Wilcox off to St. Francis
Former Tolman star earns Division I opportunity
A little of this, a little of that …
• Pawtucket native Tedrick Wilcox put himself in a position to grab what he viewed as the brass ring after two strong seasons with the Dominican College men’s basketball program, a Division II school located in Orangeburg, N.Y.
“Dominican happened to be one of two schools to offer me a scholarship,” said Wilcox, a 2019 graduate of Tolman High School. “I looked at it as a stepping stone. If I set some goals and did what I needed to do, I would put myself in a position to better achieve my goals.”
After earning CACCC Rookie of the Year honors as a freshman in 2019-20 and a spot on the CACC All-Conference Team as a sophomore Wilcox felt the time was right to strike. He threw his name into the NCAA transfer portal in hopes that a Division I school would come calling.
It didn’t take long for the interest that Wilcox hoped to generate to be reciprocated. Roughly an hour after entering the portal, Wilcox heard from St. Francis Brooklyn. The Terriers were the first school to believe in Wilcox and he rewarded that faith earlier this week with a verbal commitment to the Northeast Conference school.
“I always had dreams to be a Division I athlete. I always felt I could play at that level,” said Wilcox. “From the time I entered the portal to the time I committed, St. Francis was persistent and showed genuine interest. [Terriers head coach Glenn Braica] told me his goals and plans for me and how we could help out each other. It seemed like the right fit. They checked off all the boxes.”
Per Wilcox, St. Francis was one of 20 schools to reach out. If there were any concerns that he would get lost in the spin cycle – 1,134 players were in the transfer portal as of 5 p.m. Thursday – were quickly laid to rest.
“Honestly, the feeling was surreal. To have coaches from around the country knowing my name and becoming familiar with me, it felt like a dream come true,” said Wilcox, who suited up for Tolman and Rocky Hill during his high school career. “I didn’t want to make this process a long one and stretch it out. The transfer portal is flooded with names. As soon as I found a place that was home, I wanted to make a decision and start working towards my future.”
What are the Terriers getting in Wilcox? Besides a 6-foot-6 swingman with three years of eligibility, they’re getting an accurate longrange shooter – he made 39.5 percent of his threes during his Dominican College career – and a committed rebounder. Wilcox upped his rebounding average to 5.6 per game after grabbing 3.5 during his freshman season.
“Making the jump to the next level, I want to show my effort and intensity on every play,” he said. “They’re getting a hard worker who’s more than a scoring talent [15.4 ppg this past season]. I feel I can impact the game on all levels – making my teammates better and being a leader on defense.”
Looking ahead, Wilcox can’t wait to once again cross paths on the hardwood with former Shea High standout Erickson Bans when St. Francis meets Bryant University next season. Wilcox was a sophomore at Tolman when Bans was a freshman at Shea during the 2016-17 season.
“I’ve been playing against Erickson my whole life. It’s definitely a blessing to be meeting up on the same NCAA court at the Division I level,” said Wilcox, who plans to study financial management. “It’s going to be fun to go out there and be able to compete.”
• Factoring in the uniqueness of a shortened season that was shifted from the fall to the spring, a decision was made to recognize all high school football players who were nominated for the 2021 R.I. Football Scholar-Athlete honor. In years past, players would have been broken up into two categories: the Golden Dozen and the Silver-Scholar Athlete Award.
The list of locals honored with the 2021 Emo Dinitto/R.I. Chapter National Football Foundation Scholar-Athletes laurel includes Dylan Balon (Lincoln), Jack Bergin (Burrillville), Dairon Cruz (Davies Tech), Marc DiSalvo (Cumberland), Elijah DiSpirito (Woonsocket), and Anthony Morgan (Shea).
Thanks to Cranston East head coach Tom Centore, we were able to obtain a copy of what the head coaches submitted on behalf of their players. The plan is to honor all athletes sometime in May.
Lincoln head coach Sean Cavanaugh on Dylan Balon: “Dylan is an outstanding young man who excels in the classroom and on the field. He is respected by his peers and is a tremendous role model for the entire school. He is talented and dedicated to the game of football but also in every other facet of his life. He is, without reservation, the perfect candidate for this award.”
Burrillville head coach Gennaro Ferraro on Jack Bergin: “Over the past four years, I have had the pleasure of watching Jonathan grow into a mature, hard-working young adult. I have full confidence that he will be able to conquer any challenge presented to him. I believe his work ethic, leadership qualities, and determination make him a unique and valuable candidate.”
Davies Tech head coach Henry Cabral on Darion Cruz: “Darion is a quiet leader who leads by example both in and out of the classroom. He’s a two-way starter and team captain.”
Cumberland head coach Josh Lima on Marc DiSalvo: “Marc is a student-athlete who is an extremely high achiever. Marc continues to come to every team event with energy, enthusiasm, and great effort. He is a young man who leads by example – demonstrating great leadership and character. As a coach you can always count on Marc to give maximum effort. As a player, he’s a person who would step aside to help guide our younger athletes. He is an athlete who understands his role as a leader of the team and justly embraces it. In the classroom, Marc is a model student. While participating in numerous sports (football/ baseball) and clubs (Math Club, etc.) Marc has been able to succeed in extracurricular activities along with maintaining very high marks in the classroom. He is the ideal student-athlete.”
Woonsocket head coach Charlie Bibeault on Elijah DiSpirito: “Elijah was named as a captain for the 2020 season for his leadership skills on the field and his work as a tutor off the field.”
Shea head coach Dino Campopiano on Anthony Morgan: “As head football coach and Dean of Students at Shea High School, I have had the pleasure of knowing Anthony, both on a professional and a personal level. Professionally, I look upon Anthony as a unique individual. He is a strong leader among his peers. On the football field, Anthony is a fierce competitor. He earned the respect of his peers through quiet determination and dedication to team priorities. Anthony is definitely not the biggest player on the field, but his heart was bigger than anyone he came in contact with. Not only am I impressed with his athletic prowess and leadership qualities, but his dedication is something that surpasses all. He constantly strove to become a better football player by working on drills before and even after practice. Anthony was one of the first players to arrive at every practice and game, and the last to leave the field. Anthony assisted his teammates and his coaches whenever needed. His commitment to the sport and his peers goes above and beyond. I am sad to see such a hardworking, responsible young man go. I can only foresee these qualities continue throughout his college years and into adulthood. It is for these reasons that I whole heartedly recommend Anthony Morgan for this institution.”
• Wonder what Steve Gordon has been up to since retiring in 2018 following a highly-successful 50-year run as Cumberland High’s wrestling coach? Turns out for the past several years, Gordon has been the course ranger for Monday golf outings at Kirkbrae Country Club.
• It has been a busy few weeks for the Providence Friars men’s basketball program. From defections (Greg Gantt, Kris Monroe, Jimmy Nichols) to fifth-year retentions (Nate Watson, Noah Horchler), to welcoming fresh faces (Jayden Epps, Al Durham), Ed Cooley hasn’t let the grass grow underneath his feet in his quest to shape next year’s roster.
As far what moves Cooley has next up his sleeve … all eyes are on David Duke to see what he decides and how it impacts the PC program.
• Learning that movie theaters are closing left and right in Rhode Island got me thinking about a line I once heard from late PawSox owner Ben Mondor: “It’s cheaper to go to a ballgame at McCoy Stadium than it is to see a movie – or go to church.”
• Speaking of the PawSox, the keys to McCoy have officially been handed over to the City of Pawtucket. The last official day for the PawSox at McCoy was this past Wednesday.
• Memo to high school football head coaches: Develop a long snapper.
• I’m sure I’m not the only one to let out a yawn once this year’s men’s basketball Final Four field was confirmed.
• This column would have been longer, but for obvious reasons, I can’t get Frank Sinatra’s “There Used To Be a Ballpark” out of my mind. I’m open to suggestions.