Thank you, seniors

I am a believer in speaking for yourself. However, an exception can be made in this case. I think I speak for all Bonnies basketball fans when I say, “Thank you, seniors.”
This was my first year as a fan of St. Bonaventure basketball. As an incoming freshman from New Jersey with no real ties to the university, my knowledge of the basketball program was limited.
I remember hearing that the team’s star point guard, Jaylen Adams, declared for the NBA Draft. I didn’t think much of it at the time.
After experiencing this past season, Adams, along with fellow seniors Matt Mobley and Idris Taqqee, are now cemented in Bona’s history and into my memory.
The three offered up eye-catching highlights, legendary performances and tear-jerking moments. On top of this, as one particular head coach from North Attleboro, Massachusetts pointed out, these seniors helped turn St. Bonaventure into a nationally recognized basketball program.
These three players had a major hand in my first year of college.
The first time I heard Adams’ name, I didn’t think he would be the catalyst for Bonaventure’s most historic season. I didn’t know he would (probably) guarantee himself a place among the retired jerseys in the rafters of the Reilly Center or that he would score his career high in points on my birthday.
The Alfred scrimmage was the first game I watched in person. For me, the game mainly focused on getting a chance to see what Adams was made of.
The Bonnies won, but they temporarily lost Adams due to an injury. The six games Adams was out was a time of extreme nerves. Fans were scared for the Bonaventure’s season.
Adams’ anticipated return against the University at Buffalo, and unlike Deandre Ayton and Arizona, the Bonnies won. Even if Adams wasn’t 100 percent healthy yet, fans enjoyed having him back.
Adams had so many iconic moments this season: the first half against Syracuse, the second half against Yale, the Duquesne game-winner, back-to-back 40-point games, the shot against UCLA with a minute left.
He was the guy that made this historic season achievable.
Put aside Mobley’s accolades, that he will (probably) have his jersey put up alongside Adams’. Put aside his performance against Richmond in the A10 Tournament that might have been the best shooting performance I have ever watched. Put aside his buzzer-beating shot against Vermont. For me, his legacy as a player will come down to attracting people to the game of basketball.
Mobley got my dad to watch and enjoy basketball. Game after game, my dad went from a guy who would never willingly watch basketball, to regularly calling or texting me, asking, “Did you see how good Mobley was today?”
This idea does not stop with a 57-year-old man, who I am pretty sure has never dribbled a basketball in his entire life; rather, it will continue to impact generations to come. Mobley’s performance has aided in raising the standard for Bonaventure basketball.
Maybe someday kids will want to “be like Matt.”
Idris Taqqee is probably my favorite member of this season’s team. He’s competitive, unselfish, a leader, a glue-guy and he has heart. Whatever superlative fits your definition of what a good basketball player should be, Taqqee embodies it.
One of my favorite outcomes of this season is that Taqqee finally got his due. His performances, especially towards the end, extruded the effort of someone laying it all on the line. He wore his heart on his sleeve and left everything on the court – all anyone can ask for.
Taqqee had that innate ability to be on the end of every loose ball, always putting himself in a good spot on the defensive end of games. He jumped into passing lanes and pushed the tempo of games, looking to start fast breaks. And, for someone who is known for his contributions that don’t show up on the box score, Taqqee’s 13 rebounds against the University of Florida finally gave him the mainstream recognition he deserved.
Moreover, considering how highly he’s spoken of by teammates and the coaching staff, I’m sure there are many things Taqqee did behind the scenes that outsiders, like myself, will never get to fully appreciate or understand.
Taqqee will always have a special place in the heart of Bonnies fans for the years he contributed to the program. He holds a special place in mine for playing at his highest level at the highest collegiate level.
Just like that, it’s time to move on. This 2017-18 St. Bonaventure basketball season will go down as one of the best, and it has given me some of the best memories of my life.
The impacts these three players had on this school (and me) won’t be forgotten anytime soon.