By Jonathan Sawyer
Sports Editor
Hard work, hustle and never giving up on the play are some ways to describe the style of junior guard Idris Taqqee.
The St. Bonaventure University men’s basketball team is off to a 5-2 start and each game has had a different contribution. Taqqee is averaging 8.3 points per game and 5.6 rebounds per game, getting his hands into the lanes and being a big help defensively.
Taqqee said getting into a groove at the beginning of the game is what he focuses on the most.
“[I’m] just getting more comfortable and finding my shots early on. While we were in Texas, that was one thing I was really trying to find, is get into my groove early,” Taqqee said.
Looking to other teammates like fellow junior guards Jaylen Adams and Matt Mobley, both averaging around 20 points per game, helps Taqqee get going in games, he said.
“Yeah for sure [that helps], and feeding off the other guys at the same time too. It’s one thing where I can rebound and score at the same time or I’m just trying to play both ends,” Taqqee said.
Taqqee is averaging over 10.8 points per game in the last four games. He said the team needs to keep doing what they have been doing.
“I am just trying to keep it up, keep up the same energy and pull out the [wins]. That was a good team we played against Buffalo,” Taqqee said.
Taqqee is the one guy you see around the basket grabbing rebounds, getting his hands in passing lanes and going after loose balls.
“That’s something I take pride in, whether I’m on or off. That’s something I want to bring to the table every game,” Taqqee said.
Head Coach Mark Schmidt talked about the team spreading the scoring around.
“The more guys that can score, the more difficult you are to guard. The more guys we can get into the mix, it’s that much harder to guard us,” Schmidt said.
Schmidt said Taqqee is going to have his ups and downs just like all the rest of the players.
“With teams concentrating on Jay and Matt, it’s going to give other guys open looks, and Idris has really worked on his game. He is going to have nights where he is really good,” Schmidt said. “It’s something that we need. Those ‘role players’ have to make an impact and Idris has done that both offensively and defensively.”
Schmidt talked about how Taqqee is an overall player on the team and has a lot of different roles.
“Idris is the glue guy, does a lot of different things. Defensively, we try to put him on the better offensive player. He’s just always around the ball and makes plays, he’s a winner,” Schmidt said. “We have other guys like that, if you don’t know the game and you look in the box score and someone has two or three points then you say they had a bad game. But from a coaching stand point, some of those guys who had two or three points played extremely well because they have done stuff the regular person doesn’t see.”
Taqqee ended up scoring two points in the game Tuesday night versus the Hofstra Pride. He added four rebounds and four assists, which pushed the Bonnies past the Pride, 81-75.
The Bonnies defensively are holding teams to 73.8 points per game and are forcing 15.6 turnovers per game.
Taqqee’s assists to turnover ration is 1.5 per game and scoring 51.9 percent from the field.
The Bonnies will host the UNC-Wilmington Seahawks tomorrow night at 6 p.m.
sawyerjp15@bonaaventure.edu
