A 6-foot-8 forward at St. Andrew's School, Kale signed a letter-of-intent with Providence College last fall, and sits right behind the Friars' bench for virtually every home game.

"I have my group of guys I say hello to when I sit down there," Kale says. "They're cool. I enjoy the games and the fans a lot."

Kale won't be a Friar until next season, but he's a pseudo-Friar already. He pops into practices as often as possible, spends time in the team's locker room at halftime and after games, and is building friendships with several of his future teammates.

"It feels like the only thing I can't do is practice and play in the games," he said. "I have a good relationship with the guys on the team."

Kale is one of three recruits PC has signed for next year. Weyinmi (Way-Me) Efejuku, a guard who plays at prep power Brewster (N.H.) Academy, is enjoying a big season in New England's top prep school league. The third, forward Quinton Hosley, was to transfer to PC for this semester but coach Tim Welsh said yesterday he now expects the former junior college All-American to join the program this summer.

Welsh says what excites him about Kale and Efejuku is that both have strong bodies and couldn't be any more prepared for college basketball. Kale, who moved from

Boston to Pawtucket last year, plays a great schedule at St. Andrew's, and spends the summers with Boston's premier AAU team. He verbally committed to PC in June and has averaged 18 points and 12 rebounds for the Saints this season.

Efejuku is a native of Fresh Meadows, N.Y., who played at Rice High, one of New York's powers. At Brewster, he's one of nine Division I prospects and recently scored 25 points in a win over Winchendon Prep and 19 in an 82-81 decision over Worcester Academy.

"The thing about Jon and Weyinmi is they'll both be ready to help us because they have mature, Big East bodies, and the coaching and competition they've faced is unbelievable," Welsh said.

Kale's calling card is production. No matter whom he squares off against, he's bound to come up with 15 or so points and 10 rebounds. That includes Andray Blatche, a 6-10 center at South Kent (Conn.) Prep who NBA scouts say could be a first-round draft pick in June. South Kent bopped St. Andrew's, 71-46, but Kale answered Blatche's 17 points and 10 rebounds with 16 points and 7 boards.

"Jon went right at him. He didn't back down from Blatche," said St. Andrews's coach Mike Hart. "He's old-school. He's not flashy. He just wants to get the job done."

Kale owns a game more suited to a 6-11 center than a 6-8 forward. He rarely leaves the 10-foot area around the hoop on offense and lacks the athletic explosion to block a lot of shots or grab rebounds way above the rim. But he says he doesn't show all of his skills with the Saints, and realizes he won't have to play center for a PC team that returns sophomore Herbert Hill and freshmen big men Randall Hanke and DeSean White.

"At St. Andrew's, my job is to terrorize down low," Kale said. "At Providence, I can help as a low-post presence and step out and shoot some. They've struggled with rebounding, and I can rebound."

Welsh hopes Efejuku can help his team's depth at point guard. Donnie McGrath will be a senior next year, and the 6-2 Efejuku has averaged 17.5 points and 5 assists while running the show for Brewster.

"He's getting to the rim at will. No one has been able to keep him out of the lane," said Brewster coach Jason Smith. "When Weyinmi shifts into his top gear, he's unbelievable. We like to say that he has no clue how good he can be. That's refreshing these days."

While Kale bides his time before his role as PC booster changes to Friar freshman, he's taking on some recruting duties, too. PC is heavily involved with Rakim Sanders, a 15-year-old sophomore from Pawtucket who leads St. Andrew's in scoring (19.8 ppg.). Hart says that while other colleges have noticed Sanders, "right now, (PC) is easily leading. Rakim really likes it there, but he has to prove himself in the classroom. If he does, he could commit in the spring, and I think he wants to stay near his family and friends."

Kale gives his teammate a glowing report. "(Sanders) has gone from not having a clue to being an elite player and a leader on our team as a sophomore," Kale said. "The (PC) coaches know what they're doing."