With the season opener just a few weeks away, the St. Bonaventure University men’s basketball team has been diligently preparing for its season.
As a highly anticipated year is coming up for the Brown and White, the freshmen recruits have been getting acquainted with collegiate basketball life and learning the ropes on the fly.
Tshiefu Ngalakulondi, a 6 foot 6 inch small forward from Manchester, New Hampshire, has had comparisons to former Bonnie Denzel Gregg. He will be looking to make a big impact on the team this year.
“I’m a small forward who also plays on the perimeter. My best abilities are rebounding, running the floor, cleaning up misses and knocking down shots,” said Ngalakulondi. “I bring competitiveness to the team and do everything I can to help us get better.”
Izaiah Brockington, who committed to Bonaventure in early August, described the team as a tight-knit unit.
“We’re all competitive and constantly pushing each other to be better every day,” said Brockington. “Getting acquainted with the team has been great. There aren’t any cliques or anything like that here. We’ve sort of become a brotherhood.”
A 6 foot 4 inch guard from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Brockington felt right at home during his first visit to campus.
“When I took my visit here, the coaches showed me a lot of love. Mark Schmidt even took the hour and a half drive to come get me from the airport. They told me how much they liked my game and about the bright future they saw for me here, on and off the court,” said Brockington. “After talking to the players and hearing their honest opinions on the school, I knew this was a place I could go and succeed.”
Ngalakulondi chose Bonaventure because of the coaching staff and the university’s similarity to his high school, Proctor Academy.
“I chose Bona’s because I felt comfortable with the coaching staff and saw the plan they had for me to be successful both on and off the court,” said Ngalakulondi. “I know they have a reputation of improving the players that come here. I also chose here because of the campus. It is similar to the high school I went to.”
He adheres perfectly to Mark Schmidt’s expectations for the team, too: hard work and setting high goals.
“Practice has been going well. I’m being introduced to a new system so it’s taking some adjusting, but I’m learning a lot throughout each practice,” said Ngalakulondi. “The team is full of guys who want to improve and get better not only during practice but also outside of practice. We have high expectations and we are working hard to exceed them.”
Brockington said he’s been working to his full potential by giving his all at practice and trying hard in the classroom. He gave thanks to the coaching staff for the time and attention they give.
“All of the coaches have played a part in helping me this season, whether it’s working with me on my skills or critiquing my game,” said Brockington. “I’m just trying to learn and soak in as much as possible.”
Ngalakulondi felt the same as Brockington, asserting that he’s thankful to be a Bonnie.
“Everybody on the team, whether it’s the coaching staff or the players, has been helping me by giving me tips and advice on what I can do better, where and when I should or shouldn’t do something,” said Ngalakulondi. “It’s a blessing to be a part of this team.”
odonneke16@bonaventure.edu
