Friars pursue Akok
Providence recruiting Mass. AAU standout
PROVIDENCE – In March at the All About The Buckets 2K18 charity event at CCRI-Warwick, David Duke and A.J. Reeves were asked about targeting 2019 prospect Akok Akok with a full-court sales pitch.
Duke and Reeves were already signed, sealed, and ready to be delivered Providence College’s way. When the time was right, both said they would go to work on their fellow Mass Rivals AAU product in Akok.
The more players with Mass Rivals ties on the Friars’ roster the better for coach Ed Cooley.
With Akok taking an official visit to PC’s campus this weekend, the school’s firm ties to the highly successful grassroots program serves as a valuable recruiting trump card for Cooley and his staff. The Friars’ pipeline to Mass Rivals includes current PC freshmen Duke and Reeves and sophomore Makai Ashton-Langford. The list is substantial enough for Cooley to draw upon and keep reiterating to the 6-foot-9, fourstar-rated Akok as the youngster dives deeper into his recruiting journey.
“There’s history and they definitely have that advantage,” said Thomas Espinosa, Akok’s high school head coach at Connecticut’s Putnam Science Academy. “I think Akok feels comfortable knowing three [Mass Rivals] guys are there.”
Akok has been on Providence’s campus several times already; he attended last year’s Late Night Madness and has already checked out the Friars’ new practice facility, the Ruane Friar Development Center. Besides PC, Akok has official visits lined up at three former Big East schools (Syracuse, Connecticut, Pittsburgh) and one current league member (Georgetown).
Reached earlier this week, Espinosa said that Akok told one potential suitor that “he’d love to have a decision by the new year. All of his visits will be done by the end of October, so it could happen sooner. Every kid, no matter what they say, whether they’re sick of it or not, at the end of the day this is something they’ll always remember … big-time coaches coming in.
“For Akok, I think he has enjoyed the process and it’s well deserved,” Espinosa added. “He’s come a long way and works pretty hard.”
This coming season marks the third year that Espinosa has coached Akok.
“His strength and overall confidence, plus the ability to put the ball on the floor … all those things have improved over time,” Espinosa said. “He’s got a pro skill set. His two biggest strengths are blocke ing shots and hitting threes. That’s pretty unique.” g Handicapping the Akok Sweepstakes, Esd pinosa said Syracuse has been on the younge ster the hardest and the longest – Orange assistant coach Gerry McNamara has been e the point person. UConn is trying to play n y s
L catchup with an in-state talent following the coaching change with former URI boss Dan Hurley now calling the shots. Georgetown and second-year head coach Patrick Ewing have been weekly fixtures at Putnam Science this fall.
“It’s going to be interesting,” Espinosa said. “I think everyone has done a great job with Akok.”
PC’s involvement with Akok took full flight during the 2017 summer and reached an even higher level last week when Cooley and assistant Brian Blaney went to Putnam Science Academy for a breakfast meeting with the recruit.
“Cooley does a good job. He tells it how it is,” Espinosa said. “He sits down and gives a good spiel.”
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Akok’s presence at PC coincides with the formal dedication of the $30 million practice facility that’s scheduled for Saturday morning. Tours of the Ruane Friar Development Center for invited guests and season ticket holders will follow the ceremony.
“I’m biased because this is our baby, but it has everything we wanted and more in it from a visionary standpoint,” said PC athletic director Bob Driscoll. “When you have a conversation of possibility, you create it, and then you can’t afford it so you have to start making cuts … I don’t think we cut anything back. Everything we wished for came through.”
The Friars have been practicing in their new digs since returning from Italy with Cooley officially moving into his new office space earlier this week.
“Putting his pictures up, he was like a kid in a candy store … Christmas day for coach Cooley,” Driscoll said.
What shouldn’t be forgotten on ribbon-cutting day is the generosity extended by so many PC boosters and supporters in helping to bridge the much-needed gap of featuring a basketball-centric practice venue, one that only further emphasizes the school’s commitment to Cooley’s program.
“It’s the ultimate team approach … from everyone who bought a season ticket, to the trustees, to the faculty,” Driscoll said. “It really is all of Friartown that helped make this happen. That’s the cool thing and everyone should feel good.”
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RIM RATTLERS: One week after PC hosted Al-Amir Dawes on an official visit, the 2019 combo guard from New Jersey is spending this weekend on Clemson’s campus. Per Dawes’ high school head coach, Chris Chavannes of The Patrick School, St. John’s is going hard after the 6-foot-2 youngster. Chavannes also passed along that Dawes would like to have a decision in place by the end of October. … Espinosa mentioned that DeMarr Ashton-Langford, a 2020 guard at Putnam Science and younger brother of PC’s Makai, is starting to gain serious traction on the recruiting circuit. Right now, DeMarr is holding scholarship offers from Georgetown, West Virginia, Pittsburgh, and UConn. “He’s going to be special,” Espinosa said.