Is Ricky Ledo Off to the NBA before ever Suiting Up for the Friars?

There was some considerable hype surrounding the Providence Friars last summer when they landed the #6 recruiting class for 2012 according to ESPN, which was highlighted by the #5 ranked recruit Kris Dunn and the #21 ranked recruit Ricky Ledo. Since landing the two prized recruits, the hype has diminished significantly.

It was determined that a shoulder injury that Dunn suffered in the spring time would require surgery and keep him out until late December. While there were concerns that the Friars may just red shirt the injured freshman, he was able to make a full recovery and make his debut in December a few games ahead of conference play.

However, Ledo’s time as a Friar hasn’t gone as well. The NCAA made public that it was investigating Ledo’s academic situation back in the summer, and there was obviously speculation that Ledo could be ruled ineligible. But on September 5, 2012 he was ruled a partial qualifier by the NCAA, allowing him to practice but not play in the upcoming season.

The fear at the time was that if he wasn’t at least ruled a partial qualifier, he wouldn’t even show up to campus. It was thought that he may go overseas or just do his own thing for a year before entering the NBA draft. But now that he could be with the team and practice for a year, he had his sights set on that - definitely good news for PC.

"I am happy to be a student at Providence College," Ledo said in a statement following the announcement. "It has always been a dream of mine to represent PC and I am looking forward to my days as a student-athlete." Well this sounded encouraging at the time as it came off as if he was willing to put in the effort with the team this year in practice and at minimum play the following year when he gained full eligibility. Now that’s what it sounded like, it’s not necessarily what he meant or what he had in mind. And he could have just been saying that or been told to say that to appease the school in the interim without ruffling any more feathers.

This is what Ledo said this past weekend…

"My status is unclear," Ledo said, as reported by the Providence Journal. "College is a great preparation for life and college has already taught me a lot. I’m looking at every option, both staying in school and looking at the draft."

Well that doesn’t sound very encouraging.

So after being at school for little more than a semester and practicing with a team that is .500 overall and in the bottom third of the Big East, he has garnered great preparation for life and has been taught a lot. What do I know? Maybe he has. Maybe he is a quick learner and develops at a more advanced rate compared to others.

My opinion, along with most others I assume, is that a year of college play would be greatly beneficial to him and would make him further prepared for the challenges in the next step of his life. But the fact that he is even speaking about contemplating entering the draft this season suggests to me that it is all but a foregone conclusion at this point.

To add insult to injury, it has also been reported that Sidiki Johnson is ‘off the team’. I have no clue what that means, but I do know that he hasn’t played in the Friars last two games and the school is reporting that it is for personal reasons. A transfer from Arizona, who just became eligible to play at the conclusion of the first semester in December, was hoped to give the Friars a significant interior presence, but he has failed to live up to those expectations. Not only do the Friars lose a big man, but they lose valuable depth. For how long? No clue. It’s just been reported that he’s off the team, which could mean for good given his precarious history.

So much for all that hype surrounding the Friars in the near future.

Twitter:  @soupTOOnuts

Providence Getting Healthy And Potentially Dangerous

Providence, who has been playing with just six scholarship players for all but a few minutes of the year, is on the verge of getting some much needed depth, and some talented reinforcements at that.

Kris Dunn, the top point guard in the 2012 class, is getting set to make his debut tonight after being out since June with a shoulder injury. With their star player and point guard, Vincent Council, out with a hamstring injury, the Friars have been forced to play Bryce Cotton at the point and run a very short rotation. Cotton, who is more of a two guard, has stuck to his scoring ways by leading the conference in scoring with 20.8 points per game. And while he does average just over two turnovers per contest, he is dishing out twice the amount of assists (4.8). Not terrible and not great, but it's been getting the job done in the interim.

However, with Dunn ready to make his debut tonight against Colgate, Cotton will be able to slide back over to shooting guard, granted that Dunn can step in right away and take control. Dunn is a gifted play-maker who should bring an added dimension to the team.

Also, Arizona transfer and former top-100 recruit, Sidiki Johnson, is slated to make his Friar debut tonight. Johnson, a 6-foot-10 forward, is a bit of a question mark as he played just seven minutes for Arizona before being suspended by the team and eventually electing to leave the school. Since he's barely even played, it wouldn't be fair to call him a bust, but there is no way of knowing how good he will actually be. At the very least he will provide much needed size and depth to the rotation, with top-100 upside to go along with it.

While the Friars are 7-2, it is nearly impossible to gauge how good this team is given the weak schedule they have played to date. According to KenPom they are ranked 71st, but their average opponent is ranked 194, with Massachusetts being the highest ranked team at 107; a game Providence lost on a neutral court by two.

Getting Dunn and Johnson on the court will be extremely beneficial, but Friar fans are also desperately awaiting the return of their star, Vincent Council. Council strained his hamstring minutes into the team's first game of the year, and initial diagnosis speculated that he would sidelined around five weeks (which was about five weeks ago). There's no telling when he will be back (whispers are any day now, maybe even tonight), but when and if he does, the Friars should have one of the most exciting back courts in the country with Council, Cotton and Dunn.

The Friars aren't expected to immediately become one of the best teams in the conference, but excitement is on the way. With conference play quickly approaching (only three more games before they start Big East play) the reinforcements are more than needed. And finishing in the top half of the Big East is not out of the question.

Twitter:  @shane_t_mac

Big East Preview: #15 Providence Friars

Previewing all 15 teams in the Big East from #15 to #1

By:  Shane McCarthy

The optimism was at a sky high level back in the springtime as the Friars were ready to welcome the 6^th ranked recruiting class (by ESPN) to go along with talented pieces already in place.  This optimism was quickly torched by injuries and ineligibility issues.  

Who’s Back:

Vincent Council –G– Senior – 38.7 Min, 15.9 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 7.5 apg

Bryce Cotton –G– Junior – 38.6 Min, 14.3 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 2.3 apg

LaDontae Henton –F– Soph – 37.2 Min, 14.3 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 1.1 apg

Kadeem Batts –F– Junior – 19.7 Min, 6.2 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 0.4 apg

Brice Kofane –F– Soph – 15 Min, 2.7 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 0.2 apg

Lee Goldsbrough –F– Junior – 7.8 Min, 0.8 ppg, 1.7 rpg, 0.2 apg

Incoming Recruits:

Kris Dunn – [Point Guard] – 6 foot 3, 180

ESPN’s 23^rd ranked player and 2^nd ranked Point Guard

Rivals.com’s 16^th ranked player and 1^st ranked Point Guard

McDonald’s All-American

Dunn had shoulder surgery in July and is expected to be out ~5 months.  The Friars are hopeful they will get him in the lineup in the middle of the season.

Josh Fortune – [Shooting Guard] – 6 foot 5, 180

Ricardo Ledo – [Shooting Guard] – 6 foot 6, 180

ESPN’s 21^st ranked player and 6^th ranked Shooting Guard

Rivals.com’s 6^th ranked player and 2^nd ranked Shooting Guard

Ledo has been ruled academically ineligible to play this season, but can practice with the team.

Ian Baker – [Point Guard] – 6 foot 2, 180

ESPN’s 42^nd ranked Point Guard

Unfortunately Ian tore his ACL over the summer and will miss the upcoming season

Incoming Transfers:

Sidiki Johnson – [Power Forward] – 6 foot 10, 240

In the class of 2011, Sidiki was ESPN’s 94^th ranked player and 71^st on Rivals.  He is not eligible to play until the second semester, but when he does get on the floor he will provide the athletic big body that the Friars desperately need. 

Who’s Out:  Gerald Coleman, Bilal Dixon, Ron Giplaye

The Outlook:

I was really looking forward to the Friars this season.  And who wasn’t?  They retained their core in Council, Cotton and Henton to go along with the talented incomers of Dunn, Ledo and Johnson. 

But now Ledo is ineligible for the year, Dunn is recovering from shoulder surgery and Johnson isn’t eligible until the second semester.

When Dunn and Johnson do get on the court, it will be right as Big East play is starting.  Will they be ready for the gauntlet that Big East conference play is?

And up until these two get on the floor, the Friars have a very short bench (potentially only 7 players) and lack any sort of down low presence.  Johnson is hopefully the solution to the latter, but the depth will remain an issue.  Loads of minutes are nothing new for the vets as Council, Cotton and Henton practically played every available minute last year.  So the new comers should be prepared to get their money’s worth.     

This team has talent and experience, but they lack big bodies and depth.  A talented back court, such that Providence has, can take you a long way in college basketball, but not so much in the Big East.  Don’t get me wrong, there will be plenty of nights that Council and Cotton singlehandedly will this team to victory and the occasional upset,   but it’s not something that should be expected on a regular basis to make this team a contender. 

Coach Cooley has his team on the right track in his second year, and six months ago I thought this team was going to be in the upper half of the Big East.  But it looks as if we are going to have to wait another year for the revival of the Providence Friars.   

But I hope I’m wrong, and the arrival of Dunn and Johnson at mid-season changes the identity of this team and turns them into a dynamic force that can do damage in conference play.  

Twitter:  @shane_t_mac