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St. Andrew's (R.I.)'s Cole Swider talks Villanova commitment

07/03/2017, 10:30am EDT
By Tyler Sandora

Cole Swider (above) committed to Villanova on Friday, picking the Wildcats over Duke, Syracuse and Xavier. (Photo: Jon Lopez/Nike EYB)

Tyler Sandora (@tyler_sandora)
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When Cole Swider ended his freshman year at Portsmouth High School in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, he was only 6-foot-3, and didn’t really have an idea where he’d end up playing basketball after high school.

Swider then decided to reclassify to the class of 2018 and transfer to St. Andrew’s School in Barrington, Rhode Island, to play for coach Mike Hart.

“I sat in Coach Hart’s office one day, and he told me if I grow like I’m supposed to and continue to work on my game, I could play wherever I want,” Swider said over the phone. “When coach told me that, it really opened my eyes.”

Since then, Swider grew five inches, starting playing on the national AAU circuit for Boston Amatuer Basketball Club, and developed an all-around game based around a terrific ability to shoot the ball from deep.

And just a few months after his junior year at St. Andrew’s ended, Swider did indeed have the ability to play wherever he wanted.

With blue-blood Duke in the mix along with Syracuse and Xavier, Swider announced his commitment to the Villanova Wildcats and head coach Jay Wright at the conclusion of the St. Andrew’s basketball camp on Friday afternoon.

“My relationship with coach Wright and the whole staff was awesome," Swider said. “There is nobody else I’d rather play for. It’s also not to far to home so my family will be able to come watch me play.”

After announcing his final four of Duke, Syracuse, Xavier, and Villanova on Father’s Day, Swider -- the No. 48 prospect in the class of 2018 according to ESPN -- took official visits to all those schools except one; Villanova.

Swider had taken trips to the Main Line twice, once for the DePaul game this past season, and an unofficial visit in May, where he was told he is a “priority” for the Wildcats.
So why didn’t he take the official visit to Villanova after taking trips to Duke, Syracuse and Xavier earlier in June? It just wasn’t necessary.

“At the time, I felt Villanova would be the best fit,” Swider said. “After I took other visits, and talking to Jay Wright a lot, I knew he was the coach I wanted to play for and the school I wanted to go to.”

A 6-8, 215 pound guard/forward with a 3.4 GPA, Swider is known for his ability to shoot the ball from beyond the arc. With his ability to attack the basket steadily improving and a developing low-post game, Swider hopes to make improvements once he gets to campus in the fall of 2018.

Swider averaged 26.5 points and 11.2 rebounds per game during his junior year, earning him the Rhode Island Gatorade player of the year. In his career at St. Andrew’s, Swider has scored a total of 1,962 points. This summer for BABC’s 17u team, Swider is averaging 19 points and six rebounds, and was named to third team all-EYBL.

Basketball runs in Swider’s blood. His father Jeff, a 6-8 forward, played at Fordham. His mother Jenny, a 6-3 forward, played at the University of New Hampshire.

Swider is Villanova’s second commitment for the class of 2018, joining 6-5 wing Brandon Slater (Paul VI, Va.). Jermaine Samuels, one of Villanova’s incoming freshman, grew up only 35 minutes away from Swider, and the two future Wildcats have been playing each other during AAU since they were in grade school.

When he arrives on campus, Swider will have to battle for minutes with wings like Slater and Samuels, as well as 6-7 Mikal Bridges, who will be a senior in 2018-19, as will 6-7 Eric Paschall. Within Villanova’s preferred four-out lineup, the versatile Swider will be able to find some time in there in various spots.

“In college basketball today, it’s usually four guards on the floor at all time,” he said.  If we want to stretch the defense I can play the ‘4,’ but I can also play the ‘3’ when we’re using a bigger lineup.”


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