Cole Hargrove is coming to Providence with a very specific role: be the back-up 5 to Oswin and provide quality minutes when Oswin and Powell are either in foul trouble or need a rest on the bench. Hargrove transferred to Providence from Drexel after 3 years there, so naturally the comparisons are going to be made to the junkyard dog Ed Croswell who also came from the city of Brotherly Love (LaSalle). If we can get even 50% of senior year Ed Croswell’s production, we’ll be happy campers, but I digress…
Due to the glaring need on the roster for frontcourt help, this may be one of the most important portal additions in the entire transfer portal class, despite the lack of hype around the Hargrove signing as there were the others. The frontcourt is dissimilar to the backcourt and wings in that the frontcourt really has to rely on a clean bill of health to ensure a successful season. Oswin is without question the most important piece to the Providence Friars in 2025-2026, and that is both a testament to his skillset while also equally as terrifying to put in writing. If the Friars are going to make the postseason, Oswin needs to stay healthy.
The expectations for Hargrove are tempered, which I’m actually happy to see. One of the primary reasons Kim English hasn’t had postseason success over the last two years is the lack of a quality back-up big. We’ve had a stellar starting 5 man in each of his two seasons, but the drop-off is extreme and immediately noticeable once the starter subs out.
In Kim’s first season, Will McNair left us at the 11th hour to get a larger role at Kansas State and Josh Oduro’s back-up big became Rafael Castro, who simply couldn’t give Providence quality minutes at the center position. It isn’t lost on me that Castro had a fantastic year last year at George Washington, but I don’t second guess moving off of Castro. This was a situation where Castro needed to find a new home and start afresh…I also don’t blame English at all for the McNair departure, as he left PC in a complete bind.
Last year, I thought the trio of Essandoko, Oswin, and Bonke would provide a formidable frontcourt in the Big East based off projecting Essandoko’s production from St. Joe’s to Providence; however, none of the three besides Oswin could even play a consistent stretch of quality Big East minutes. Essandoko was a highly touted portal player, but didn’t show up physically ready to be a contributing member of the Providence Friars. Bonke was always a project, but the galaxy brain thinking was that Bonke could develop behind the duo of Essandoko and Oswin and be a factor in 2026 and beyond. The “miss” on Essandoko really was a 1b to torpedo-ing the season last year, with 1a being the Hopkins injury. It isn’t discussed enough just how much of a misevaluation Christ was and how much it set back the program.
Thus, the depth of the frontcourt that I expected heading into 2024-2025 was smoke and mirrors and left Kim English with a need to identify frontcourt depth behind Oswin for 2025 and beyond. English did that with adding a veteran transfer in Hargrove and international project in Peteris Pinnis, but I’m still in wait and see mode with both of these guys.
All Providence is asking of Hargrove is to keep the ship afloat when Oswin isn’t in the game. If Hargrove can provide 10-15 minutes of quality minutes and not be a weak link when in the game, he’s done his job and then some.
Below we’ll break down his collegiate career to date, role for 2025-2026, and keys to a successful season.
College Career to Date
Hargrove was a non-factor in college basketball in his first two years, averaging only 4 minutes a game with zero starts. In his junior year, he exploded onto the scene seemingly out of nowhere, starting all 33 games, averaging 10 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks.
The ultimate question here is this: is this the start of a late career emergence or was this a one year outlier? Secondarily, will the jump from the A10 to Big East hinder his continued development? I don’t think any of us expect a 10 and 8 season from Hargrove, but will the increase in performance and skill level of his opposition have him revert back to the minimal production of his first two years of college? I think the answer to these questions lie somewhere in the middle, but there is reason to have concerns. Thankfully, we aren’t banking on Hargrove being the anchor at the 5 like we were with Oduro and Essandoko.
Keys to a Successful Season
- The sky isn’t falling when he plays extended minutes – The past two years when our starting center left the game (Oduro and then Oswin), the back-ups proved entirely incapable of holding the 5 spot without being a complete liability. It forced English to try and play his starting 5’s 30+ minutes a game, which isn’t a recipe for long term success in a grueling Big East season. If Hargrove can be the back-up 5 and give serviceable minutes in such a way that we aren’t holding our collective breath until Oswin returns back into the game, that’s a win. Yes, the past two years of suboptimal frontcourt play from the bench has set the bar quite low.
- Enforcer in the Frontcourt – I’d love to see Hargrove do his best Ed Croswell and Emmit Holt impressions and set the tone that Providence isn’t going to be bullied anymore. Providence desperately needed more players with edge, and I’m hopeful Hargrove can bring that attitude. He is certainly physically built to be that guy, and I think he needs to lean into this role as an enforcer when he enters the game. Use those fouls wisely, young man.
- Production without Set Plays – Hargrove can be a 7 and 5 guy without a single offensive play designed for him. He can hunt rebounds and get garbage points off put backs and offensive boards. There are a lot of players on Providence who will be demanding the rock. Hargrove needs to embrace his glue guy, selfless role.
Estimated minutes per game: 15-18 minutes with him being the first frontcourt player off the bench.
Thought experiment: Would English ever go old school “two bigs” and pair Hargrove and Oswin together at the 4/5? It goes against English’s philosophy of pace and space, but a bit of bully ball in the post would be intriguing if the situation calls for it. I anticipate Powell will get a lot of those 4 minutes, but I wouldn’t be opposed to seeing Hargrove and Oswin play alongside each other on the low block.
Summary
Maybe I’m being a bit too dramatic here, but I think Hargrove may have one of the most crucial roles to fill out of all the transfers, and I’d make the argument he is the most important transfer out of the entire class.
Yes, we are going to expect more of Edwards, Sellers, and Powell, I get it. But I think this PC team can still make the tournament and have success if any of the three listed above don’t meet expectations and are a flop for whatever reason.
If Hargrove is a “miss”, we have nothing behind Oswin. If Hargrove can’t be the back-up five man and we have to 1. Rely on Oswin to play 30+ minutes 2. Pinnis to be the back-up 5, I think Providence is in serious trouble.
So, while there aren’t high expectations for Hargrove, it is really important that Kim and staff nailed this eval because Hargrove is going to be a key cog to the frontcourt. I’m really looking forward to seeing Hargrove play because he just may be the key to how far this Providence team goes in March and beyond.
Providence Crier Player Preview
Ryan Mela – https://theprovidencecrier.com/2025/09/27/providence-crier-player-preview-ryan-mela-season-2-encore/
Daquan Davis – https://theprovidencecrier.com/2025/09/29/providence-crier-player-preview-daquan-davis-the-defensive-dynamo/
Jason Edwards – https://theprovidencecrier.com/2025/10/01/providence-crier-player-preview-series-second-time-is-a-charm-for-jason-edwards-and-the-friars/
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