Rhode Island Basketball: 2022-23 season preview for the Rams
Key Reserves
Sebastian Thomas
Rhode Island has several options to go to off of their bench including, sophomore point guard Sebastian Thomas.
The Providence, Rhode Island native was the Rams’ true freshman last season. He averaged 2.7 points, 1.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and shot 38.2 percent. Thomas also played in every game and made three starts for the program.
Last season, the 6-foot-1 guard contributed in several games such as a career-high nine points to go with three rebounds, two assists, and two steals on February 2nd against Fordham.
We can expect Sebastian Thomas’s involvement off the bench to increase from last season.
Jalen Carey
Redshirt junior guard Jalen Carey enters his third year with the Rhode Island Rams and fifth at the collegiate level.
Before URI, the 6-foot-3 guard was recruited to play for Coach Jim Boeheim and Syracuse University.
In his first season with Rhode Island, Carey was a redshirt sophomore. He made 23 appearances and started two games for the Rams.
Last season, Carey averaged 5.6 points, 1.9 rebounds, 1.2 assists, and shot 43.4 percent from the field.
He played a big impact off the bench in conference games, such as on February 2nd at Fordham and January 15th at UMass. Carey scored a season-high 12 points and had three assists at Fordham and had 11 points and five rebounds against the Minutemen.
I’m expecting an even bigger role from Jalen Carey this season because he already understands how this program operates and is now one of the Rams’ veteran players.
Jeremy Foumena
Coach Archie Miller and his staff were looking to expand towards recruiting international talent when initially brought in by the University.
The Rams started by assessing their frontcourt by adding 6-foot-11 center Jeremy Foumena. He hails from Montreal, Quebec, and played most recently with Orangeville prep in Ontario.
Orangeville has produced several NBA players over the last few years including, Jamal Murray, Thon Maker, and Ignas Brazdeikis.
We will see how much confidence this coaching staff has in the Rams’ freshmen but, Foumena will be redshirting this season. However, I believe that he will evolve into the primary big man for the future of Rhody basketball over the next few seasons.
Rory Stewart
Rhode Island took advantage of more of Orangeville’s talent from last season with the addition of forward Rory Stewart.
The 6-foot-9 shooter hails from London and is the first England native to join the program since Ben Eaves. Eaves played three seasons at Rhode Island and helped the program reach an NIT semifinal.
Stewart was successful last season in crucial games for Orangeville against some of the United States’ best programs. He earned Most Valuable Player honors against Hamilton Heights (Tennessee) in the Lighthouse Classic.
Rams assistant coach Duane Woodward served as the lead contact with Orangeville prep and both Foumena and Stewart.
Brandon Weston
Seton Hall transfer Brandon Weston enters his second season at the collegiate level, however, this season it will be in Kingston.
Last season, he appeared in just one game with the Pirates due to COVID concerns and injuries to both his ankle and knee.
The Brooklyn, NY native split time in Chicago and Arizona during his high school career. Weston would ultimately finish as a consensus top-100 prospect and choose Seton Hall over the likes of Illinois, Wake Forest, Pittsburgh, and Michigan.
I expect Brandon Weston to have something to prove this season for the program and himself. Although his stock may have dipped since his high school days, he now has the opportunity to start from scratch at the University of Rhode Island.
Josaphat Bilau
The Rams added more talent to their frontcourt with the addition of Josaphat Bilau.
The 6-foot-10 forward is a native of France but, bounced around at a few schools in the United States before his commitment to the Wichita State Shockers.
Bilau was redshirted for his freshman year during the 2019-20 season. The following season he contributed off the bench to help Wichita State to become the American Athletic Conference regular-season champions.
Last season, Bilau appeared in 26 games for the New Mexico Junior College Thunderbirds. He averaged 4.6 points, 5.7 rebounds, and shot 43.8 percent.
It will be interesting to see where Josaphat Bilau fits into the rotation. We can expect to see him get opportunities either off the bench or potentially as a starter later into the Rams’ slate.
Louis Hutchinson
Rhody continued to build for their future this offseason with the addition of Louis Hutchinson.
The six-foot-seven wing hails from Upper Marlboro, Maryland. He played at the prep level for IMG Academy and most recently Long Island Lutheran.
He chose URI over the likes of Texas A&M, Mississippi State, Memphis, Howard, and several others.
“They were excited about me, what I can do, and the path they saw me going on and that just made me more excited about what I already knew about this coaching staff,” Hutchinson said on the Rhody Rumble podcast.
We can expect Louis Hutchinson to be someone that Coach Archie Miller and his staff rely on to make an impact for years to come.
Parnell Pierre
Parnell Pierre is a sophomore guard out of Irvington, New Jersey, and is entering his second season with the program. He is one of the Rams’ walk-on players listed on their roster.
Jimmy Ball
Jimmy Ball joins the program this season. The 6-foot-2 guard hails from Medford, Massachusetts, and is also one of Rhody’s walk-on players.