By Taylor Nigrelli
Assistant Sports Editor
Media members from Western New York converged at the Pearl Street Grill and Brewery last Thursday afternoon for the first Big Four Basketball Media Day in a decade.
The men’s and women’s basketball coaches from St. Bonaventure, Niagara University, University of Buffalo and Canisius all fielded questions from reporters for local and campus newspapers, local TV stations and bloggers.
The schools decided to hold the event again for convenience purposes according to St. Bonaventure Sports Information Director Jason MacBain.
“Canisius’s SID Matt Reitnour was really the one who pushed to get it back,” MacBain said. “I think they just realized it’s easier to get everyone together in one spot, especially in the Buffalo markets. It’s easy and it’s simple.”
The program began with the announcement of the All Big Four men’s first and second teams for both men and women. Senior forward Demitrius Conger was the only Bonnie to make the first team while junior guard Charlon Kloof was named to the second men’s team. UB’s Javon McCrea was named Big Four preseason player of the year.
Junior forward Doris Ortega was named to the first women’s team while junior guard CeCe Dixon and senior guard Alaina Walker were voted to the second women’s team. Kayla Stroeman of Niagara was named the preseason player of the year. Local media members and athletic communications staffs from each school voted for the pre-season all-star teams.
After the teams were announced, each coach went to their school’s respective table and media members walked around freely and asked each coach questions. MacBain noticed both St. Bonaventure coaches received the most attention.
“As soon as the opening introduction was over and the coaches went to their respective spots; everyone immediately flocked over to the St. Bonaventure table,” MacBain said. “There was an influx of media members; everyone flocked over to our tables first.”
This media attention comes on the heels of both teams appearing in the NCAA Postseason Tournament last March. However, both teams will go into the season without a few major pieces from last year’s runs. The women’s team lost four players to graduation including all-time Atlantic 10 three-point leader Jessica Jenkins. The men’s team will be without All-American Honorable Mention and NBA first round pick Andrew Nicholson. Both coaches discussed how to replace such special players.
“The returning players played against great competition and helped us achieve great success last year,” women’s Coach Jim Crowley said. “The difference this year is they’re the leaders now. Last year they rode in the car and now they have to drive it.”
Men’s Coach Mark Schmidt compared losing Nicholson to losing anyone to an injury or foul trouble.
“Last year Andrew was in foul trouble a lot so we played without him a lot,” Schmidt said. “Even when Michael (Davenport) and Marquise (Simmons) got hurt last year it was just ‘next man up’ so this year won’t be any different. The best way to learn how to win is by winning.”
However, Brown and White connections were not limited to the St. Bonaventure coaching tables. First year Canisius Coach Jim Baron is a 1977 Bonaventure graduate who played on the 1977 NIT Championship team and later coached the team for nine seasons. Baron is now challenged with turning around a Canisius program that won only five games last season. The first-year coach said he is his biggest critic.
“I put pressure on myself,” Baron said. “I have standards on what I want to do and I look in the kid’s eyes I’m coaching and understand I’m in charge of his development.”
However, Baron said he isn’t concerned with playing his Alma mater.
“I’ve got too many games before then to worry about that,” Baron said. “I’ve got to worry about the games I’ve got now.”
According to MacBain, the event was a success.
“The day as a whole was exactly what we were hoping for,” MacBain said. “It was really great exposure for St. Bonaventure.”
nigreltn11@bonaventure.edu
