Rhode Island nearing decision on hoop coach UMaine’s Giannini gains second interview

SOUTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. – Rhode Island is wrapping up interviews in its search for a men’s basketball coach and will announce a new hire this week, perhaps as soon as Tuesday.

Mike Ballweg, URI athletic department spokesman, said Sunday that the search committee has completed its interviews – even as Toledo basketball coach Stan Joplin interviewed for the job that day, according to his attorney, as quoted in The (Toledo) Blade newspaper.

The Providence Journal reported that URI had zeroed in on St. Bonaventure coach Jim Baron after interviewing him on Friday.

And, WJAR-TV reported that Maine Coach John Giannini is the only candidate to have interviewed twice with the school’s search committee for the job.

Ballweg would not confirm any of the meetings. He did say, however, that the five-person search panel is expected to present its choice to university President Robert Carothers this week, and possibly as soon as Tuesday.

Rhode Island has been looking for a coach since Jerry DeGregorio announced in February that he was stepping down. He went 12-48 in two years as the Rams coach, the worst two-year stretch in school history.

Joplin, 43, has an 87-56 record in five seasons at Toledo. The Rockets finished 22-11 this season – their first 20-win campaign since 1980-81 – and reached the second round of the National Invitation Tournament.

Baron, 49, has compiled a 206-202 record in 14 years as head coach. He took the Bonnies to the NCAA tournament two years ago and guided the squad to an 18-12 record this season, good for a NIT tournament berth.

Giannini, 38, has turned Maine into a respectable program, guiding the Black Bears to a 61-27 record in his last three seasons at the school.