Providence Recruiting

PROVIDENCE ADDS VERBAL FROM 2011 POINT GUARD

Keno Davis and staff land a top target from New England’s class of 2011

It has been quite a successful season for the Brewster Academy boy’s basketball team under the direction fo head coach Jason Smith. The Bobcats had a star-studded line-up and they lived up to the hype as they captured the NEPSAC Class A championship by defeating Winchendon School and followed that up a few days later with an overtime victory over Northfield Mount Hermon in the National Prep Championship title game.

Playing a key role on the Bobcats was 2011 point guard prospect Naadir Tharpe. The Worcester (MA) native averaged 10.5 points a game along with 5.6 assists and leading the team as an 81% free throw shooter for coach Smith.

“Naadir is a true point guard,” coach Smith told NBE today. “He understands how the game should be played.”

Now Tharpe will take that basketball understanding to the Big East as he is the first verbal commitment for Keno Davis and his staff for the class of 2011 at Providence.

“Some of the factors [in my decision] were how the school plays as Providence plays up and down as welll as [the] coaching staff and the love that was shown for me,” Tharpe responded when asked of the factors important in his decision.

Tharpe chose the Friars over Boston College, UNLV, Wake Forest and some others.

“Providence has recruited Naadir longer and more aggressively than any other school,” said coach Smith.

Being a native of Worcester (MA) played a role in his college decision as coach Smith indicated that playing in front of family and friends was an important factor for Tharpe. The strong relationship, especially with head coach Keno Davis, Tharpe developed with the coaching staff also was important to him. The system that Davis uses is very guard friendly and Tharpe could make an impact early with the Friars.

“Naadir is excited about competiting for minutes as a freshman at Providence,” said Smith. “He knows minutes must be earned. Playing in the best league in the nation for three years (NEPSAC Class A), plus the summers in an elite club program, he will be able to make an easier adjustment against quicker, stronger, more athletic people in the Big East.”

In the summer Tharpe plays on the AAU circuit with the NE Playaz under coach John Carroll. The Playaz have had a strong run of success in recent years and Tharpe is hoping to continue that success this summer and next winter at Brewster before heading to play for the Friars in the Big East.

“My goal for this summer is to win touraments with my AAU team, [the] New England Playaz, and next season at Brewster, do the same thing we did this year.”

The year-round competition and quality instruction will have Tharpe ahead of the curve as a player both mentally and physically when it is time to compete at the next level.

“He’s received tremendous coaching during the summer from Coach Carroll in the New England Playaz program,” said Smith. ” Playing for a former NBA coach, Naadir has learned a lot. He has elite level speed and quickness and possesses outstanding vision.”

Friar fans will also be VERY happy to learn that Tharpe, even at a young age, understands the importance of getting it done on the defensive end of the court. The Friars were the worst team defensively in the Big East this past season. Tharpe could help PC make very large strides on that end of the floor as he has himself since coming to Brewster to play for coach Smith.

“Defensively, keeping his man in front of him and out of the paint,” said Smith of the area of Tharpe’s game that has come along the most at Brewster. “His ability to distribute the ball, as well as make others around him better. By the time he arrives at PC, he will have played with approximately 25 other NCAA D-1 signees [at Brewster].”

Keno Davis and his hard-working staff, led by assistant Pat Skerry, has made the New England prep programs a high priority in their recruiting efforts. They have set their sites high and adding Tharpe in the 2011 class to go with 2010 NEPSAC standouts Ron Giplaye (Notre Dame Prep) and Gerard Coleman (Tilton School) as 2010 signees affirms their efforts are paying off and the Friars have a lot to look forward to in their future.

*********Follow NBE Sports on Twitter: http://twitter.com/NBESports*****