News and Notes After a Trip to Campus and the Release of the Non-conference Schedule
Despite an apparent upgrade in talent via the transfer portal and a strong freshman class, Providence enters the 2025-26 season under a fair amount of measured skepticism. Last season’s portal additions largely failed to meet expectations, leaving Friar fans and analysts alike cautious about drawing early conclusions from offseason activity alone.
Spring in Providence was highlighted by the additions of two potentially significant backcourt scorers in transfers Jason Edwards and Jaylin Sellers. The 6’1 Edwards was one of the top scorers in both the American Conference (at North Texas) and the SEC (Vanderbilt) the past two seasons, while Sellers missed most of last year due to a back injury, but was named Big 12 Honorable Mention at UCF in 2024.
Kim English and Co. also brought in a longtime favorite of theirs in sophomore-to-be Daquan Davis from Florida State, a veteran paint presence in Drexel transfer Cole Hargrove, and needed shooting/size to the frontcourt in the form of Georgia Tech transfer Duncan Powell.
That group, combined with a potentially great freshman haul of Jamier Jones, Jaylen Harrell, Stefan Vaaks, and Peteris Pinnis and returnees Oswin Erhunmwunse, Corey Floyd Jr, Ryan Mela, Rich Barron, and walk-on Nilavan Daniels, is certainly promising on paper.
Even with a measured approach to the offseason, it was hard not to be encouraged after taking in my first practice of the summer — a high-paced session with a group in the early stages of learning about each other.
Here are a few takeaways…
An Edwards/Harrell shooting drill was a sight for sore eyes. Plenty of players can hit threes, but both Jason Edwards and freshman Jaylen Harrell are true 3-point shooters. Edwards’ numbers speak for themselves — he has hit roughly 150 shots from beyond the arc at a 35% clip the past two years, while Harrell was rarely left open at CATS Academy.
Both were ripping shot after shot from beyond the arc in shooting drills that kicked off practice — and it is apparent both are just natural shooters.
The team shot just okay in five-on-five action, but that’s to be expected so early in the summer. Edwards should be one of the best scorers in the Big East next season.
Cole Hargrove brings a veteran presence. I liked what I saw on tape from Hargrove’s time at Drexel last year. The Pennsylvania native played fewer than five minutes per game the first two years of his career, but he enjoyed a breakout junior campaign — averaging 9.9 points and 7.5 rebounds (3.0 offensive) to go along with 1.7 assists and 1.8 blocks per game.
In person, Hargrove looks physically imposing and gets up the floor well. He also hit a three from the top of the key and threw down a tip dunk in five-on-five.