Three-star, 6-6 forward commits to PC basketball
Providence’s second commitment in its 2024 recruiting class is fresh off a championship at the Under Armour Association Finals.
Ryan Mela pledged to the Friars via his social media accounts Tuesday evening. He helped lead Middlesex Magic to a 17U crown last month in Georgia, and now he joins Baltimore point guard Daquan Davis among those who have said yes to Providence coach Kim English.
Mela claimed offers from the likes of Massachusetts, Richmond, Davidson, Yale, Colgate and others. The Friars were the first program from a power conference to come calling with a scholarship, and it was soon after he helped topple Canada Elite for a title. The 6-foot-6-inch small forward is a consensus three-star prospect, according to internet scouting services.
Mela finished eighth in scoring and first in steals on the UAA circuit this spring. He averaged 15.4 points, 5.8 rebounds and shot 52% from the field through 17 games. Mela did the majority of his damage inside the arc and at the rim — he attempted less than a pair of 3-pointers per game.
Mela hit double figures in each of his last six games, including 24 points on 8-for-13 shooting against the Illinois Wolves. He collected 20 points and seven rebounds while closing 9-for-13 from the field in a win over Team Thrill, matching up with Davis and a team based in the Mid-Atlantic. Mela finished the tournament with 20 points and eight rebounds in a 58-54 triumph against Canada Elite.
Mela also starred for Middlesex Magic in 2022, leading the club to a 16U title at the UAA Finals. Its previous college commitments include Cumberland native Tyler Kolek, the reigning Big East Player of the Year after a transfer from George Mason to Marquette. Providence walk-on Luke Fonts is also a program alum, prepping at Portsmouth Abbey before following older brother Andrew onto the Providence roster for the 2021-22 season.
Mela is a former star at Natick High who preps at The Newman School in Boston. His teammates with the Cardinals include Providence native Khalil Badru and point guard Luka Toews, a Boston College commit who also pairs with Mela on the grassroots circuit. Toews is a Japan native who held offers from the University of Rhode Island, Loyola Chicago, Penn and others.
The Friars still have a pair of scholarships available for the 2023-24 season. Graduate transfers Ticket Gaines, Will McNair Jr. and Josh Oduro will all be set to depart after spending a lone year with the program. Providence is exiting the summer with one open scholarship for the upcoming campaign.
Davis and Mela could be joined by multiple targets shadowed by the Friars through the summer. They’re finalists for power forwards Garrett Sundra and Patrick Ngongba II, small forward Jaiden Glover and guard Del Jones. Providence also made June offers to 2024 shooting guards Isaiah Elohim and Rakease Passmore and 2024 big man Aiden Sherrell.
On Twitter: @BillKoch25
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: PC basketball gets commitment from 3-star forward
