Reinforcements on the way for ’Nova
Major recruits Spellman, Painter help fill void
Coming off one of the greatest
HOUSTON seasons in Villanova basketball history, the Wildcats will have to replace their heart and soul.
Fortunately for coach Jay Wright, a couple of big guys are on the way to help fill that big void.
Outgoing guard Ryan Arcidiacono and forward Daniel Ochefu played huge parts in the program’s success over their four years in Philadelphia. Arcidiacono was the quintessential coach on the court for Wright, and Ochefu wore many hats as the team’s rim protector and inside presence/ transition spark offensively.
Never was the duo more important than in this 35-5, Big East regular-season championship season in which the Wildcats captured the national championship, defeating North Carolina 77-74.
Arcidiacono leaves as the school’s alltime leader in games played (144). He was the first player in Villanova history to collect 1,500 or more points and 500 or more assists. Ochefu scored more than 1,000 points and pulled down more than 900 rebounds over his career. That’s a lot of production going away.
“I just feel fortunate to have been along on the ride with these guys,” Wright said.
The cavalry comes next year in the form of five-star recruit Omari Spellman and three-star Dylan Painter.
Spellman, a 6-9, 287-pound center out of North Royalton, Ohio, is Villanova’s most highly regarded recruit since 2010. It’s the second year in a row the Wildcats have nabbed a five-star. Wright added point guard Jalen Brunson the previous season. Spellman excels on the offensive end, using his athletic skills to get easy baskets. His ability in transition fits well with Wright’s guard-driven attack.
“Spellman is a guy who should be able to help right away,” said Eric Bossi, national recruiting analyst for Rivals.com. “The departure of Ochefu will open up big minutes, and Spellman should be able to fill many of them. He projects as an instant impact player.
“He will have to work on his conditioning, but he’s a rugged big man who also has the touch and skill to face the rim and make jumpers.”
Painter, a 6-10, 215-pound power forward from Hershey, Pa., adds depth. He drew notice with strong play on the AAU circuit in Philadelphia. He will blend with Tim Delaney, out with an injury in 2015-16, and Darryl Reynolds in the frontcourt.
“Painter is more of a long-term guy,” Bossi said. “He’s fairly athletic. He just needs some time to get stronger and is a good candidate to be redshirted as a freshman.”
Villanova is expected to bring back much of its top talent, including junior sharpshooting forward Kris Jenkins, junior guard and leading scorer Josh Hart and freshman standout Brunson. Sophomore guard Phil Booth and redshirt freshman swingman Mikal Bridges also are expected to return. Underclassmen have until April 24 to declare for the NBA draft.
So Wright and Co. shouldn’t skip a beat in 2016-17. Even without Arcidiacono and Ochefu.