Friars Add JUCO Transfer Anton Bonke

An intriguing prospect is headed to Friartown

Anton Bonke: Providence’s newest big man. | Providence College Athletics

On the court, the Providence Friars are reeling, having been on the losing end of each of their past four contests.

Off the court, they can’t stop winning.

That’s because, on Monday, Providence College announced that Anton Bonke, a 7’2”, 260-pound forward from Port Vila, Vanuatu, will be added to the 2023-24 roster. Brendan McGair of The Woonsocket Call was first with the news.

Rumors of the new addition came ahead of Providence’s bout with Xavier on Saturday- yet nothing was concrete until the school issued its formal statement. In Monday's press release, Providence College Head Coach Kim English said the following:

“We believe that Anton has the potential to be an impactful player for our team. He has great size and strength, which is essential in the BIG EAST.”

Bonke is somewhat of a newcomer to the sport- he had no experience playing organized basketball until late 2022 when he initially emigrated to the United States. Before coming to Providence, he attended Eastern Arizona Community College in Thatcher, Arizona. As a true freshman during the 2023-24 season, he averaged 9.8 points and 5.8 rebounds per game on 58.5% shooting (72/123) across 17 contests before receiving plenty of high-major interest at the Division I level and choosing to re-open his recruitment.

While the lanky forward is (technically) a member of Providence’s 2023-24 contingent, current NCAA midyear enrollment transfer rules will prevent him from participating in any games this season. He will, however, be allowed to practice/travel with the team, and enroll in classes at Providence for the upcoming Spring 2024 semester (which, as of the time of this article, is rapidly approaching).

He will have three years of eligibility for the Friars, beginning in 2024-25. He becomes Kim English’s second major recruit in less than a week; five-star center Oswin Erhunmwunse chose the Friars last Thursday over Oklahoma, Creighton, and Georgia Tech.

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