Ledo enjoying Friars' success

January 27, 2011

Ricky Ledo likes the direction Providence College is heading under the head coach Keno Davis.

PROVIDENCE – For Ricky Ledo, it’s games like Providence College’s 83-68 vanquishing of No. 8 Villanova on Wednesday night that has the Providence native convinced he made the right call.
Sitting behind the PC bench with several of his new Notre Dame Prep teammates, Ledo could only imagine the possibilities as Vincent Council pushed the ball against the guard-oriented Wildcats, with Gerard Coleman and Marshon Brooks filling the lanes. Playing in Keno Davis’ wide-open attack is what prompted Ledo to issuing a verbal commitment to the Friars on Christmas Eve, along with the allure of playing in his hometown.
“It’s fast-paced and free,” said Ledo, donning a Providence sweatshirt, about PC's offense. “It’s just up and down, which is the style I play. It fits me perfectly.”
There have been rumors floating around town that Ledo could enroll at Providence as quickly as next year, since this technically is his fourth year of high school. The 6-foot-5 shooting guard reaffirmed that he plans on being in the high school Class of 2012.
“Nothing is going to change,” said Ledo. “I’m going to come (to Providence) in 2012.”
Ledo spent his freshman and sophomore seasons at Bishop Hendricken before enrolling at St. Andrew’s last year. He started this past year at South Kent Prep in Connecticut before departing from the all-boys school earlier this month. By moving to Notre Dame Prep, located in Fitchburg, Mass., Ledo feels he’ll be able to check out the Friars at The Dunk on a more frequent basis.
“I’ve already been to five or six games this year,” Ledo said. “Growing up I always watched Providence on TV or came to games. Just knowing that I’ll be playing here in a couple years, it’s nice.”
Ledo says viewing Big East competition up close has helped him get a head start on what he needs to work on. “Strength, speed and defense,” are the three areas he says he’ll zero in on over the next 1 ½ at Notre Dame Prep.
Ledo has quickly discovered there’s a pretty nice perk that comes with stating his intentions of becoming a Friar, that of building friendships with future teammates. “I know a lot of these guys. Gerard, Marshon, Bilal (Dixon), Kadeem (Batts), I pretty much know the whole team.”
Watching the Friars string together some success after starting out 0-6 in Big East play has Ledo believing things are moving in the right direction.
“They struggled in the beginning, but now they’re becoming a better team,” Ledo said. “Obviously you see that because now they’re beating ranked teams. In a couple of years they should be up there with the help of me and a couple of others.”