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Providence Basketball: How do the Friars rebound without Bentil, Dunn?

By Carmine Carcieri

Mar 10, 2016; New York, NY, USA; Providence Friars head coach Ed Cooley talks to players during time out against Butler Bulldogs during the second half of Big East conference tournament at Madison Square Garden. Providence Friars defeated Butler Bulldogs 74-60. Mandatory Credit: Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 10, 2016; New York, NY, USA; Providence Friars head coach Ed Cooley talks to players during time out against Butler Bulldogs during the second half of Big East conference tournament at Madison Square Garden. Providence Friars defeated Butler Bulldogs 74-60. Mandatory Credit: Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports /
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Providence basketball is headed into a rebuilding season in 2016-17.

With the NBA Draft quickly approaching, the Providence Friars are currently dealing with mixed emotions.

Related Story: Maliek White is ready for the Big East

Point guard Kris Dunn and power forward Ben Bentil could be the first set of Providence teammates ever to be selected in the first round of the NBA Draft in the same year. Having two pros with the capability to help NBA teams from day one is a massive recruiting boost and helps solidify Ed Cooley’s player development program in Rhode Island.

On the downside, the Friars will be losing their two best players: the Big East’s leading scorer (Bentil) and the two time Big East player of the Year (Dunn).

Bentil broke out last season, molding into the most improved player in the country and a dynamic sidekick for Dunn. The point guard from New London was a fantastic two-way player, making his teammates better with his undeniable passing abilities and his knack for creating turnovers on the defensive end.

Having the luxury of two superstars is no longer an option for Cooley, so he knows what type of season the Friars are expected to have in 2016-17.

It’s a rebuilding year.

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Sure, Providence has made three straight NCAA Tournaments, but it would be unrealistic for the fans to expect the Friars to compete for a berth in the Big Dance.

They are young, inexperienced and don’t possess players with the leadership skills that Bentil and Dunn consistently brought to the table.

Now, this doesn’t mean that the Friars will quit. One thing we know about teams coached by Cooley is that they will always leave their blood, sweat and tears on the court. Whether they are overmatched or not, this Friars team will never be an easy out in the Big East.

Cooley did a remarkable job throwing together a rock solid recruiting class to not only give the team bodies for the 2016-17 campaign, but to help them compete now and in the future.

The staff reeled in 6’7″ four-star small forward Alpha Diallo, 6’9″ power forward Kalif Young and Indiana transfer Emmitt Holt. None of the three will help make up for the loss of Dunn, but Young and Holt provide a physical presence that could (slightly) make up for the loss of Bentil on the glass.

Diallo can also help in terms of rebounding, and he has unique athleticism that should give the Friars a different dimension off the bench.

The three late adds are in addition to four-star point guard Maliek White and George Mason transfer Isaiah Jackson, who will be eligible immediately after sitting out this past season.

If the Friars are going to even have a shot at battling the top half of the Big East, they need to receive massive jumps from Rodney Bullock, Kyron Cartwright and Jalen Lindsey.

After dealing with rape allegations and a torn ACL in his first two years, Bullock played his first season at the college level last year. His performance was a mixed bag, filled with inconsistent play and an occasional lack of focus.

If Bullock plays with an attention to detail, he is a force on the glass and can score both inside and out.

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Lindsey came to Providence with the reputation of a shooter, but has yet to show that skill set on a consistent basis at the college level. He shot a BRUTAL 27 percent from long range last year and averaged only 7.0 points per game.

Play like he did against St. John’s at Madison Square Garden (30 points), and Lindsey could be a fearful scorer in the Big East.

Finally, Cartwright showed flashes of brilliance. He is an excellent ball handler with great speed and quickness in the open floor. The point guard doesn’t have a pure jump shot, but he can attack the rim and make his teammates better with his solid vision.

Even though Cartwright will never be Dunn, the lead guard position is not exactly in flux with Cartwright and White taking the majority of the minutes.

Sophomores Ryan Fazekas, Drew Edwards and Ricky Council III also return, so the Friars do have some level of depth.

But again, the team just doesn’t have enough talent and experience to compete on the national stage. They don’t have the players that they can go to down the stretch to get them an easy bucket, and they certainly don’t have any superstars.

Regardless of the situation, Providence is anything but doomed. Cooley is an underrated coach nationally, who now supports a lifetime deal. He has brought the program from a cellar-dweller to a squad that is ready to place two players in NBA and has recruited at a high level.

Then think of this, the Friars don’t have one senior on their roster this year.

While fans may get impatient this year, just think of it as a learning experience. These players will improve their craft, build chemistry and go through trials and tribulations before returning for revenge in 2017-18.

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Everyone will be back in two years and the Friars could be looking at their fourth NCAA Tournament appearance in five years.

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