URI basketball commit Ben Hammond feels 'like a great fit'
Ben Hammond didn’t want to wait deeper into the summer or until his final prep season.
His official visit to the University of Rhode Island earlier in June went well. He felt like a priority for head coach Archie Miller and assistant coach Kenny Johnson, who served as his lead recruiter.
That was enough for Hammond to reach a college decision Tuesday afternoon. The three-star point guard selected the Rams ahead of fellow finalists George Mason, Fordham, Charleston and Towson, opening the school’s Class of 2024. Hammond also claimed offers from the likes of Penn and Radford and other interest in a 5-foot-11-inch backcourt leader.
“It was important to me — especially to show love to Rhode Island,” Hammond said. “If I had gone to the Peach Jam, they might have thought, ‘Oh, he’s probably looking for other schools. We won’t get him.’ But I wanted to make this a done deal.
More: Rhode Island basketball alums to reunite this summer; what will bring them back together
“I wanted to show my love for them like they showed it for me. Just end this right now, focus on winning Peach Jam and winning during the high school season as well.”
Hammond is a Virginia native who plays for a pair of powers — Paul VI in the prep ranks and Team Takeover on the Nike grassroots circuit. He’s a facilitator who’s looking to improve his shooting over the course of his senior season with the Panthers. Hammond works in an EYBL backcourt with a future opponent, sharing the guard spot with new Providence commit Daquan Davis.
“It’s gritty every practice,” Hammond said. “Our practices are probably harder than our games. We make each other better every practice.”
More: Missouri dual-sport star Always Wright commits to Rhode Island basketball
Hammond visited Kingston on June 14 and 15 and received a quick introduction to how URI will develop his game. The Rams are thin in terms of pure point guards entering the 2023-24 season — only Quinnipiac transfer Luis Kortright and freshman Cam Estevez identify as primary fits at the position. URI boasts more options at shooting guard in Jaden House, Zek Montgomery, Always Wright and Connor Dubsky.
“I saw myself in that offense,” Hammond said. “The way they play is the way I see myself playing and the way I’ve been playing all my life. I feel like I fit great into their system.”
The Rams went just 9-22 in their debut under Miller — the only way to go is up. Hammond is hoping to play a part in restoring the program to the standard it set under Dan Hurley, winning an Atlantic 10 tournament title in 2017 and a regular-season championship in 2018. URI scored a recruiting victory here by beating out a pair of league rivals in the Patriots and Bronx-based Rams.
“I wanted to be part of that — an organization going up,” Hammond said. “They see me as a point guard — the head of the horse — who can lead them to a lot more wins.”
Hammond said he’s open to helping the Rams secure other commitments in their upcoming class. He named Baltimore small forward Tyonne Farrell among players he’s been in contact with — the 6-foot-6-inch wing claims offers from URI, DePaul, Towson and more. House is the only player on the current roster listed as a senior.
“They’re going to see a point guard who can run the show, a point guard who makes plays for his teammates,” Hammond said. “I can score the ball at will. A lot of wins — a point guard whose teammates are going to want to play with him because he loves the game.”
On Twitter: @BillKoch25
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Latest URI commit Ben Hammond says he can 'score the ball at will'
