The Friars played their first exhibition game of the season yesterday in Alumni Hall, and trounced Division II Assumption 88-45. Here are some highlights, pics, and articles of all the action.
Bryce Cotton Pic
For the second year in a row, Ice Cotton did his Ice Cotton things to lead the charge against Assumption. He scored 23 points and was 4-5 from downtown.
Photo by Kevin Reilly
Friars.com: Men’s Basketball Defeats Assumption, 88-45, In Exhibition Action
Full Box Score here.
The Friars started the first half with a 17-2 run that forced Assumption to take a timeout within the first four minutes. By halftime, Providence had three players in double-figures, and the team shot 73.1 percent on the floor and 80 percent from three-point range. The Friars led 51-24 as they headed to the lockeroom at halftime. The Friars continued to pressure the Greyhounds in the second half and outscored Assumption 37-21 in the final 20 minutes of action.
Junior Bryce Cotton (Tucson, Ariz.) led the Friars in scoring with 23 points and was 4-5 from behind the arc. Senior Vincent Council (Brooklyn, N.Y.), sophomore LaDontae Henton (Lansing, Mich.) and junior Kadeem Batts (Powder Springs, Ga.) each recorded double-doubles. Council registered 11 points and added 12 assists, Henton had 14 points and 11 rebounds and Batts registered 18 points and 11 rebounds. Freshman Josh Fortune (Hampton, Va.) also scored in double-figures with 12 points.
@rjsuperfly Video: Player Intros
What do I have to do to get “Ice Cotton” announced on the PA?
Interesting that Josh Fortune is jumping right in and starting games. Everyone has been raving about him all preseason…
GoLocalProv: Friars run by the Greyhounds in exhibition opener
From John Rooke, who called the game yesterday.
Last season, in Ed Cooley’s first year as head coach of theProvidence Friars, PC opened up with an exhibition win overAssumption College…barely getting past the Greyhounds 64-51. Assumption led much of the way against a Friar team still not sure what was expected of them by their new coach…and the result was in doubt until the game’s final minutes.
This year, with a year under their belts and plenty of experiences from which to learn…PC looked smooth, controlled and comfortable against an Assumption team that returned five of its top six scorers from last season…and added a Division I transfer (Terrance Bobb-Jones) from Quinnipiac to their mix. And still belted the Greyhounds 88-45 Saturday afternoon at Alumni Hall in Providence.
Bench Pic
If anyone thinks that Ricky Ledo has any plans other than the Friars, look at that smile on his face!
Photo by Kevin Reilly
Derrick “D-Flight” Brown was honored at half time. According to Kevin McNamara on Twitter the standing ovation he got from the crowd brought him to tears. Jamel Thomas was also present to support his former teammate.
Friar Basketball: Rapid Reaction: Friars Cruise Past Assumption 88-45
2. The Turning Point. The Friars wasted little time in establishing the tone for this one. Council connected on a 16 foot jumper 27 seconds in, Batts followed with a 17 footer of his own, freshman Josh Fortune (who battled foul trouble all afternoon) connected on a three pointer, and Batts once again made a jump shot to make it 9-0 with 17:17 to play.
Providence scored 11 of the game’s next 13 points over the next two and a half minutes behind a Batts layup, two Cotton three pointers in a 25 second span, and layups by Henton and Brice Kofane (4-4 from the field).
It was 21-2 with 14:13 left in the half and the game was over at that point.
Council Pic, alternate unis
Photo by Kevin Reilly
Jarred Reuter really likes the new Alumni Hall. The 2015 big man (who also attended Late Night Madness) took in the game according to Kevin McNamara on Twitter.
@rjsuperfly Video: Fortune Jumper
Nice ball movement!
@rjsuperfly Video: Kofane Basket
Whoa! Someone has been working hard this summer.
