NCAA Basketball: 10 best players from state of Rhode Island of last decade

3. Billy Baron – Virginia / Rhode Island / Canisius

Quite the basketball journey awaited Baron, a 6’2 guard from East Greenwich who originally made his way to Virginia in 2010. One of Tony Bennett’s first recruits, he spent less than a year with the Cavaliers before transferring to Rhode Island to play for his father Jim. Baron would then follow his father to Canisius for his final two seasons, developing into a featured star in the MAAC.

Baron got limited run at Virginia and transferred away, having to sit out his first semester of his sophomore season at Rhode Island. With the Rams, he averaged 13.0 points per game, though the team really struggled. Baron would become an impact player across his final two seasons, leading Canisius to a pair of CIT appearances while becoming their best player. He averaged 24.1 points, 5.3 assists, and 4.9 rebounds during a very impressive senior season. He notched career-highs with 40 points and 10 rebounds in a win at Siena.

Baron was named MAAC Player of the Year as a senior, leading the conference in assists, 3-pointers, and free throw percentage while blossoming as a fantastic offensive player late in his career. He ranked 4th in the entire nation in points during that senior season and his shooting numbers still rank among the all-time leaders in the MAAC. Since his graduation, he’s spent the last eight years playing overseas, most recently signing on to continue his career in Italy.