PROVIDENCE — Ed Cooley doesn’t plan to change.
Last season represented a breakthrough for the Providence men’s basketball coach. Big East’s first regular season title in the show’s history, a long-awaited return to the Sweet 16, conference and National Coach of the Year honors — it was a storybook 2021-22 campaign.
That said, Cooley did not come to this point in his career because he was satisfied. His next batch of friars is now ready for summer training at his gleaming practice facility. Seven new scholarship players, five transfers, two freshmen, are acclimating to what Cooley expects.
“We will not deviate from who we are,” Cooley said. “We are going to defend, we are going to rebound and we are going to execute. We are going to do those three things at a high level. Hopefully, that gives us a chance to win.”
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Providence’s roster last season stuck to Cooley’s particular brand of basketball better than most. The Friars ran their most efficient offense since 2014-15, committed the fewest turnovers since 2015-16 and shot their best percentage from 3-point range since 2016-17. They played better 2-point defense than any Providence team in nine years and allowed assists on just 46% of opposing field goals, the best mark since Cooley’s signing away from Fairfield in 2011–12.
The friars were mature and connected. Can they foster the same identity over the course of 2022-23? Jared Bynum, Ed Croswell and Alyn Breed all played a part in that success: Rafael Castro watched from the bench as a redshirt freshman. Cooley hopes his leadership and some open market successes similar to Al Durham and Justin Minaya will take Providence from here.
“We’ve got seven new guys,” Cooley said. “Trying to learn who we are and what we are. We are basically at zero.”
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Clifton Moore and Noah Locke have Power 5 experience at three different schools: two seasons at Indiana for Moore, four combined at Florida and Louisville for Locke. Your contributions will be vital. The Friars bet on the upside with three decorated former recruits in Bryce Hopkins (Kentucky), Devin Carter (South Carolina) and Corey Floyd Jr. (Connecticut). Carter was the most productive of that trio last season, averaging 9.0 points and 3.8 rebounds for the Gamecocks.
“They will show up,” Cooley said. “I like to believe that we train their confidence instead of training them personally. I think you have to train their confidence and let them know they are good players.”
Jayden Pierre and Quante Berry will be wild cards as freshmen. Can Pierre evolve quickly enough as a point guard for Bynum to get some rest along the way? Will Berry take a few minutes from Breed, Locke, Floyd, Carter and Hopkins? The competition in the backcourt and on the wings beyond Bynum will continue.
“Hopkins has stood out a little bit,” Cooley said. “But the biggest surprise for me has been Jayden Pierre. He has been good.
Providence will defend its title against an ever-changing conference. Jay Wright’s retirement at Villanova and the signing of Kyle Neptune out of Fordham shocked the sport. Neptune worked with Wright for nearly a decade, but there are always legitimate questions about how to replace a Hall of Famer.
“Big hit for the Great East, big, big hit,” Cooley said. “Not only how consistent is (Wright’s) program, but he is the person who is an ambassador. Be an Olympic coach. His general ‘it’ for our league.
“We all have to pick it up.”
Sean Miller at Xavier, Thad Matta at Butler and Shaheen Holloway at Seton Hall, the darling of last year’s NCAA Tournament thanks to his Elite Eight career with Saint Peter’s, bring three notable names to the conference. The Musketeers gave the Friars all kinds of trouble in a couple of exciting matchups last season. And, of course, there’s the team that eliminated Providence from last year’s conference tournament: Creighton could start in the top 10 nationally in preseason.
“I like our level of talent,” Cooley said. “I still don’t know where we are. But I’m so happy that we have the summer to figure this out.”
On Twitter: @BillKoch25