2 weeks Ago By By BRENDAN McGAIR / [email protected]
PROVIDENCE – Class – as in chemistry class – is officially in session for Kim English and his Providence Friars. From an all-important continuity standpoint, it will be interesting to see where PC stands upon concluding a busy start to the season (five games in 14 days). After holding on for dear life for a 59-55 win over Central Connecticut in Monday’s season opener, it’s fair to say the Friars have nowhere to go but up in the quest to get everyone on the same page.
The 9,806 paying customers at the Amica Mutual Pavilion probably left shaking their hands and wondering about the long-term prospects of their favorite team. If PC can barely escape against a team from the Northeast Conference, what’s going to be the fate when the schedule shifts into overdrive concerning the competition? Parachuting in from above, it’s important to remember that Providence resembled a M-A-S-H unit during the preseason. Games against Central Connecticut, Stonehill, Hampton, Green Bay, and Delaware State may be dismissed as non-descript cannon fodder, but let’s look at this five-game stretch in more flattering light.
Monday’s game and the four additional ones the Friars will play at the AMP before heading to the Bahamas for the Battle 4 Atlantis figure to only help English and his staff build up the chemistry that was likely placed on hold during the weeks leading up to Monday’s season opener. “We haven’t gotten to play much 5-on-5. We’ve been practicing with six guys a lot,” noted English.
“There were a lot of nerves, a lot of unfamiliar situations because of our lack of inability to practice. Some of those growing pains, I think you expect. Talking to the guys afterwards, we have to get them their time in the gym and back to where they’re comfortable making plays.
” One of the few Friars to make it through the preseason unscathed was Bensley Joseph. The transfer from Miami saved the day and proved to be an unguardable sniper from deep with the outcome hanging in the balance. Over a two-possession span with less than three minutes to play, PC went from down four to up two after Joseph canned back-to-back 3-pointers.
The accuracy was part of a team-high 21-point performance that saw English summon one of his coach-isms when asked to sum up the guard’s night. “You fall to the level of your preparation. Tonight, he didn’t have to fall far,” said English.
“He practices every day at an elite level and has zero arrogance. We’ve got to get that across the board.” Joseph’s fifth and final trey of the game saw him react accordingly after Central Connecticut elected to double Christ Essandoko in the post.
Calmly and smoothly, Joseph shifted to the corner, called for the ball, and delivered from deep to put the Friars up 55-53 with 2:04 remaining. “It was a great play. Christ was able to give me a great pass,” said Joseph, the lone Friar to reach double figures in points.
“We work on those kick-out threes every day in practice.” The Blue Devils from Connecticut continued their game-long penchant of not backing down – two free throws by Abdul Momoh tied it at 55-apiece with 1:25 remaining. PC’s Jayden Pierre – one of the members of the walking wounded – proved successful with a 2-for-2 showing at the charity stripe with 1:10 left, then repeated the same process to make it a two-possession game, this time with 18 seconds on the clock.
With that, the Friars finally found themselves in the clear after enduring the kind of growing pains that could disappear like a headache, providing there’s near-perfect attendance at practice. English noted after Monday’s game that Bryce Hopkins (ACL) continues to trend in the right direction as optimism continues to build toward the All-Big East forward returning sooner rather than later. “Our last few practices looked like a normal practice, but even they were sloppy,” said English.
“We found a way to win, and that’s what our young men did.” Despite an ugly first half that saw nine PC players check in with not even nine minutes off the clock and saw the Friars turn the ball over 10 times through 12-plus minutes, the home team found itself down only two at the break (26-24). Joseph provided a preview of his late-game heroics with seven straight points that kept the deficit at two during the early stages of the second half, but Central Connecticut started to make enough plays to find itself up seven with 13:02 left.
At the end of the day, the Friar player who came through with a series of key shots also succeeded in staying on the court. Joseph played the final 8:09 with four fouls. “This game was a learning process for the entire team .
.. figuring out how we can get better and learn from this,” said Joseph.
“Coming together in the tough moments and being able to lock in, we played together and came away with a victory.” Follow Brendan McGair on X, formerly Twitter, @BWMcGair03.
