By Jonathan Sawyer
Sports Associate Editor
The St. Bonaventure men’s basketball team (19-11, 11-7) earned a 60-56 win over the Massachusetts Minutemen (14-17, 4-14) on senior day this afternoon.
Bonnies head coach Mark Schmidt talked about senior day being an emotional high at the beginning for the team.
“It’s a different game, the last time you’ll put on that uniform, its hard and sometimes its gets you emotional and you can’t play this game emotional,” Schmidt said.“Offensively we were stagnate and defensively I thought we played extremely well in the first half. We just couldn’t get anything going offensively.”
The Bonnies started off the game with senior forward David Andoh scoring six of the first nine points.
“After the ceremony, coach pulled us in and talked about how that’s over and how it’s time to play. I just focused on the opponent,” Andoh said.
After scoring their first nine points, the Bonnies would go on scoring droughts not being able to knock down shots and get to the rim. Minutemen head coach Derrick Kellogg talked about how his team did everything right except win the game.
“Absolutely, if you take away the free throw line, I thought we were really good. We gave them too many free throws throughout the course of the game,” he said. “They have a couple special guys that make special plays at the right time too.”
Andoh knocked down a mid-range jump shot from the right elbow to give the Bonnies a 30-23 lead going into the half.
Coming out of the half, the drought continued. The Minutemen went on an 11-2 run to take the lead, 34-32. They continued to hold the lead until 4:30 left in regulation when the Bonnies and Minutemen would trade leads until Andoh knocked down another elbow jumper to put the Bonnies up 54-53. From there, the Bonnies would close out the game and end on a bright note for the seniors.
“Coach just called the play, we executed well. My guards found me in the right spot and I was just able to hit it down” Andoh said.
Andoh finished the game with 12 points and seven rebounds. Junior guard Jaylen Adams continued to struggle shooting the ball, going 2-11 from the field, with one being a three ball. Adams led the team with 17 points, nine assists and six rebounds, but he said he just needs to keep letting them go.
“My teammates expect me to score, but at the same time, I play point guard and I have to make plays for everybody else,” he said. “When my shot is not going, it’s always good when my teammates can hit.”
Schmidt said it is important that Adams and Mobley, who combined for three total field goals, to produce in other aspects of the game.
“You’re not going to be able to score the ball all the time,” he said. “A good player and teammate tries to figure out, ‘alright what can I do to help the team,’ and Jay did a tremendous job of sharing the ball. You just have to bring something else to the game that when your offense is going well, what else can I do to help my team win.”
Kellog said they were throwing a bunch of different defenses at Adams.
“We played some man, played some of hybrid zone, played a little bit of triangle and two,” he said. “He’s so good that, if you give him the same thing over and over, he just figures out ways to do it. I thought our guys paid a great attention to detail for some things we haven’t worked on that frequently.”
Schmidt called the triangle and two a disrespect to the three, four and five players.
“We saw it against Duquesne, but who knows. I tell the guys it’s a disrespect thing to the three, four and five guy and you have to make them pay,” Schmidt said.
“Absolutely,” was the response from Andoh if it was the right decision to come play one season for the Bonnies.
“I learned a lot, a lot that you don’t see on the floor. Coach Schmidt instilled a lot of things in me and that’s what I am excited about moving forward, is learning from these guys,” he said.
Moving forward with this win, the Bonnies clinched the fifth seed in the Atlantic 10 Tournament next week in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Andoh is just looking forward to the next opponent.
“I mean it was the first thing we talked about in the locker room. One game at a time. Whenever we find out that opponent is just dial in on them and try and win that game,” he said.
Schmidt said this league is tough and every team needs to come ready to play every night.
“No matter who your playing it doesn’t matter. You have to play well, they’re all tough. It’s the Atlantic 10 if you’re not ready to play you’re going to lose,” he said.
The Bonnies will play the winner of the twelfth and thirteenth seed game on Thursday at 2:30 p.m.
sawyerjp15@bonaventure.edu
