Player Preview Series: Can Freshmen Eli DeLaurier and Ryan Mela make an impact on a deep Friar squad?
Player Preview Series: Can Freshmen Eli DeLaurier and Ryan Mela make an impact on a deep Friar squad?
Kim English spent the majority of his first season in Providence navigating through both short- and longterm player attrition. Determined to instill a no excuses, no matter what mindset in Friartown, English shrugged off injuries and departures throughout last season, but he finally cracked a bit following a loss to UConn to close out the regular season.
“I don’t know if I can say this, but we got caught with our pants down this season,” he said. “Without the depth we needed — we’re going to build this roster to withstand an injury or two. We’re going to have 13 dudes next season, and I’m really excited about what we are going to do here.”
English and his staff look to have accomplished that goal, making quick work of the transfer portal in the spring to supplement a group of returnees, resulting in a group of 13 that could conceivably each give Providence minutes.
As currently constituted, it’s a lineup that looks to be difficult to break into for a young player, but the Friars have two skilled freshmen who will compete for playing time.
Redshirt freshman Eli DeLaurier reclassified and enrolled at Providence early following the departure of Will McNair Jr. last September, and the 6’9 power forward saw action in three first-semester games before being shut down for the remainder of the season.
DeLaurier may be the player on this roster Friar fans are most unfamiliar with, as fellow freshman Ryan Mela is a local product (Natick, MA) who the fanbase has been tracking since he committed to PC in the summer of 2023. Film of DeLaurier is somewhat limited, and fans weren’t tracking him for a few years in the way they have with other recruits in seasons past.
English’s staff at George Mason was recruiting DeLaurier hard (and he received interest from the likes of West Virginia, Virginia Tech, Mississippi State, Texas A&M, and George Washington) and jumped at the chance to enroll him early last fall.
Friar assistant Matt Palumbo provided an update on DeLaurier’s summer to Friar Basketball: “He had a hell of a summer. He probably added a good 20 pounds, and he needed to gain weight. He’s up to nearly 230 pounds now.”
DeLaurier figures to slot in behind Jabri Abdur-Rahim at the four while Bryce Hopkins works his way back into the lineup, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him play meaningful minutes thanks to his ability to shoot from long range and pass it.
“He shoots the hell out of the ball. He’s a good passer, a really high feel guy, and I think his best attribute is that he plays very, very hard. He does not ever stop playing hard. He always offensive rebounds, he runs the floor, he dives on loose balls — he just does little things all the time at a level that just separates him in a lot of little ways from a coach’s perspective,” Palumbo said.
DeLaurier played for three years at a competitive high school program (Miller School in Virginia). With Team Loaded on the Adidas Circuit, he played alongside the likes of Georgetown freshman Drew McKenna, a five-star player in Jayden Quaintance, and former PC recruit Somto Cyril. Here’s a look at some of the offensive versatility he showed with Team Loaded — extending the floor with his range, creating opportunistic buckets in the paint, and finding Cyril for dunks.
He averaged 15.9 points and 6.5 rebounds in the 2022-23 season at the Miller School and made 11-34 from 3-point range for Team Loaded in the spring and summer of ’23.
Joining DeLaurier in the freshman class is Mela, a versatile 6’6 wing who did everything at both the Newman School in Boston and with the Middlesex Magic on the Under Armour circuit the past two years.
After transferring in from Natick High School, Mela averaged 19.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 3.3 steals in his first season at Newman, and followed that up with a strong spring and summer that caught the attention of the new Friar staff. He committed to PC in the summer before his senior year.
“I think he’s such a good fit for us because he’s a really smart player with a really high feel,” Palumbo said in an interview with Friar Basketball in the spring. “We play a lot of the game without calling a set play, so having players who can handle the ball, pass, and think is really valuable. He is also a phenomenal teammate and a winning player, which are the qualities we are putting at the foundation of the program.”
Mela established himself as one of the best players in New England last winter, averaging 18 points, eight rebounds, and five assists while shooting 35% from three point range and 55% inside the arc.
The versatility of Mela’s game most stands out. He is deceptively quick with the ball in his hands. He’s a good playmaker at 6’6, a terrific finisher, and jumps passing lanes and helps on the glass on the other end.
Mela was slowed this summer with a back injury, but saw physical gains in the weight room.
“Love his talent. Love his toughness. He’s just a competitor and a high IQ player,” Palumbo said. “I don’t think people realize he’s truly 6’6, and he added 10-15 pounds of muscle this summer.”
Mela had some genuinely huge moments and games over the past two years, including scoring 16 of his 22 points in the second half to lead Middlesex Magic to a win over five-star big man Derik Queen, Daquan Davis, and Team Thrill in the UAA semifinals. There was also a 31-point, 14-rebound, 8-assist effort his junior year against Winchendon, and a ridiculous performance this past winter when he scored 26 of his career-high 42 points in a narrow victory over St. Thomas More and their elite wings, Tyler Betsey and London Jemison (both top-50 players in the classes of 2024 and ’25, respectively).
Mela’s production has been undeniable over the past two seasons.
The Friars figure to be loaded from the two to four spots this year, but Mela’s ability to do so many things on the floor means he shouldn’t be counted out for minutes, despite the experience and depth around him.
Whether DeLaurier or Mela can make an impact as freshmen remains to be seen, but the coaching staff has had high praise for the approach, fit, and potential of both players.
Please also check out our player preview article on Corey Floyd Jr., which includes highlights from both last season and his time with Team Final on the Nike Peach Jam circuit, a PC coach’s perspective on his game, and how he can make an impact this season.
“He really stood out this summer… He plays hard. He doesn’t stop playing hard. His effort doesn’t waver, and as a coach, that means everything.”
