Initial Reactions to Nicola Akele Leaving Rhody MBB
As reported on July 12, 2018, Nicola Akele will be leaving Rhody MBB after signing on with the Roseto Sharks, an Italian basketball team.
Considering the minimal role that he played off of the bench for the past three seasons in Kingston, RI, I am barely batting an eye at this change. I have never been high on Akele and I will never forget that his six minutes of horrendous play against Oregon in the second round of the 2017 NCAA tournament was a central reason why URI did not advance to the Sweet 16 during that season.
In some sense, this move could help Rhode Island's men's basketball team in the long run. Without Akele around, players like Ryan Preston, Michael Layssard Jr, and Michael Tertsea can be expected to take on bigger roles in the frontcourt. The capability of Preston, Layssard, and Tertsea to progress and improve faster has grown.
Sayonara Nicola Akele!
