All the hype surrounding Rhode Island’s 2017-18 squad is revolving around its backcourt, but Dan Hurley’s beginning to shape up the frontcourt as well. Recent commit Ryan Preston should add to the mix. The Trinity Valley Community College transfer will have 2 years of eligibility remaining with the Rams. He’ll fill Rhode Island’s final roster spot heading into the 2017-18 season, barring any changes or unexpected transfers this offseason.
Ryan Preston (6’8, F, 2017) of Trinity Valley has committed to Rhode Island
— JucoRecruiting.com (@JucoRecruiting) May 11, 2017
Skills and StatisticsÂ
Preston is a 6-8 forward coming in at 230 pounds. He’s originally from Brooklyn, New York, and he averaged 8.6 points and 6.4 rebounds per game as a sophomore with Trinity Valley. Preston also shot 57.6% from the field last season. He has a broad set of shoulders and scores a majority of his buckets inside the paint and around the hoop.
Preston is a versatile athlete with the ability to crash the boards and follow up missed shots. He apparently had interest from a number of other programs including Middle Tennessee, Kansas State, and Tennessee.
Ryan Preston at Rhode Island
Good news for Ryan Preston, he chose a school where he’s likely to see a solid amount of playing time. It’s likely that Rhode Island implements a 3 guard set (given the unbelievable depth of this backcourt), but starting positions down low are definitely up for grabs. It seems likely that Cyril Langevine sees a majority of the playing time down low; meanwhile, Dan Hurley will have to find a way to mix in big men Nicola Akele, Andre Berry, Mike Layssard Jr, and now Ryan Preston. Depending on who steps up to the plate, Preston could see some serious minutes off the bench if the Rams need to go big. His size and versatility should be an asset to a Rhode Island team that loses Hassan Martin and Kuran Iverson to graduation this offseason.
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