Friars Land Yet Another Top Freshman Recruit

by Connor Whalen ‘28 on October 23, 2025

Friar Sports

Providence College men’s basketball head coach Kim English showed he has no intention of taking his foot off the gas when it was announced that four-star recruit Aiden Derkack ’30 will commit to PC. Derkack represents the first of the 2030 freshman class and the first offseason addition in anticipation of the 2026–27 season. The new recruit lands just outside the top 50 in Top247’s national rankings, demonstrating just how groundbreaking this news is for PC men’s basketball. That slots Derkack just narrowly outside the top 10 recruits in PC’s history, a further testament to English’s pull when it comes to bringing in exciting, high-profile talent.

Derkack does not necessarily stand out for any particular aspect of his game, but he is a well-rounded player who looks like he has the capacity to succeed at the college level. His athleticism, while not necessarily eye-opening, shows on both ends of the floor. Defensively, the guard should excel, and his offensive game is multifaceted. He can finish at the rim, possesses a good handle, is a skilled playmaker, and even has an impressive post-game. At 6’5” and 195 pounds, he plays bigger than his size and is not afraid to be physical, though he may need to put on some weight as he enters college given his slightly slender build. The one weakness in his game is his perimeter shooting, though there are no glaring issues with his shooting form, suggesting there could be room for improvement.

The addition of Derkack adds even more youth to a Friars roster that already has plenty. The starting lineup this year is certain to be senior-heavy, and those seniors will be sorely missed after this season, but the future nonetheless looks bright. Derkack has the opportunity to team up with the talented rising sophomore class of Jamier Jones ’29, Jaylen Harrell ’29, Stefan Vaaks ’29, and Peteris Pinnis ’29, while the Friars hope to retain other players like Daquan Davis ’28, Oswin Erhunmwunse ’28, and Ryan Mela ’28.

English’s ability to pull in big-time talent—whether in the transfer portal or via freshman recruiting—has been yet again proven via the addition of Derkack. Adding Jones, Derkack, Erhunmwunse, and Harrell deserves recognition in and of itself in terms of sheer talent and scouts’ ratings. English must now prove that his team can put everything together on the court; in the next year or two, especially with the talent he has brought in, expectations will only get higher, and he will face greater scrutiny. This year, the team has been predicted in several polls to land in No. 4–5in the Big East, giving them a potential NCAA tournament bid. The next two years, especially with the young talent English has lured to PC—most importantly, Jones and, now, Derkack—will be crucial in the English era.

Introducing the 2025-26 Providence Men’s Basketball

by Connor Whalen ‘28 on October 9, 2025

Friar Sports

If you paid attention to Kim English’s upgrades to his team this offseason, you are already fully aware of the excitement this year in Friartown. If not, this article will help familiarize you with this year’s team, as I will lay out what I predict to be the team’s rotation to start the year.

Jason Edwards ’G26 and Jaylin Sellers ’G26 are guaranteed to feature in the backcourt together as the two most dynamic scoring threats on English’s roster. Edwards should see the most field goal attempts on the team, able to create his own looks and shoot off the dribble. Sellers is a capable secondary scoring option and should alleviate some of Edwards’ offensive responsibility. Corey Floyd Jr. ’26 is another expected starter and, as the only returning senior on the team, his leadership and experience will be crucial on and off the court. Floyd will serve as another primary ball-handler and should get open looks from behind the arc with defenses focused heavily on Edwards and Sellers. This backcourt is outrageously explosive and athletic, and, on the defensive end, will be a tough matchup for opposing offenses.

Duncan Powell ’G26 looks suited to slide into the Friars’ power forward role. At 6’8” and 240 pounds, Powell gives the team another rebounder and a physical defender. He should serve as the third scoring option for the team, mostly cashing in on catch-and-shoot looks and post-up situations. Next to Powell, sophomore returnee Oswin Erhunmwunse ’28 looks set to round out the starting five at the center position. Standing at 6”10’ and weighing in at 235 pounds, he showed promise in his freshman year as a rebounder and shot-blocker. With one year of experience under his belt, and seemingly having put on some muscle, Erhunmwunse’s development could be crucial to this team’s success on defense.

Jamier Jones ’29 will receive significant minutes from day one; the freshman is one of the most exciting prospects to ever commit to PC, and his athleticism and raw talent gives English a burst of energy off the bench. He could even start for this team by March if all the hype around him truly was real. Stefan Vaaks ’29 is another intriguing freshman set to come off the bench to begin the season. Scouts and analysts have praised English’s move to bring in Vaaks, a potential hidden gem from Estonia. He is a three-level scorer and an able ball-handler, and his background as a pro in Europe makes him NCAA ready off the bat. Daquan Davis ’28 is a gifted playmaker and rugged defender off the bench. He provides backup to Sellers and Edwards as a ball-handler and should get solid minutes. Ryan Mela ’27 returns, giving English the perfect depth option at the small forward /power forward position. Mela displayed impressive playmaking and rebounding skills in his freshman season, offering this team a unique skillset off the bench. Lastly, Cole Hargrove ’26 provides cover for Erhunmwunse at the center position. Measuring at 6’8” and 245 pounds, Hargrove is certain to play tough defense and give the Friars an energy boost off the bench.

As a result of Jones’ arrival as one of the top recruits in PC history—and all the noise surrounding it—Jaylen Harrell’s ’29 commitment naturally, but undeservedly, lived in its shadow. Harrell is an exceptionally well-rounded player, averaging 22.1 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 7.2 assists per game in his senior year of high school. The two-time Massachusetts player of the year can score anywhere on the court, whether in the post, off the dribble, or on catch-and-shoot looks. As of right now, the Friars have a really deep team loaded with tons of talent, and I have Harrell getting little to no minutes to start the year. I do not expect that to remain true by the end of the year, as I truly expect the freshman to earn himself meaningful, regular minutes. Richard Barron ’28 returns and adds wing depth as a capable shooter on the bench. Peteris Pinnis ’29, a 7’0” force from Latvia, is another center option, and a huge body that could see bench minutes if Erhunmwunse and Hargrove get in early foul trouble. Much of his game still looks somewhat raw, but as a freshman,with his size, he could certainly carve out a bench role and be an important player in future years. Nilivan Daniels ’28 returns after making last year’s team as a walk-on, and the always-smiling campus favorite’s presence adds a hard-working, energetic guard to the end of the rotation. Lastly, Jack Williams ’G26, a transfer from UCLA that managed their team, gives the team a veteran presence and smart basketball mind.

These are only my predictions, and it remains to be seen how English will line his team up to start the year. The rotation will also change throughout the year, as many of the players have yet to see NCAA action and remain somewhat unknown. At any rate, this team is very athletic and will be fun to watch, and is genuinely poised to compete for a spot in the NCAA tournament in March.

Student Congress Update

by Amanda Ayres ’26 and Ava La Bruno ’27 on October 9, 2025

Congress Updates

On Tuesday, Sept. 30, Student Congress was pleased to welcome Providence College men’s basketball head coach, Kim English, to our general assembly meeting. Coach English began by reflecting on a productive offseason and sharing his excitement about the upcoming season. He highlighted the strengths of this year’s roster, including both newly recruited players and his veteran returning players. Coach English emphasized that the players on the current roster, and those who he will recruit in the future, all align with the team’s core values: toughness and hard work. He stressed the importance of achieving certain goals during their games, including shooting 40 percent from the field, holding opponents to no more than seven three-pointers and seven offensive rebounds per game, achieving 40 paint touches, maintaining a 2:1 assist-to-turnover ratio, and shooting at least 75 percent from the free-throw line.

When reflecting on the differences between last year’s team and this year’s, he told us that he is hopeful that there will be a stronger emphasis on brotherhood and commitment to PC’s mission this year. He also mentioned that he has begun inviting guest speakers to speak to the team about the distractions of social media commentary. Coach English commented on the effects of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals and how he and the rest of the coaching staff are working to keep the team focused on the goals right in front of them.

His expectations of the fans will not be hard to achieve for us Friars. He wants us to keep the energy up—keep coming to games and showing the opposing teams the Amica Mutual Pavilion (AMP) atmosphere we are known for, but he also emphasized how he expects our student section to show respect to our opponents and their coaches. Have fun, show school spirit, and make sure we keep the PC mission at the forefront, just like the team is expected to.

The Friars have an exciting schedule lined up, and the first few games are very important. Their first game is on Nov. 3 at the AMP, and we cannot wait to see the team back on the court. Student Congress was grateful to Coach English for coming to speak to us about his goals and hopes for the season.

As for the rest of the meeting, the newly elected and selected members of the class of 2029 were sworn in, and we are excited to finally have a full 76th Student Congress! The legislation for the proposal of Just Dance Club was approved, and an amendment to the Constitution of Student Congress was proposed pertaining to the events hosted by the Outreach Committee, which will be voted on at the next meeting.

Kim English: One of the Best Recruiters in the Country?

by Connor Whalen ‘28 on October 2, 2025

Friar Sports

In 2024, English made another big splash with the recruitment of Oswin Erhunmwumse ’28, ranking just outside the top ten in Friars history. He also recruited Ryan Mela ’28, a three-star forward who was unranked nationally and has impressively carved out a role for himself in the upcoming season. English’s increased aggressiveness in the transfer portal was also evident, despite a few of the transfers posting underwhelming seasons. This past offseason showed exponential improvement in English’s recruitment; he landed Jamier Jones ’29, ranked ninth in his position, and another top-100 recruit in Jaylen Harrell ’29. The transfer portal also brought in proven talents like Jason Edwards ’G26, Jaylin Sellers ’G26, and Duncan Powell ’G26, showing even further improvement from last year’s portal.

Huge news struck PC’s campus this month when five-star high-school prospect Caleb Holt went on an official visit to Friartown. Holt is a top-five national prospect, a legitimate one-and-done college player, and on track to be an early 2027 NBA first-round pick. This is absolutely groundbreaking news for Friars basketball, and by no means does Holt even have to commit to the Friars to make it so. To put this into perspective: imagine Jaylen Brown visiting PC a decade ago, or Jayson Tatum in 2016, or VJ Edgecombe or Dylan Harper a year ago. Providence’s basketball program is certainly storied and prestigious, but not of the caliber to attract immense talent like this.

It has been speculated that Providence is among a select few schools that Holt is considering for a decision. Now, some of the other schools in that group are powerhouses like Alabama, Kentucky, and Auburn, meaning it is probably not likely that he commits to PC, but the very fact that Providence is on the list with top-tier programs like those is massive news.

In August, coach English and his staff also hosted Abdou Toure, a top-40 national prospect from Connecticut. Toure recently announced he is down to his final three schools: UConn, Arkansas, and Providence. Another massive offer for the Friars, Toure would be the highest-rated freshman to ever play for PC outside of Dunn. English joins elite company in making Toure’s final list among Arkansas’ John Calipari and UConn’s Dan Hurley, two of the most well-respected coaches in college basketball. Toure’s decision announcement will come this Friday, Oct. 3.

If Toure were to commit to PC, the 2026 season would start to look even more exciting for Friars fans. Whether Holt and/or Toure commit to PC—and realistically, they very well may not—the fact that English is drawing massive talent to Providence, and that these players are truly considering his offers, shows huge potential for this program with him at the helm. While the results have yet to be seen, it takes time to build a program as a new and largely unproven head coach, and the future, starting with this season, looks very bright in Friartown.

Kim English: One of the Best Recruiters in the Country?

by Connor Whalen ‘28 on October 2, 2025

Friar Sports

Kim English’s recruiting ability has proven to be elite over his three years at Providence, each year seeming increasingly impressive. In his first year, Garwey Dual—initially recruited by former head coach Ed Cooley—chose to recommit to Providence College, ultimately deciding to play for English despite the abrupt coaching change. Dual’s tenure at Providence was short-lived and certainly disappointing, averaging a meager 3.3 points per game, which resulted in his transferring out after his freshman year. Dual was, however, the third-highest rated commit in Providence’s history, behind only Ricky Ledo (a top-ten national recruit in 2011 who never actually played due to academic ineligibility) and Kris Dunn ’16, a name Friars fans are more than familiar with. In 2024, English made another big splash with the recruitment of Oswin Erhunmwumse ’28, ranking just outside the top ten in Friars history. He also recruited Ryan Mela ’28, a three-star forward who was unranked nationally and has impressively carved out a role for himself in the upcoming season. English’s increased aggressiveness in the transfer portal was also evident, despite a few of the transfers posting underwhelming seasons. This past offseason showed exponential improvement in English’s recruitment; he landed Jamier Jones ’29, ranked ninth in his position, and another top 100 recruit in Jaylen Harrell ’29. The transfer portal also brought in proven talents like Jason Edwards ’G26, Jaylin Sellers ’G26, and Duncan Powell ’G26, showing even further improvement from last year’s portal.

Huge news struck PC’s campus this month when 5-star high school prospect Caleb Holt went on an official visit to Friartown. Holt is a top-five national prospect, a legitimate one-and-done college player, and on track to be an early 2027 NBA first-round pick. This is absolutely groundbreaking news for Friars basketball, and by no means does Holt even have to commit to the Friars to make it so. To put this into perspective: imagine Jaylen Brown visiting PC a decade ago, or Jayson Tatum in 2016, or VJ Edgecombe or Dylan Harper a year ago. Providence’s basketball program is certainly storied and prestigious, but not of the caliber to attract immense talent like this. It has been speculated that Providence is among a select few schools that Holt is considering for a decision. Now, some of the other schools in that group are powerhouses like Alabama, Kentucky, and Auburn, meaning it is probably not likely that he commits to PC, but the very fact that Providence is on the list with top-tier programs like those is massive news.

In August, coach English and his staff also hosted Abdou Toure, a top 40 national prospect from Connecticut. Toure recently announced he is down to his final three schools: UConn, Arkansas, and Providence. Another massive offer for the Friars, Toure would be the highest-rated freshman to ever play for PC outside of Dunn. English joins elite company in making Toure’s final list among Arkansas’ John Calipari and UConn’s Dan Hurley, two of the most well-respected coaches in college basketball. Toure’s decision announcement will come this Friday, Oct. 3. If Toure were to commit to PC, the 2026 season would start to look even more exciting for Friars fans.

Whether Holt and/or Toure commit to PC—and realistically, they very well may not—the fact that English is drawing massive talent to Providence, and also the fact that they are truly considering his offers, shows huge potential for this program with him at the helm. While the results have yet to be seen, it takes time to build a program as a new and largely unproven head coach, and the future, starting with this season, looks very bright in Friartown.