We’ve been speculating about when we’d see a few USF guys that played under Coach Hodgson follow him north to Providence. We have our first domino to fall, as freshman 6’1 point guard Gavin Hightower is transferring to Providence College.
We detail the commitment below and highlight all facets of his game.
Analyzing Hightower’s Game
The pit bull of a guard is known offensively for his acrobatic finishes around the rim and willingness to challenge larger bodies in the paint with reckless abandon. He shows no fear when driving to the rim, which is a mentality that you want in all of your backcourt players but seldom see. He’s a well built point guard that should only get stockier as he progresses in college.
Defensively, he’s everything you look for in an “undersized guard”. He sticks to his defender like glue, playing sound defense while also challenging the refs to call fouls on his aggressive play. He picks the pocket of his defender with ease. He’s going to be going up against larger guards in the Big East, and I’m sure the size advantage will be a detriment at times, but he isn’t going to back down from the challenge of defending. If he gets switched onto a larger wing or frontcourt player, you won’t have to worry about him simply conceding the bucket.
What I like most about his game after crunching the tape is that he doesn’t mind getting his nose dirty on both sides of the ball. He’s fearless. He challenges the big men on the opposing team when driving to the hoop, and he defends like the opposition stole his lunch money. It’s like he takes playing defense personally, and I’ve been so longing for more defenders like that at PC.
The obvious knock around Hightower is his lack of perimeter shooting, which is a peculiarity in the Hodgson offense. I don’t have a lot of concerns here, but I admit I don’t weigh somebody’s offensive prowess that highly when scouting a player.
For one, I presume Hodgson is going to surround him with shooters and scorers which means he won’t be relied upon as a primary offensive weapon. Secondarily, he’s SO quick with the ball off the dribble that it doesn’t matter if defenders sag off of him. The scout was to let him shoot, and he was still able to get a step on his man on the way to the rim. When you are that quick and athletic like Hightower is, you find ways to score even without a reliable jumper.
With all that said, we want to see him work on this aspect of his game to become a complete guard, but not many players are finished products after their freshman year of college. He has 3 more years under Hodgson to augment his game. I’m not worried given everything else he brings to the court.
Recruitment Background
Hightower comes from a background of winning. During his senior year of high school he played on one of the best nationally ranked teams in California in Sierra Canyon. He was often the top performer on that nationally loaded squad that includes Maximo Adams, a 2026 UNC signee. Coming out of high school, he was a big signing for USF, ranked as the 200th best player nationally and 20th overall point guard in the nation according to 247Composite.
As we all know, he then arrives at USF and carved out a role on the veteran laden Bulls team that won their conference championship and made the NCAA tournament.
Hodgson’s Recruiting: Building a Culture
I like that Hodgson is bringing players along (like Hightower and Byrd) who have a history of winning at high levels. That confidence and belief that you will win is a shot in the arm needed in Friartown, as the school and program are a bit battered and bruised after two down years. Winning is contagious, and I want Hodgson to keep bringing guys in that have made the tournament and win everywhere they go. Hightower fits the bill.
Projecting Hightower’s Role
It is still far too early to give playing time projections, but screw it. I’ll do it anyways.
Hightower is likely being brought in as first off the bench guard that can provide a spark to the team when called upon. He can handle the rock, but I don’t know if Hodgson is counting on him to be the starting 1. I presume Hodgson will bring in another lead guard, and he’ll give Hightower a chance to seize the starting spot from this person.
He’ll carve out a role on this team by being a defensive stopper. If he can show he can guard at an elite level at the Big East, he will earn himself a role in the Top 8 of the rotation. Defense is his pathway to early and consistent playing time.
What has me excited is he hit the opposite of the freshman wall. His best basketball was played at the end of the season, and it gives me optimism that he can carry that late season success over into his sophomore year. Hodgson catapulted him over others in the USF rotation, and he rewarded Hodgson with productive play.
Summary
We were sold Hodgson as a coach that likes to run and operate a modern, NBA style offense. Was Napolillo lulling us to sleep, and the guy he hired secretly wants to build a team of defensive minded killers?
I say this all tongue in cheek, but it is a breath of fresh air after two years of abysmal defense to land portal guys in Byrd and Hightower whose best attributes are defending. I’ve long said offense comes and goes, but a good defense is consistent night in and out.
If Hodgson can build this team’s identity around playing hard and sound defense, this Friar team will be embraced in full throat by the Friar faithful.
The Providence fanbase is a blue collar, gritty group, and they appreciate hard nosed basketball. Hodgson recognizes this, which is something his predecessor seemed to not comprehend.
We had a bunch of dead eye shooters last year that couldn’t guard worth a lick, and we saw how that worked out for Providence. Give me a defensive stopper over an offensive savant 8 days out of the week. You need players that can get stops at the end of games, and Providence hasn’t had players like Hightower and Byrd in two years. Defense wins championships, and Hightower and Byrd are two great starts.
Hightower is a very solid addition that will be a tone setter for the Friars.
Go Friars!