Providence Recruiting Update: Class of 2017 Phones Ringing

June 15th at 12:00am marks the first time that coaches can directly contact members of the class of 2017 — rising high school juniors. Ed Cooley is in Colorado Springs for the USA Basketball U19 training camp but he and his staff still managed to work the phones and reach out to a number of prospects. The Friars have a commitment in the class of 2017 already with Javon Taylor verbally pledging to Cooley at Providence’s elite camp in August of 2014. With Taylor on the books Providence currently has 2 open scholarships for the class of 2017 that number is likely to change with the transfer epidemic that is happening around college basketball.

Let’s take a look at some of the new and notable names that heard from the Friars on June 15th.

Eric Ayala

  • Class of 2017
  • Sanford School
  • Hometown: Hockession, DE
  • Shooting Guard
  • 6’3 180 lbs
  • AAU Team: WE R1
  • NOTE: Ayala transferred to Putnam Science Academy in the Fall of 2015 and re-classified to the class of 2018

Ayala runs with the 16U WE R1 team on the Under Armour Association circuit and had a solid Spring for them averaging 13.3 points/game and 4.2 rebounds/game in 10 games of action. Ayala also recently suited up for the Puerto Rican U16 national team in the FIBA Americas U16 Championships. He was the team’s leading scorer in 4 of the 5 games while averaging 19.6 points/game, 6.8 rebounds/game and 2.8 assists/game. Some other schools that reached out on June 15th were Dayton, George Washington, La Salle, Miami, Penn, Purdue, Saint Joseph’s, St. John’s and Virginia.

Jordan Cross

  • Class of 2017
  • Millwood School
  • Hometown: Midlothian, VA
  • Shooting Guard
  • 6’6 170 lbs
  • AAU Team: River City Reign

Cross transferred to the Millwood School in the fall of 2013 and reclassified from the class of 2016 to 2017. At Millwood he was on a team that won the 2014 Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association Division III state championship. He runs with the 17U River City Reign on the grassroots circuit. Other schools that reached out to Cross on June 15th were Dayton, IUPUI, James Madison, Ohio, Old Dominion, Richmond, Saint Joseph’s, Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest.

Hamidou Diallo

  • Class of 2017
  • Woodstock Academy
  • Hometown: Queens, NY
  • Shooting Guard
  • 6’4 170 lbs
  • AAU Team: NY Jayhawks

Diallo was one of the first calls made after midnight on June 15th. He has blown up in the last year since arriving at Putnam Science Academy. He will be moving to Woodstock Academy along with the entire Putnam Science basketball program next season. Diallo runs with the NY Jayhawks on the Under Armour Association circuit and was recently ranked 30th in the class of 2017 in ESPN’s latest release of their national top 60 for the class that came out on June 10th. There’s no question Diallo will be a tough get as he also heard from the likes of Indiana and Louisville among others on June 15th.

Marquis Godwin

  • Class of 2017
  • Hampton
  • Hometown: Hampton, VA
  • Shooting Guard/Wing
  • 6’5 180 lbs
  • AAU Team: Boo Williams

Godwin runs with Boo Williams 16U on the Nike EYBL circuit. A VirginiaPreps.com scouting report from April 2015 says to “think [of] a less athletic version of Joshua Fortune…Much like Fortune, Godwin possesses a gorgeous shooting stroke and rates among the most deadly three-point shooters in the state.” Some other schools that reached out on June 15th were Creighton, Hampton, Hofstra, IUPUI, Mount St. Mary’s, Saint Joseph’s, Temple, VMI, William & Mary and Wright St. Godwin will attend Old Dominion’s elite camp this upcoming weekend.

Zach Kent

  • Class of 2017
  • St. Andrew’s School
  • Hometown: Middletown, DE
  • Center
  • 6’10 205 lbs
  • AAU Team: WE R1

Kent runs with the 16U WE R1 team on the Under Armour Association circuit along with Ayala. In 7 games there he averaged 5.3 points/game and 4.3 rebounds/game. His scouting report on CityOfBasketballLove.com from July of 2014 says “Kent has all the makings of a future high-major big man…[Kent already has the ability to step out and knock down a 3-pointer, but he’s also a good finisher around the rim and will continue to improve in that area as he gets stronger.” Some other schools that reached out to Kent on June 15th were Dayton, George Mason, La Salle, Maryland, Notre Dame, Purdue and Vanderbilt.

Justin Mazzulla

  • Class of 2017
  • Bishop Hendricken
  • Hometown: Warwick, RI
  • Shooting Guard
  • 6’3  170 lbs
  • AAU Team: BABC

Mazzulla, the brother of former Bishop Hendricken and West Virginia star Joe, has already had a fairly impressive prep career of his own at Bishop Hendricken. Justin was a key component to the 2014 state championship winning team at Hendricken. He runs with the U16 BABC team on the Nike EYBL circuit and has played well this Spring. He was named to the 1st team of the All-Tournament Team for 10th graders at the Zero Gravity National Finals this past weekend. Providence assistant coach Brian Blaney can be often seen in attendance at Hendricken games and the Friars were one of the schools to reach out to Mazzulla on June 15th. Some other schools that reached out were Michigan, Saint Joseph’s and West Virginia.

Koby Thomas

  • Class of 2017
  • Imhotep Charter
  • Hometown: Philadelphia, PA
  • Small Forward/Wing
  • 6’5  190 lbs
  • AAU Team: Team Philly

Thomas is a “high-level athlete who excels in transition, running the right lanes to the bucket, where he can finish with both hands around the rim,” according to his scouting report at CityOfBasketballLove.com. Thomas is changing high schools this year after spending last season at Mastery Charter North. He will attend Imhotep Charter — former Friar and Oregon Duck Brandon Austin’s alma mater. Thomas told me on Monday that he is planning a visit to Providence soon.

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