Friar Basketball Newsletter: Introducing a new series, Nate Watson and the nation's top post players, video of Durham and Minaya, Ryan Gomes on his freshman season, and more
In the decade or so that I’ve known Craig Leighton I have very likely driven him insane with my endless questions about what Friar fandom was like in the 1960s, ’70s, and into the early part of the ’80s. His stories have never disappointed.
I’ve learned so much about how the college game has evolved from countless conversations with Craig — and equally as interesting, those conversations have often included stories about Craig’s life and relationship with his father.
When we were planning for this new venture I thought Friar fans would enjoy hearing some of the history of the Friars through Craig’s personal experiences. With that, we are introducing a new series: “Reflections of a Lifelong Friar Fan” which will take a decade-by-decade look at Providence basketball. Craig’s first article, on the 1960s Friars, is a really enjoyable read on Vinnie Ernst, Jimmy Walker, and so many other greats of the ’60s.
Additionally, this week on the site you can find a deep dive on Nate Watson’s effectiveness in the post, specifically in relation to some of the elite post players in the country last year. Providence relied heavily on David Duke a season ago (as much as any player since Ben Bentil in 2016), and PC may look to the post even more in 2021-22.
We continue to post videos and thoughts on incoming transfers Al Durham and Justin Minaya. This week readers can see highlights of Minaya as a freshman in the SEC Tournament (when he scored 16 points versus Ole Miss), and Durham knocking down five 3-pointers at Rutgers last season.
Craig also posted a Weekly Starting Five, with a variety of articles, including John Fanta’s look around the Big East, ABC6 featuring David Duke returning home from the Summer League, John Rooke’s weekly column on WEEI, and a feature on God Shammgod.
Lastly, here is a quick excerpt from our conversation with Ryan Gomes for the upcoming podcast on the 2003-04 Friars. In this clip Ryan talks about his freshman year — his mentality as he sat through the first seven games of the season, and what he learned from playing against Emeka Okafor that season.
We hope you enjoy this week’s content.