PC seniors in awkward spot this afternoon
Pair of Friars will be recognized, might get another season of eligibility
– Usually, Senior Day sendoffs in athletics are just that. With parents and close relatives standing by your side, you realize that it’s almost time to say goodbye, maybe shed a tear or two, dole out plenty of hugs, and try to bottle up those emotions as best as humanly possible.
Can’t forget about the game that follows once those well-deserved bows are taken.
At Providence College, a unique situation is afoot. Two of the three men’s basketball players slated to be honored before Saturday’s noontime tip against Butler could be back next year. Drew Edwards still has a year of eligibility remaining while Emmitt Holt is holding out hope that the NCAA grants him a waiver that would allow him to finish up his time as a Friar on a playing note as opposed to the spectator role he’s been forced to endure over the past few seasons.
“I’ve put so much time into this. I love the sport. I love the game. I would do anything just to be on the court,” Holt said prior to Friday’s practice at the Ruane Friar Development Center.
After sitting out last season following abdominal surgery, Holt’s comeback bid hit a bit of a rough patch. The mind was clearly willing but his body struggled to hold up under the rigors of a demanding sport. Holt saw action in six games this season before he was shut down prior to the calendar flipping to December.
He might have been removed from the equation as far as an option for this year’s PC squad, yet Holt has continued to work hard. Not long after he met with the media on Friday, he quickly changed and was out there shooting free throws before the horn sounded and practice began.
“Through patience and consistency, I feel like I’ve come a long way,” Holt said, adding that he’s gained weight and added muscle since getting shut down. “My explosiveness is just starting to come together.”
Holt is presently a grad student at PC; he finished up his undergraduate requirements prior to winter break. As someone who’s spent three years on Providence’s campus, he’s optimistic about the prospect of receiving a strong reaction from a fan base that remembers the 12.5 ppg and 5.4 rebounds he averaged during the 2016-17 season, his first with the Friars after previously making stops at the University of Indiana and Indian Hills Community College.
When Holt walks to the center of The Dunk’s court on Saturday, he’ll do so alone.
“Hopefully I’ll get the redshirt year so I decided not to invite anyone for this round,” Holt said. “My mother (Caroline Holt-Logins) asked me if I wanted her to come down.”
The recommendation of what would be a sixth year of eligibility for Holt has been submitted. As far as when he might hear back from the NCAA, Holt said with a smile that the coaching staff is staying on top of it and current with those individuals who hold Holt’s case in their hands.
“It’s a rare scenario, but given the condition I was in, I feel like I can get the redshirt,” Holt said.
When he’s been spotted on the Friar bench, Holt has been spotted talking to his teammates, particularly during timeouts. As coach Ed Cooley noted, Holt has been caught between a rock and a hard place as far as being supportive and trying to get back to the level he was at prior to his surgery.
“Emmitt’s got a great personality. He helps the guys and he’s a funny young man, but he’s gone through a lot of health issues,” Cooley said. “Hopefully he continues to get healthy. That’s what we’re most concerned about.”
Edwards is listed as a redshirt junior, the result of missing all but eight games during the 2016-17 season after having knee surgery the previous summer. He’s set to graduate in May and plans to sit down with Cooley after the season about either coming back or latching on with another program as a grad student.
“I want to play and would love to be here,” Edwards said. “If it works out for me and coach Cooley, that would be great. But we’re focused on right now. We still have a lot of season left.”
Whether his time at PC is up or not, there’s no denying that Edwards has seen plenty of winning during his Friar career. He’s the last active Providence player who can say he was a college teammate of Kris Dunn, now in his third season in the NBA. As a freshman, Edwards carved out a special niche in PC basketball lore when he delivered the perfect outof-bounds pass to a cutting Rodney Bullock that resulted in a game-winning layup and a victory over USC in the NCAA Tournament.
It’s fair to say that Edwards’ role this season has been greater than anyone originally anticipated. He’s averaging career bests in minutes (11.4) and points (3.3).
“I’m very happy to be here. Not many people get the opportunity to be in a place like this and I’ve enjoyed every bit of it,” Edwards said.
Edwards is part of a close-knit family – he’s expecting a 15-person entourage on Saturday. His older brother Darryle is a grad assistant at PC while his twin sister Danielle is busy applying the finishing touches to her own college hoops career at Clemson. Last week, Drew flew down to see Danielle receive the Senior Day treatment.
“I surprised her. That was the first time I saw her play in college,” Edwards said. “Originally, I texted her the night before, saying I wouldn’t be able to make it and to go get ‘em. I ended up showing up, held a sign, and she started crying. It was a great surprise. The love was there.”
Isaiah Jackson is the lone member of this year’s Senior Day group who knows he’ll be taking his final bow on Saturday. The redshirt senior from Gainesville, Fla. has gotten hot at a good time, averaging 17.5 ppg over his last two games. He registered a Friar-best 21 points in Wednesday’s overtime loss at Creighton.
“Just the urgency, knowing that we’re going to the Big East Tournament next week and hopefully we can make a run,” said Jackson about the Friars knowing that they’ll be playing on that first night of the conference’s annual showing at Madison Square Garden. “The team is doing a good job of getting me going.”
Coming out of high school, Jackson said it was a personal goal of his to be recruited by a Big East school. After ending up at George Mason and playing there as a freshman, Jackson came to PC and has proven to be a solid contributor who has come to epitomize the position-less style that’s en vogue in today’s basketball culture. He said on Friday that he’s looking forward to sharing the Senior Day stage with his mother Gail, who’ll be attending her first game at The Dunk.
“I knew the time would go by fast the moment I got here,” Jackson said. “I’m just happy to have this moment with my mom.”