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PHOTO: URI<\/p>\n
URI basketball begins its 2025\/26 season against the Stetson University Hatters on Monday, November 3rd, at the Ryan Center. As they begin the season, this team lacks an identity.<\/p>\n
The team has 11 new players. Eight transfers and three freshmen. Only one scholarship player who received playing time last year returned to the team \u2013 Drissa Traore.<\/p>\n
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GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE — SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST<\/a><\/p>\n Revolving door<\/p>\n Players with unrestricted transfer ability, aided by the transfer portal and the quest for ever-increasing NIL payments, have resulted in a revolving door in college basketball locker rooms. It\u2019s like going to the gym on Saturday afternoons for a pickup game. You\u2019re on one team the first Saturday and a different team the next week. \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Players and fans have no connection<\/p>\n In the past, rosters were consistent, with teams adding three or four new players every year to replace those who graduated. Fans got a feel for the players. They had favorites, enjoyed watching them grow, and developed a connection to the players.<\/p>\n The players also developed a connection with the school, the community, and the fans. The athletic department promoted and marketed established players, and a player would surface as the \u201cFace of the Team.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n URI \u2013 49 different players in five years<\/p>\n With transient, mercenary players, none of this happens. During the past five years, URI has had 48 different players on its rosters. The basketball office recently put out a digital promotional flyer featuring a player\u2019s picture. This is a common marketing tool. However, this year, with virtually a whole new team and no established players, they used a new player who had never played in a game for URI, and by not including his name, few people knew who he was.<\/p>\n The player was a newly arrived junior guard, Johah Hinton, who most likely got paid for the use of his image!<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Player revolving door impacts<\/p>\n Coach Archie Miller was asked about the potential consequences of annual wholesale roster changes. He was asked whether this would diminish interest in the team, hurt ticket sales, weaken support for the program, and shrink financial giving. He said, \u201cI think that could be accurate, and if you are not winning, fans can get frustrated or bored.\u201d He continued, \u201cWe have to continue to do things to get players in front of fans.\u201d He talked about player appearances at an event in Newport, the open scrimmage the team held, the use of social media, news releases about players distributed by the athletic department, and educating the fan base on the movements and changes so they are always informed.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Importance of fan base<\/p>\n Miller than went on to talk about the importance of the fan base, saying, \u201cPrograms are special because of the fans and my message to anyone who ask why is Rhode Island a great place to work, why is it a great place to play, why is it a great place to go to school, is because of the fan base, and the support, and because we have a great tradition.\u201d<\/p>\n It will be interesting to see the impact of the wholesale roster changes over the past few years on ticket sales and attendance this year.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n What to expect from the Rams this year<\/p>\n Miller was asked about this year\u2019s team and what fans would see on the floor. He said, \u201cThe strength of this year\u2019s team is speed by far and away, top to bottom, players one through thirteen, our athleticism, quickness, and speed at every position is just top notch. That excites me in terms of our ability to get up and down, but also for what the speed will do for us on the defensive end.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Aggressive defense predicted<\/p>\n Miller continued, \u201cDefensively, with great quickness, we are going to be able to play an aggressive style defensively, which should lead to offense and more scoring opportunities for us.\u201d<\/p>\n Miller continued, \u201cThis team will be very different from our previous teams. We are finally able to have some size at our wing positions, being bigger at the three and four. Not big in terms of muscle and weight, but with length.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Tempo will be even faster<\/p>\n Last year, URI played an up-tempo style, and Miller was asked whether fans could expect to see more of that. He responded, \u201cYes, but it will be different. We had great tempo last year, and at times, the fastest tempo in the league. Sebastian (Thomas) had the ball in his hands a lot and pushed the pace. This year, we have more guys who can handle the ball. We have more interchangeable parts. More guys who can play, and I think to be able to play even faster.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Positionless basketball<\/p>\n Miller went on, \u201cWe have more versatility and way more skill getting more spacing than we have had in the past. What\u2019s unique about this year\u2019s team is that the defensive ability should be way more up-tempo as well. This is going to be a different team than we have had in the past. We may play five guards. We may have four guys who are 6\u20197\u201d and bigger on the floor at the same time. We are moving to positionless basketball.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n No big man underneath<\/p>\n This year\u2019s team has limited height and bulk. With the 7\u20191\u201d Moek Icke not cleared to play, the tallest players are two 6\u20199\u201d forwards. They are senior, 217 lb. Mouhamed Sow from St. Peter\u2019s and the 220 lb. grad student, Keeyan Itejere from Northern Kentucky. Itejere is extremely athletic and can jump, but he is slender.<\/p>\n When asked about the lack of a big man inside, Miller minimized the issue, saying, \u201cWith our speed and quickness we can mask the lack of height \u2026. and I have some schemes to take advantage of situations.\u201d<\/p>\n The 6\u20193\u201d 185 junior guard, Johah Hinton, who previously was with St. Bonaventure, will likely be the starting point guard, but none of the starters are known yet.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Picked 12th of 14 in A-10 poll<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n In the A-10 preseason coaches\u2019 poll, URI was picked to finish 12th in the 14-team conference. No URI players were selected for preseason all-conference teams for overall play or defensive play.<\/p>\n The team has nine guards, one player designated as a guard\/forward, five forwards, and one center (Icke, who is not cleared to play).<\/p>\n This year\u2019s Ram team is the most experienced Miller has had, featuring six graduate students, two seniors, two juniors, and five freshmen, two of whom are redshirt freshmen, so they are in their second year with the program.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Here is the 2025\/2026 URI Basketball Roster:<\/p>\n #0 \u00a0Jahmere Tripp Guard\/Forward \u00a0Jr. 6\u20196\u201d 230 lbs. previously with Fordham<\/p>\n #5 \u00a0Johah Hinton Guard \u00a0R-Jr. 6\u20193\u201d 185 lbs. previously with St. Bonaventure<\/p>\n #7 \u00a0Jalen Harper Guard \u00a0Fr. 6\u20194\u201d 190 lbs. from Philadelphia, PA<\/p>\n #8 \u00a0Alex Crawford Forward \u00a0R-Sr. 6\u20198\u201d 215 lbs. Previously with Fresno State<\/p>\n #10 \u00a0Barrett Loer Guard \u00a0Fr. 6\u20195\u201d 190 lbs. from Millis, MA<\/p>\n #11 \u00a0Javon Perry Forward \u00a0Fr. 6\u20198\u201d 200 lbs. from Springfield, MA<\/p>\n #13 \u00a0Jaymien Aponte Guard \u00a0So. 6\u20193\u201d 183 lbs. Returning player<\/p>\n #17 \u00a0Moek Icke Center \u00a0R-Fr. 7\u20191\u201d 223 lbs. Returning player<\/p>\n #20 \u00a0Myles Corey Guard \u00a0Gr. 6\u20190\u201d 185 lbs. South Alabama\/William Jessup<\/p>\n #21 \u00a0Damone King Guard \u00a0R-Fr. 6\u20192\u201d 175 lbs. Returning player<\/p>\n #22 \u00a0R.J. Johnson Guard \u00a0Gr. 6\u20191\u201d 185 lbs. Charleston Southern\/Holly Cross<\/p>\n #23 \u00a0Tyler Cochran Guard \u00a0GR. 6\u20193\u201d 225 lbs. Minnesota\/Toledo<\/p>\n #30 \u00a0Jimmy Ball Guard \u00a0Sr. 6\u20192\u201d 183 lbs. Returning player<\/p>\n #35 \u00a0Mouhamed Sow Forward \u00a0Gr. 6\u20199\u201d 205 lbs. St. Peter\u2019s<\/p>\n #40 \u00a0Keeyan Itejere Forward \u00a0Gr. 6\u20199\u201d 220 lbs. Northern Kentucky\/Maquette<\/p>\n #55 \u00a0Drissa Traore Forward \u00a0Gr. 6\u20198\u201d 220 lbs. St John\u2019s<\/p>\n