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Posted: Tuesday October 22, 2002 2:03 PM Updated: Monday October 28, 2002 1:59 PM Rhode Island Rams
The following preview is provided by Blue Ribbon. For the most thorough preview available of the upcoming season, order the 2002-03 Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook, on sale now at 1-800-775-2518. Team Preview | Blue Ribbon Analysis
When it came time to choose a speaker to welcome Rhode Island’s freshmen to campus in early September, the decision was pretty easy. The university selected men’s basketball coach Jim Baron. Baron, who was hired to revive the woebegone Rams’ program in March 2001, has five new freshmen on his team, making him a natural fit for First Night -- an event that celebrates the 2,400-member Class of 2006’s first day at college. Baron, a master motivator, encouraged the newcomers to get involved in campus activities and offered a subtle reminder that the 900 best seats in the Ryan Center -- Rhode Island’s sparkling new $54-million, 7,571-seat home -- are reserved for students. "It’s a great place to play; it’s a great atmosphere," Baron said of the Ryan Center, which replaces Keaney Gymnasium, the Rams’ home since 1953. "It’s certainly going to help with recruiting."
That applies to both fans and players. Nothing sells like success, but with a new arena and an opportunity for talented players to come in and contribute right away in a top league, the future could be bright for Rhode Island basketball. Baron, who has rejuvenated programs at St. Francis (Pa.) and St. Bonaventure, also has a proven track record, so the students who are freshmen this season could be watching a pretty decent basketball team in the Ryan Center before they are seniors. But that’s a long way away. Officially Rhode Island returns four starters, but the Rams went 8-20 last season, and nine of the 13 players are freshmen and sophomores. Forward Troy Wiley (14.1 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 1.7 bpg), the Rams’ leading scorer last season, left school after his junior season to pursue a pro career. Baron has dedicated a great deal of time trying to find players who fit into his pressing style and also are willing to put in the time in the classroom and weight room. He knows rebuilding takes time and will not take shortcuts now that could lead to trouble later. "You’ve got to do it the right way," Baron said. "Rhode Island is a great place, it’s a great school and it’s full of potential." The Rams’ greatest potential this season is in the three-man backcourt, where four experienced players return and sophomore Dawan Robinson makes his highly anticipated debut. Robinson, a 6-foot-3 guard, starred at Martin Luther King High School in Philadelphia (31.5 ppg) and Maine Central Institute (21.4 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 2.5 spg) before signing with Rhode Island. He did not qualify academically last season but gives the Rams some explosiveness on offense and is a quick-handed, on-the-ball defender. If he can quickly shake off the rust from not playing last season, he will be a major boost. Now that he’s finally healthy, the same could be said for Brian Woodward (8.9 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 1.2 apg,), a 6-foot-3 senior who was considered a top-50 recruit coming out of Cardozo High School in Queens (N.Y.) but has been slowed by knee injuries throughout his college career. Woodward made it through all of last season and has the ability to put up points in a hurry. He struggled from the outside (.186 3PT), but should continue to regain his form as long as he stays healthy. "He’s a guy that can score," Baron said. "He needs to step up and be more assertive." Dustin Hellenga (9.1 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 1.4 apg), who has both talent and youth on his side, is the top returning scorer. Hellenga, a 6-foot-4 sophomore, was Baron’s first recruit for Rhody and started 22 games as a freshman. Although he’s looking to be more consistent (.301 3PT) shooter, Hellenga can score from the outside and get to the basket and finish. Senior Howard Smith (4.7 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 2.0 apg, 1.0 spg) isn’t flashy, but he's a solid, unselfish performer who plays good defense on the perimeter. To reemphasize how young Rhode Island will be, Smith’s 33 college starts are the most on the team. Steve Mello (4.5 ppg, 1.8 rpg), a 6-foot-1 junior, provides more experience and an additional outside threat (22-of-66 3PT). "Steve is a high-energy guy who’s really improved since last year," Baron said. "He works on his defense, worked on his ball handling. He needs to be a more consistent shooter, but he approaches the game with intensity, and I just love that." Freshman Bamfield "Bam" Harmon also will be a factor in the backcourt. Harmon, one of three players on his The Colony (Texas) team to earn a college basketball scholarship, is a versatile guard that can score (14.6 ppg), rebound (5.2 rpg) and pass (3.6 apg). Sophomore Jeff Kalapos (0.1 ppg), a 6-foot-5 walk-on who played in seven games, completes the backcourt. The Rams knew last year would be the final season for center Marcus Evans, a dependable performer in the middle, but were jolted a bit by Wiley’s early departure. Senior Lazare Adingono (7.9 ppg, 3.9 rpg), a 6-foot-6 native of Cameroon, is a returning starter at forward and the only upperclassman in the frontcourt. Adingono has made remarkable progress since arriving in the United States in January 2001. A reliable outside shooter (39.1 3PT) with deep range, Adingono would have ranked fourth in the Atlantic 10 if he had averaged the required 1.5 3-point goals per game last season. Baron is counting on Abingono, a natural leader and former captain of Cameroon’s national team, to show the way for Rhode Island’s youngsters this season. "I think he has the ability to step up and be a force," Baron said. As does freshman Terrence Mack, a 6-foot-6 forward from Philadelphia. Mack (19.6 ppg, 11.6 rpg) is a strong, 233-pounder who is a tireless worker inside. He averaged nearly 16 points while scoring 1,540 points in his high school career and was runner-up to Florida recruit Matt Walsh for league MVP honors last season. Sophomores Marcel Momplaisir and Jamal Wise also will be expected to pick up where they left off last season. The 6-foot-7 Momplaisir (2.5 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 1.0 bpg) played a bit out of position while starting the first 16 games of last season at center. With a body (200 pounds) and skills more suited for the forward position, Momplaisir could benefit by returning to his natural spot and bulking up a bit to withstand the pounding he’ll take inside in the Atlantic 10. The 6-foot-5 Wise (3.1 ppg, 2.0 rpg) is something of a late bloomer who came off the bench in 24 games last season. His play improved as the season went on, as evidenced by his nine points and seven rebounds in a victory over St. Bonaventure in the regular-season finale. He has worked to improve his ball handling and shooting and should be a solid contributor. The biggest question mark for the Rams this season will be at center, where the only two true options are 6-foot-10 freshmen Jon Clark and Chris Holm. "There are a lot of unknowns, and we don’t know how everything is going to unfold," Baron said. Clark (19.1 ppg, 14.2 rpg, 3.4 bpg) was a three-time team MVP at St. Michael’s College School in Toronto and led the Blue Raiders to a 31-10 record as a senior. "We need to create an enforcer on our front line, and Jon’s a real good banger," Baron said. "He’s very strong inside, very physical, very aggressive and he can run the floor. He needs to work on his face-up shooting and on guarding quicker guys." At 258 pounds, Holm also has the potential to mix things up in the post. Holm (8.0 ppg, 6.0 rpg) helped Green Valley High School in Henderson (Nev.) to its third straight conference title and the state Class 4-A semifinals last season. Holm was chosen the Gators’ most improved player as a junior and was also his high school’s academic athlete of the year. He is still a bit raw on the court, but could develop into a solid player down the line. "Chris is an extremely talented young man with tremendous upside," Baron said. "We think he’ll make an impact on our program. He has very good hands and a nice shooting touch." When a building is featured on the cover of a preseason prospectus, it tells a lot about where a program is. Rebuilding. Sure, the excitement surrounding the opening of the Ryan Center is warranted and the facility will be a cornerstone of the Rhode Island program for a long time, but it also shows how big of a project Baron has on his hands. He is starting from the ground floor. "A lot of this is putting in the infrastructure of what needs to be done to lead to success," Baron said. "It’s a process." The Rams made some progress on the court last season, but still failed to crack double digits in wins for the third straight season. Rhode Island needs to get stronger and do a better job competing inside and must shoot better (.381 FG). The Rams’ defense (71 ppg) wasn’t that bad, but it’s difficult to win when you can’t score (61.8 ppg). The backcourt could wind up exceeding expectations if Woodward can avoid injuries and Robinson isn’t too rusty after sitting out last season. Hellenga should continue to improve, and Smith and Mello will also be able to contribute. Up front is another story. Adingono is a good leader and a nice complementary player on a good team, but he isn’t the type who can carry the load for two positions. Mack could be one of the impact freshmen in the league, and Momplaisir and Wise should continue to develop. Centers Clark and Holm will be forced to play right away. They will learn a lot, but many of those lessons figure to be delivered the hard way. No one at Rhode Island has visions of grandeur. A 10-win season, with an upset or two in the conference, and continued improvement would be logical next steps for a program headed back in the right direction.
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