Merry Christmas Providence!
Christmas came a day early for Providence head coach Keno Davis as he landed perhaps the biggest commitment in the program’s history late Friday night.
Providence native Ricardo Ledo made a verbal commitment to the Friars on Christmas Eve just three days after watching the Friars defeat Sacred Heart.
“It was late last night but everybody is just starting to find out today,” Ledo said Saturday afternoon. “I was with my family and I just called the coaches and told them. They were happy, very happy.”
Ledo broke the news via his twitter account at 1:39 on Saturday afternoon when he wrote, “I’m proud to be a PC friar n happy with my choice.”
Ten minutes later he added, “I put on for my city.”
The Providence native was being courted by some of the most prestigious programs in the country. He took an unofficial visit to UConn last week and had trips to Louisville and Kentucky planned for next week. UCLA, Kansas, West Virginia, Texas, Syracuse, Villanova, and Pittsburgh were also involved.
“It was a gut feeling that I felt it was the right place for me and I’d have a chance to go in and play right away,” he said. “Louisville was getting too many guards. Kentucky was close, I just thought staying home and playing in front of my family would be a better fit for me.”
The thirteenth ranked player and third ranked shooting guard in the national class of 2012, Ledo would be the highest ranked player to ever sign with Providence.
This is the second consecutive year that Davis and his staff have kept one of New England’s most talented players close to home as current freshmen Gerard Coleman is a Massachusetts native who was the highest ranked player to ever commit to the Friars at the time of his pledge last year and has already been named Big East Rookie of the Week one time this season.
Ledo began his career at Bishop Hendricken but is currently a junior at the South Kent School after spending last season at St. Andrew's.
Ricardo Ledo
Gerard Coleman