Ocean State Ballers

Rhode Island might be the smallest state in New England, but that does not mean it isn’t home to some of the most talented players. Between the competitive games and entertaining player matchups, the Rhode Island basketball scene is something to tap into and appreciate. Here are some of the athletes representing the area. Gus Holch - Providence Country Day - 6’6’’ - SF/PF - 2022 Holch is an absolute force on defense. The energy and effort he gives his team daily are vital to Providence Country Day (PCD). The Manchester, Massachusetts, native in his first year with PCD, has provided athleticism and size to the last line of the team’s defense. Protecting the rim at an elite level, Holch has great mobility and timing to fly in from the weak side and reject any player at the hoop. The 6’6’’ wing is unique because he plays like a center on defense, but he handles the ball and scores like a 2 guard on offense. He can stretch the floor with outside shooting and take his man off the dribble and finish strong. His versatility, combined with his maximum effort on both sides of the floor, makes him very valuable. Azariah Harrison - Classical High - 5’10’’ - PG - 2024 Harrison is ranked #5 on ballinri.com’s "Class of 2024 Preseason Rankings," and when I watch the 5’10’’ floor general play, I think he can easily crack the top 3 by year’s end. With his quick-trigger release, Harrison can put on a show from the perimeter as he can hit contested jump shots off the dribble and catch. A one-man press break, he is exceptional at getting by defenders and creating plays when the opposing team shows a full-court trap. Harrison is a quick decision-maker, knowing he just needs to make a simple crossover to get by his defender and into the halfcourt to create offense for himself and his teammates. A terrific isolation player, the Classical High point guard can rock defenders to sleep before attacking them and finishing strong with either hand, or a dish off to his teammates. [player_tooltip player_id="1081816" first="Marquis" last="Buchanan"] - Classical High - 6’3’’ - SG/PG - 2022 Buchanan is a physical specimen. At 6’3’’, he has elite speed and athleticism combined with a long wingspan. Buchanan has the physical make-up of a player who can dominate both sides of the floor whenever he wants. The combo guard is impressive going coast to coast with the basketball. Using his long strides, quickness, and ball-handling ability, he can weave in and out of the defense and finish strong at the rim faster than anyone. Buchanan shoots efficiently at all three levels. When you factor in how easy it is for him to drive by defenders and create offense, the junior becomes nearly impossible to guard. He checks every box for a two-way combo guard. Whether you want him facilitating at the point or be a potent scorer off the ball, Buchanan can do so. On defense, he has the length and lateral quickness to stay in front of anyone and has the tools to be one of the best lockdown defenders. Victor Rodriguez - Virginia Prep Sports Academy - 6’3’’ - SG - 2021 Rodriguez is a very polished offensive player in the halfcourt. Originally from Providence, Rhode Island, the Virginia Prep Sports Academy guard is excellent at getting into the paint and finishing over the forwards attempting to meet him at the rim. Using strong rip-throughs and possessing one of the quickest first steps, Rodriguez can drive middle at will. He hits acrobatic layups and has tremendous concentration and body control to finish with either hand. Despite being an incredible scorer, Rodriguez is very unselfish and can create plays for his Virginia Prep teammates. In the halfcourt, he is excellent at creating 2-on-1 power-play opportunities when the help defender steps up and commits to him, and Rodriguez never hesitates to dump off the pass to the open man under the rim. He has a nose for the ball on defense, showing impeccable timing, pickpocketing the ball handler, and always having active hands on the weak side disrupting passes. [player_tooltip player_id="1106056" first="Matt" last="Raffa"] - Barrington High - 6’1’’ - PG/SG - 2024 Not many players, never mind freshman, can light it up from three-point land like Raffa. Displaying picture perfect form and release, Raffa is so smooth and confident when he is pulling up multiple feet behind the line. When you watch him dominate teams from the outside, the wisest adjustment would get in his air space and not let him shoot. Unfortunately for the defense, the freshman combo guard can put the ball on the deck and get to the basket effectively, making him a tough cover. Off the ball, Raffa comes off screens hard and does not hesitate to shoot. Raffa makes you pay for lazy closeouts and annihilates zone defenses with his sniping ability. At 6’1’’, he has the potential to be a shutdown on-ball defender. He is swift afoot and can beat the ball handler to a spot and take successful charges. With his tenacity on defense and elite shooting, Raffa will have no problem seeing many possessions on the court, especially late in games. Octavio Brito - Lincoln High - 6’4’’ - SG/SF - 2021 Brito is electric on the basketball court, and his intensity and the passion he plays with sets the tone for Lincoln. A human highlight reel on the fastbreak, the senior guard will "wow" you with his ferocious tomahawk dunks on the fastbreak. Brito has one of the most impressive off-hands of anyone I’ve seen. He is unstoppable going to his left and is an exceptional finisher. His passing is jaw-dropping because he can throw dimes with either hand through the smallest windows and shows great touch dropping passes to teammates for easy baskets. With Brito’s show-stopping play, what can fly under the radar is his scoring in the post. He can feast on smaller players inside and has a money fadeaway jumper. A free safety on defense, Brito’s anticipation and awareness leads to him accumulating steals that ignite the fast break. Ryan Joseph - Providence Country Day - 6’4’’ - SF - 2022 Joseph is a great stretch 4 who can step out and hit threes; and because a bigger forward is guarding him, he can attack off the dribble and get into the teeth of the defense. A player who can fill up the scoring column is a great cog for the PCD offense and his scoring opens up the rest of the floor for his teammates. Joseph is an excellent rebounder and defender. I like the way he fights underneath on the offensive glass, and he is so strong that it is hard for defenders to push him out the paint so he cannot give PCD extra possessions. He does a great job boxing out on the other end and he is great on help-side defense. When he is one pass away on defense, he is very good at cutting off penetration when the ball handler tries to drive and getting back to closeout to the shooter. Being the go-to scorer on offense and doing the little things on defense makes Joseph stand out amongst other players at his position. [player_tooltip player_id="1081833" first="Brendan" last="McRoy"] - Providence Country Day - 6’2’’ - SG/PG - 2022 The 6’2’’ wing is a fascinating athlete who can score in various ways. McRoy’s ability to create separation off the dribble is fluid, and his dribble, pull-up game is smooth. He has the ball-handling ability and the playmaking acumen to be a productive point guard. McRoy also makes smart decisions when using ball screens. He has the confidence to shoot the three if the defense goes under the screen; or if he uses the screen, he can get all the way to the basket. A crafty finisher, the junior layup package consists of numerous creative finger rolls with either hand. McRoy is an excellent shot-blocker for his position. He has an underrated leaping ability and will surprise people with his ability to come from the weak side and protect the rim. Stanley Urey, Jr. - Classical High - 6’2’’ - SG - 2021 Urey is a blur in transition when he has the ball and can outrun any defender on the way to the hoop. A lightning rod on offense, his scoring prowess can completely alter a game with how he can score in bunches. His ability to run full speed and either stop on a dime to pull up in transition or slow down and change direction is unique. Urey always keeps the defense off balance and creates countless good looks for the team. A proficient shooter, the senior guard can play off the ball and be a scoring threat from the outside. He is a terrific rebounder for a guard as he is relentless on the offensive glass. His high intensity and motor make him a pest on defense, and his aggressiveness can create turnovers.