Providence Basketball: 2023-24 key storylines and outlook for Friars
By Kyle Craib
Who’s Returning to the Roster?
When focusing in on Providence’s returns for the upcoming season, one name stands out from the crowd: Bryce Hopkins.
The forward is set to enter his junior year in the NCAA and will look to build off of his breakout season in 2022/23. Following his freshman campaign with Kentucky, Hopkins entered the transfer portal in search of a place where his game could flourish. He found a home with the Friars, and it immediately started paying dividends on both sides of the floor. Hopkins feasted in a larger role, averaged 15.8 points alongside 8.5 boards and 2.3 assists per game en route to receiving All Big East honours at season’s end.
The 6’6” forward was slightly undersized for his position, but weighing at 220 pounds, the big man had zero issues imposing his will down low. Aside from his frame, Hopkins provides a well-rounded game that can pose be a nightmare for opposing defenders to contain. The addition of a three-point shot has been key for his progression, stroking an impressive 36.4 percent and adding to the ever-growing headache of guarding the former Kentucky recruit.
I’m intrigued to see how Kim English will deploy Hopkins in his first year coaching the Friars. With Josh Oduro likely starting off the year in the middle, it would make sense for Hopkins to slot in beside him at the power forward position. However, English can find production from one of the other big men on the roster, a lineup with Hopkins playing at the three would pose a tremendous threat to anyone without the size to compete.
That’s where I believe Rafael Castro might step into the fray. Coming off of a rather pedestrian rookie season, the 6’11” New Jersey native will need to make a Hopkins-esque jump to the next level in order to crack the everyday lineup. But that might just be in the cards.
As a rookie, Castro struggled to find minutes in Ed Cooley’s rotation. However, in the rare opportunities where he saw more than 10 minutes on the court, the big fella managed to make an impact. On December 10th, 2022, Castro posted 12 points and 10 rebounds, including five on the offensive glass, to help secure the win over Albany.
It’s still unknown whether he can hang with the top dogs in the Big East, but heading into his sophomore season with a new coach at the helm, look for Castro’s opportunities to grow as the season progresses.
Also returning to the roster is Devin Carter, a 6’3” energetic guard with a nose for the big moment. Carter transferred over from South Carolina after cracking the SEC All Freshman Team for the 2021/22 season. During his first year with the Friars, Carter thrived in a larger role, showing off his elite quickness and tenacity to the tune of 13 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game.
Carter kicked off his season a bang, notching five steals and showing off his defensive acumen in his first game in front of the Friar faithful at the AMP. From there, he never looked back.
Apart from all else, the most glaring characteristic of the guard’s sophomore season is the consistency he displayed. Game in and game out, Carter showed up on both sides of the ball, never scoring less than seven points in any game he saw action in. This proved to be a crucial pillar of Providence’s early season success with Jared Bynum still struggling to find his shot.
At the conclusion of the season, Carter led the team in assists with a modest 2.5 per game. Heading into this season and without any other returning starters in the backcourt, the junior will be heavily relied upon to facilitate while keeping his 1.6 turnovers per game at bay.
Sticking with the guard group, the dynamic bench scoring duo of Jayden Pierre and Corey Floyd Jr. each offer an intriguing set of skills heading into their sophomore seasons. Both posted elite scoring percentages from three-point range per game, clocking in at 54.5 and 41.9 respectively. With each player only logging around 10 minutes per game, it will be interesting to see if these figures will hold up with a bump in playing time.
In the passing game, Pierre takes the cake by a wide margin. Despite only seeing limited action, the freshman was able to tally 1.9 assists while limiting his turnovers to 0.7 per game. When opportunity struck, Pierre made the most of it. He racked up 11 assists in Providence’s final out of conference matchup with Albany.
With the Friars’ lack of established depth at the point guard position, I believe Pierre has the chance to make the jump into the starting five. His elite passing game paired with a killer shooting percentage from downtown should create openings for himself and his teammate in a larger role.
When you take a step back to look at Providence’s returning cast, it’s impossible not to get excited for what Kim English can do with this group. Hopkins and Carter will need to use their experience to help lead this team, while Castro, Pierre and Floyd Jr. all have the chance to develop into strong pieces for this roster.
Luckily enough, there’s even more jelly in these donuts…