Catching up with URI commit Barrett Loer

On Thursday, news popped from friend and 247 Sports, Director of Scouting, Adam Finklestein that the skilled 6-5ish guard/forward Barrett Loer from St. George’s School in Newport (coached by Dwayne Pina) committed to Archie Miller and the Rams.

Also playing for Mike Crotty and a quality AAU program in Middlesex Magic, Loer profiles as a versatile perimeter player with a chance at contributing right from the jump after he finishes his post-grad year in 2025. URI Assistant Coach Austin Carroll was the lead recruiter and relationship builder with Loer, who is firm and excited about his decision to travel over the bridge from Newport to Kingston and lace ‘em up for the Rams.

We connected to break it all down — exclusively for College Chalktalk Ring of Honor subscribers.

Chris DiSano: Congrats on your commitment to URI. Can you walk us through your decision making process?

Barrett Loer: Rhode Island has been super consistent with me since my recruitment started. They were texting me right away and Coach [Austin] Carroll was at our opener for St. George’s and been to so many games. He kept telling me “I’m locked in… I’m locked in…” Since then he’s been showing up to our gym consistently, every AAU game, every AAU Tournament, and even St. George’s games - even when I wasn’t playing.

It was hard not playing this summer because you don’t know where you stand with schools. One day they could want you, the next they shift. So you have to feel it out. Some schools were consistent with me right up until the end, some schools fell off early on when I got hurt. I think it was a blessing in disguise, being able to see who was really with me. Wake Forest and Xavier were less consistent when I got hurt again, Minnesota and Penn State were consistent.

Rhode Island and Coach Carroll, he and they have been super consistent with me the whole time. Whether my foot was broken or healthy, whether I was playing good, playing bad… Coach Carroll was always hitting me up and that’s what struck me to come to Rhode Island.

CDD: I’d heard Coach Carroll was the main influence and that’s a great way to lead in. What’s been your exposure to Coach Miller and how have you gotten to know him?

BL: When I got offered last summer I came up to practice to watch how they do things. Went back last November for an unofficial and got to sit with the coaches and watch practice so I got a feel for how he coached. Super organized practices, get from one point to another quickly, it’s always fast-paced. I came back for a game in the winter time, the white/blue scrimmage, and I saw how he coached first hand and how the staff coached alongside him. I liked what they were doing and it looked like something I could fit into very well.

CDD: I’m glad you went there earlier on the health and injury front… for those not aware, can you walk people through your experiences and rehab process?

BL: Yeah, I fractured my fifth metatarsal of my right foot in October, got an x-ray and it came back negative and they actually missed the fracture somehow… so I played on it until November and it got to a point where my foot hurt too bad. So I went back, got it looked at it again, and it ended up being a fracture. I ended up being out until about March, so I missed missed my whole high school season.

I got back, played session one with the Magic, played session two with the Magic, and then at practice a landed on somebody’s foot and thought I rolled my ankle. I stood up and felt the exact same fracture-type pain in my left foot. I actually fractured my fifth metatarsal in my left foot in early June so I’m coming off that right now with a couple weeks to go.

CDD: So you’re nearing perhaps the mid-point of recovery/rehab with the left foot. What are you doing from a strength and conditioning standpoint and how are you feeling?

BL: I’m in the boot still in my left foot. I’m doing a ton of upper body work and I think that was a plus for me. I’ve gone from about 173 to almost 190 right now, adding a lot of muscle mass which is good and something that wouldn’t have happened as quickly if I hadn’t gotten hurt. And now I’m still in the gym on the gun shooting stationary shots, free throws, close range shots, so I’m still getting it in, but I start physical therapy for my left foot soon. Getting back into that process again starting next week.

CDD: And the hope is you’re ready to go by…

BL: Yeah, we don’t play games for high school until end of November and now with the open gyms in the fall, I don’t have to impress any coaches or play in front of any coaches so there’s no point in me rushing it back. Definitely taking my time and making sure it’s 100%, so I can get a healthy season in for my last year.

CDD: When you were out last season, what were your greatest takeaways through observation?

BL: We had a really good team last year and, I think, will have an even better team this year. We have several D1 guys. We were a young team last year, a lot of sophs and some freshmen in the mix — and a a super heavy in the junior class. There were four of us who will be seniors. It was hard to sit on the side, but to see how our team operated and how well they played even without me… to see how successful they were last year. Adding me back into the mix I expect good things to come.

CDD: How would you describe your game to Rhode Island fans and the ideal role you like to play out there on the floor?

BL: I’m sort of an “any position from a one to a three” guard. I’m a bigger type guard at 6-foot-5 or 6-6 and my wingspan is about 6-foot-7, 6-8. A big, long, athletic player. Getting above the rim is something I’ve been good at naturally, that jumping ability. I can shoot very well. I can score and am continuing to work on my ability to score. Being a guard who can find my teammates and make the right play is really important to my trainer and my coaches…making the right read because, once you can do both, it makes it batter for everybody.

On the defensive end, Coach Crotty and staff have been super big with me the past two years, emphasizing defense. Be an elite defender and being able to take on the role of guarding the other team’s best player at times.

CDD: What’s your main area of improvement of focus?

BL: I’m in that stage where I could be going to college right now, so taking the extra steps, making sure my body is at that college level, my conditioning is at that college level, and tightening up things. Hopefully focus on a lot of winning this winter with our team and getting in the mode to go to college, figuring out how I can have an impact off the bat and what my job is to do that… and working on that.

CDD: Who have been the primary influences for you personally and on the hardwood?

BL: My family… My grandpa played at Purdue and played HS basketball against Oscar Robertson and some great competition. My parents didn’t play but learned it as I went along, and my trainer Rocky DeAndrade — I started working out with him during COVID and he’s been with me every step of the way. And my agent, CJ Ward, he was my assistant coach and recently as an agent now. He’s very connected and tapped in. My high school Coach Pina, and obviously Coach Crotty, my AAU director, he knows everybody and was helpful in talking to everybody and seeing where I fit in.

CDD: Thanks and great catching up with you… looking forward to meeting you in person and this being the first of many conversations.

BL: Appreciate it, excited to get on campus a few times during the fall and get out there after this year.

CDD: If you do, grab a headset and join Steve McDonald and I on a broadcast for a few mins.

BL: Let’s do it.