By Jonathan Sawyer
Sports Editor
The Bonnies are 2-0 with one game left in the Big 4 matchups. The St. Bonaventure University men’s basketball team defeated the Niagara Purple Eagles, 79-69 in the Key Bank Center in Buffalo, N.Y.
With less than 14 minutes to go in the second half, the Bonnies were up five and looking for a spark. Junior guard Jaylen Adams would go on an 11-0 run in less than two minutes to put this team up 13.
“That’s what we need, Matt [Mobley] struggled today and I thought we were struggling at times. We were a little bit lethargic but I thought Jay really picked us up and gave us a big lift,” head coach Mark Schmidt said
Adams talked about getting hot at the right time.
“I think it is a part of feeling the game out. Early in the game, early in the half they take stuff away and you have to adjust to the way they playing defense,” Adams said.
“I just take what the defense gives me. I was open twice and was able to knock it down,” Adams said on his two big threes in the span of 42 seconds.
The Bonnies needed a spark due to the Purple Eagles 8-0 run to end the first half. Freshman guard James Towns knocked down a three ball right at the buzzer to pull the Purple Eagles within three, 34-31.
Schimdt said the end of the first half and the first five minutes of the second half is where you want to have momentum.
“We came out decently in the first half. Second half Denzel had a couple buckets and that’s what veteran guys have to do,” Schmidt said. “We didn’t do that in the first half but our veteran guys, Jay and Denzel, re-energized in the first 5 minutes of the second half.”
Head coach of the Purple Eagles Chris Casey talked about his teams fight.
“I thought we played extremely hard, showed a lot of fight. Esepcially at points where the game could’ve gotten away from us, I’m proud of our guys for that,” Casey said.
Despite the Bonnies length, Casey believed his team stayed with them on the boards.
“Their length and athleticism bothered us, particularly around the basket. Although, I did think we rebounded the ball decently,” Casey said.
Casey believed he has a team full of fighters.
“We fought them for the entire 40 minutes and they’re a good team and well-coached team,” Casey said.
Schmidt talked about his teams slow start and playing in the arena.
“I thought it was a good college game, I thought the environment was decent. Both teams got off to tough starts. No one was able to practice here yesterday or shoot this morning; little bit different shooting in here,” Schmidt said.
Crediting the Purple Eagles for staying it, Schmidt thought his team played good at times in the first half.
“We played good in spurts in the first half, got up by 15, and give Niagara credit, they fought back made it a three-point game with a big shot at halftime,” Schmidt said.
Other than Adams, sophomore forward LaDarien Griffin received praise from Schmidt.
“LaDarien did a tremendous job coming in and giving us a lift, to me, other than Jay, he was the player of the game,” Schmidt said.
Adams led the way for the Bonnies with 23 points, seven assists and 5-8 from beyond the arc. Senior forward Denzel Gregg dropped 16 points, five rebounds and two blocks. Gregg also did not miss from the floor going 7-7 from the field. The Bonnies shot 47.0 percent from the field and 47.4 percent from three.
The Purple Eagles were led by red-shirt junior guard Kahlil Dukes with 21 points. Sophomore forward Dominic Robb helped out on the glass with seven rebounds and added 13 points. The Purple Eagles shot 43.6 percent from the field and 29.4 percent from three. The Purple Eagles fall to 3-9 on the season.
The Bonnies improve to 7-3 and will have a quick turnaround with the Army Black Knights coming to the Reilly Center Monday night. Tip off is at 8 p.m.
sawyerjp15@bonaventure.edu
