Big East Conference report

SportsLine Report
June 21, 2000

This Providence College offseason is sponsored by the letter U.

As in, upheaval.

As bad as the regular season was -- and at 11-19, it was pretty bad -- it must seem like the salad days now as the Friars' offseason has been an amazing mess.

First there was a melee involving four basketball players -- allegedly Donta Wade, Llewellyn Cole, David Murray and Jamaal Camah -- who went to the home of a student to challenge him for not allowing one of the players into a bar where he worked as a bouncer.

The student, Thomas Cook, suffered a broken nose and fractured jaw that required surgery while his housemate, Mark Hogan, suffered injuries to his jaw and cheekbone, also requiring surgery. Another student said he was assaulted by Camah but that his injuries were minor.

In the court room, Camah got off lightly, charged with just one count of simple assault. The other three are looking at jail time, charged with two counts of felony assault and another of felony conspiracy. The three players who were scheduled to return for the Friars -- Camah, Murray and Wade -- were expelled by the school.

The expulsions were challenged by the players, but the school's president, Rev. Philip A. Smith, O.P., upheld the discipline, calling the incident the most troubling he had encountered in his six years on the job.

Camah, Murray and Wade combined to average 20.5 points last season and were all expected to challenge for starting jobs next season.

In some ways the situation could have been much worse. The Providence Journal reported that two other players were also implicated in the brawl, but that coach Tim Welsh has confirmed that junior guard Chris Rogers and freshman forward Romuald Augustin are both still on the team.

The Friars finally got some good news on Wednesday when 7-foot-2 center Karim Shabazz, who had decided to toss his name into the NBA Draft, opted to return to Providence for his junior season.

With Shabazz back in the fold, the Friars actually hope to improve upon last season's record, though postseason play is still a ways off.

A glance at 2001

Two keys will be at center and point guard. Shabazz was a major disappointment. He had his nights but since teams frequently double-teamed him and he lacked strength to power through crowds or offensive rebound with much authority, he was too often a non-factor. Welsh notes that Shabazz wore down as the season went on and weighed only about 215 pounds by March. He must bulk up and improve his stamina.

At point guard, the healthy return of Linehan is paramount. He'll be classified as a junior and give the Friars the floor leader and defensive presence they badly need. That's if he's fully healthy.

The coach

Any realistic Providence fan is still firmly behind Welsh and the program's future. However, realistic fans don't populate too many locales in the Big East. Friar fans expect winning and an 11-win season is tough to swallow.

Sources say Welsh has been surprised by the obstacles he faces at Providence but he still believes he can win there. Another crop of recruits could fortify the program with the additional size and scoring last year's team did not possess. Welsh is now 97-55 in his five years as a head coach at PC and Iona. He's 27-33 at Providence.

Who'll be back

Remember the old joke that the good and the bad news is everyone's back? That one applies to the Friars.

``You just don't get better because you have freshmen become sophomores,'' Welsh said. ``Our guys have to go back and work. We have to get the older guys in the weight room and we have to get John Linehan back and add a couple of other pieces and maybe we'll be better. I don't know. It's not automatic that because you're older, you're better.''

Linehan, Mills and Chris Rogers give the Friars three ballhandlers. The team could be especially thin at the wing spots with Romuald Augustin as the only returner. Up front, senior Erron Maxey is an all-Big East candidate and the program's one shining light. Shabazz must improve if the team is to make a marked move forward.

Who's gone

The losses of Camah, Wade and Murray hurt the Friars' depth.

Although nothing was for sure, it appears at least two players will transfer. The two top candidates appear to be freshmen Mark Jarrel-Wright and Marcus Jefferson.

Key newcomers

Welsh is trying to inject some new life into the program with some talented newcomers. One of the keys to the season will be how quickly these players progress.

• F Marcus Douthit (6-10, 215, Fr.): A forward with great size and skills, Douthit is seen as a raw talent who will develop quickly. He shoots with range and is a top passer. Once he gets into a system and works hard, this Syracuse, NY native could show that he's a steal.
• G Sheiku Kabba (6-2, 205, Fr.): An older (21) guard with scoring ability and great strength, Kabba is seen as a major sleeper in many circles.
• G Donell Allick (6-3, 200, Fr.): Another older (20) freshman, Allick was awaiting a qualifying SAT score in order to be eligible.
• Others: As of April 1, the Friars were still searching for another wing shooter and a big man.