The University of Rhode Island (URI) athletic department announced the addition of four freshmen to its men’s basketball team on Friday. With these newcomers, the Rams now have a total of 14 scholarship players and 16 athletes on their roster. Among the freshmen, two will redshirt for the 2024-25 season while the other two will join as non-scholarship walk-ons.
Redshirt Scholarship Players
The scholarship players who will redshirt are:
Moek Icke: A 7’1″ center from Purmerend, Netherlands, Icke is 19 years old and has participated in the Netherlands national youth development program. In the FIBA U18 European Championships, he averaged 5.6 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game.
Damonte King: A 6’2″ combo guard from Louisville, Kentucky, King was previously announced as a signee in August. He considered attending prep school but decided to redshirt at URI. In his senior year at DeSales High School, he averaged 20 points, 5.6 rebounds, and had a shooting percentage of 50.6% from the field, 40.9% from three-point range, and 87% from the free-throw line.
Walk-On Players
The two non-scholarship freshmen are:
Arsenil Kolobov: A 6’4″ point guard from Altea, Spain.
Jaymien Aponte: A 6’3″ guard from Cranston West.
Focus on Experience and Development
Head coach Archie Miller emphasized the need for a more experienced team during the off-season. He stated, “We are not just trying to add pieces, but also be strategic about what we are doing in recruiting.” He highlighted the importance of redshirting high school players in today’s game, stating that this approach allows teams to develop young talent while preparing them for future contributions.
Miller added, “What we are offering for some guys is the opportunity to develop and then step in the following year, more ready to contribute. Then, in years three, four, and five, as you become an older player, it becomes much more attainable to earn more money through better NIL opportunities.”
Impressions of New Players
Miller expressed enthusiasm about Icke’s potential, saying, “Moek has great length, and he runs the floor really well. He is the second biggest guy on the team and has a good feel for the game. We can see he is a hard worker who will be an impact player for us when the time comes.”
Regarding King, Miller noted that URI was already recruiting him with future development in mind. He remarked, “He is a great kid with a high skill set and tremendous toughness. There is a lot to like about what Damonte brings to the table.”
With the addition of these four freshmen, the Rams now have five newcomers, including Tyonne Farrell, a 6’6″ forward from Baltimore, Maryland, who committed to URI in July 2023.
Upcoming Exhibition Game
On Monday, October 14, URI will play an exhibition game against two-time defending national champion Connecticut at the Mohegan Sun Arena as part of the Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement Game. This event will also serve as a charity fundraiser, with some proceeds benefiting Coaches vs. Cancer.
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