as “a late blooming point guard who has not only continued to grow, but also developed his game at a rapid rate.”

On the EYBL circuit, Carr has led Team Final to a 6-2 record through the first two weekends. He is averaging 14.8 points/game (51.9% FG, 39.5% 3FG), 4.5 rebounds/game, 3.0 assists/game and 1.2 steals/game in 27.4 minutes/game of action. There has been talk of a package deal with Team Final teammate Lamar Stevens, but those package deals seem to rarely work out.

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjnp3pT0Lzc]

Eddie Ekiyor

• Power Forward
• 6’8 215 lbs
• Ottawa, Canada (New Hampton)
• 247Sports Composite National Ranking: 94
• CIA Bounce
• Offers: Duquesne, Kansas State, Miami, Providence, UMass, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest

Eddie Ekiyor is new to the USA prep school basketball scene. Prior to enrolling at the New Hampton School in September, Ekiyor’s only time playing in the US was when he traveled here with CIA Bounce to play in tournaments.  I saw Ekiyor play live in January when New Hampton played Brewster Academy and I came away impressed by how he held up against a very talented Brewster front line. He has a high motor and is very active on the defensive end, both on the glass and hedging ball screens. His offensive game is fairly limited at this point and his shooting stroke needs work. You can read my full recruit profile from January here.

On the EYBL circuit, Ekiyor is averaging 9.8 points/game (43.4% FG), 7.8 rebounds/game and 1.0 steals/game in 28.1 minutes/game of action. CIA Bounce is 3-5 through the first two weekends of the EYBL regular season.

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDy0uVswtjc]

Wenyen Gabriel

• Small Forward/Power Forward
• 6’9 185 lbs
• Manchester, NH (Wilbraham & Monson Academy)
• 247Sports Composite National Ranking: 115
• Mass Rivals
• Offers: Boston College, Connecticut, DePaul, Georgia Tech, Maryland, New Hampshire, Providence, Rhode Island, Rice, St. Bonaventure, UMass

Wenyen Gabriel is a player Providence got in on early. The Friars were the first high major program to offer Gabriel a scholarship back in July 2014. Gabriel has been blowing up a bit of late, amassing 7 new offers in the last 3 weeks. Providence coaches followed Gabriel and the Mass Rivals around the weekend during the second live evaluation period of April while the Rivals played in Indianapolis as part of the Adidas Gauntlet series. Gabriel and the Rivals are 7-1 so far during Adidas Gauntlet series play and Gabriel has started 7 of the 8 games. He has averaged 10.1 points/game (68.5% FG), 5.4 rebounds/game and 1.6 blocks/game in 15.5 minutes/game.

His ESPN scouting report describes him as “a late bloomer who is long, skilled, and potentially still growing.” Gabriel told Adam Grosbard of Rivals.com recently that all schools are recruiting him as a power forward but that Providence is the only one recruiting him as a small forward. As Craig Leighton noted when FriarBasketball.com took a closer look at Gabriel a few weeks ago, Gabriel was a perimeter player prior to his fairly recent growth spurt. The growth spurt has coincided with increased attention from colleges and Providence was an early admirer of the lanky forward who has the potential to make a big jump in the national rankings after this AAU season is finished.

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnUQhvU_0oE]

Mamadou Diarra

• Power Forward
• 6’8 215 lbs
• Queens, NY (Woodstock Academy)
• 247Sports Composite National Ranking: 171
• NY Jayhawks
• Offers: Boston University, Canisius, Connecticut, Dayton, Drexel, Duquesne, Fairfield, Hofstra, Iona, Kansas State, La Salle, Manhattan, Minnesota, Monmouth, Norfolk State, Providence, Quinnipiac, Rhode Island, Rider, Saint Joseph’s, Seton Hall, St. Bonaventure, St. John’s, St. Peter’s, Temple, UMass, VCU

Mamadou Diarra has been on Providence’s radar since he transferred into Putnam Science Academy in January 2014. Diarra was in the class of 2015 back then but the plan was always to have him reclassify to 2016 so he could garner more interest. That has certainly happened. Diarra and his 2017 teammate Hamidou Diallo have both blown up with 8 of Diarra’s above offers coming since April 1st. Putnam Science is closing for a couple of years so the entire post-grad basketball program led by Coach Tom Espinosa is moving to Woodstock Academy.

His ESPN scouting report describes him as “a true power forward that is very explosive around the rim.” I profiled Diarra back in February 2014 and his AAU coach with the NY Jayhawks said Diarra is a “very athletic and long…[and] he has a high ceiling.” Coach Jay David continued, “he’s a great kid with a great head on his shoulders.” Diarra is averaging 10.0 points/game, 3.6 rebounds/game and 1.4 blocks/game through the team’s first 8 games on the Under Armour Association circuit. The Jayhawks are 3-5 in those games.

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1kBS63BdFo]

For a full list of the 2016 targets, click here.

Follow me on Twitter @pcbb1917

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Mike Hopkins

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