Brown star Kyla Jones, other local players moving on through transfer portal
Last week brought a noteworthy piece of business from the transfer portal.
Brown guard Kyla Jones announced a commitment to Northwestern. It will be a fifth college season and a homecoming for the Chicago native. The Ivy League doesn’t allow graduate students to participate in athletics — Jones had no choice but to leave after a decorated career with the Bears.
The left-hander started in all 26 of her appearances with Brown during the 2023-24 season, averaging 17.1 points and 4.7 rebounds. She shot 49.1% from 2-point range and closed second on the roster in assists. Jones was named to the all-conference first team for a 16-11 club, as the Bears posted a second five-win improvement in as many seasons.
Jones has found her resolution, and that sets her apart from other local men’s and women’s teams. Players have entered from all eight programs, but there have been no incoming announcements yet. That’s certain to change prior to the portal’s closing in early May.
Here are some additional updates from around the state:
Bryant men: Tyler Brelsford, Rafael Pinzon
The Bulldogs could lose the majority of their projected starting lineup entering 2024-25, as Brelsford and Pinzon joined wing Daniel Rivera and reserve guard Greg Cantwell in the portal. Brelsford will trigger a COVID fifth year while Pinzon has a lone fourth year of eligibility remaining. They averaged 6.8 and 13.0 points, respectively, while appearing in all 33 games for an America East tournament semifinalist.
Providence men: Rafael Castro
Castro averaged 2.9 points and 2.4 rebounds as a reserve big man, making all but one of his 34 appearances off the bench. He’s the final link to the Sweet 16 team in 2021-22 and could retain two seasons of eligibility after redshirting with that group of Friars. Castro joins a pair of freshmen in the portal, with guard Garwey Dual and forward Donovan Santoro entering last week.
Rhode Island men: Zek Montgomery, Ray Allen III
Montgomery started in 15 of his 31 appearances, averaging 9.6 points and 4.1 rebounds. He hit double figures in each of his first eight games, including against future NCAA Tournament participants Wagner, Northwestern, Washington State and Yale, before yielding some playing time on the wing when David Green was declared eligible. Walk-on guard Ray Allen III joined Montgomery and previous entries Tyson Brown, Connor Dubsky, Jeremy Foumena, Rory Stewart and Brandon Weston in the portal.
Bryant women: Mariona Planes Fortuny, Kemari Reynolds
The Bulldogs could be losing some valuable experience if Planes Fortuny and Reynolds ultimately move on. Planes Fortuny led in scoring and rebounding at 16.3 points and 6.5 boards, earning all-conference honors in the America East. Reynolds was the only Bryant player to make all 30 starts, averaging 6.8 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3 assists and 1.4 steals. They join Megan Bodziony, Breya Busby, Lucie Castagne and Alana Scott in the portal.
Providence women: Kendall Eddy
Eddy started in six of her 31 appearances as a first-year player with the Friars, averaging 2.5 points. She played 10 minutes off the bench in a WNIT loss to Colgate and closed among the roster’s top five in steals and assists. The Massachusetts native joined Sahana Kanagasabay, Kammie Ludwig and Bella McLaughlin in the portal.
Elsewhere: Sebastian Thomas (Albany), Kylie Swider (Villanova), Grace Ceseretti (UMBC)
Thomas has one season of eligibility remaining and could be an intriguing candidate to step back up a level. He left the University of Rhode Island after two years and broke out with the Great Danes, averaging a team-high 19.6 points and piling up a team-high 156 assists. Thomas was named to an America East all-conference team after starting all 32 games.
Swider played in six games and made a lone start for the Wildcats — she'll be eligible for a COVID fifth year as a graduate transfer. The Portsmouth native is listed at 6 feet 4 inches and could offer a frontcourt option for a team in search of some depth.
Ceseretti made 15 of her 17 appearances off the bench for the Retrievers, operating largely as a reserve guard. She hit for seven points in a loss at eventual America East champion Maine in January, setting a season and career high. Ceseretti is a Barrington native who prepped at Northfield Mount Hermon.
On X: @BillKoch25
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Brown basketball star Kyla Jones moves through portal to Northwestern
