After being spoiled with a historic season that ended with a 26-8 record and a victory against a storied UCLA program in the First Four of the NCAA tournament, Bonnies fans have had to endure a tough, disappointing start to the 2018-19 season. Don’t hit that panic button yet, Bona fans.
The season got off to an emotional start with banner night at the Reilly Center. Students and fans packed the arena early for a special presentation of the 2018 NCAA tournament banner. A special video was played to commemorate one last time. So many memories from an unforgettable season were coming back for myself and many others.
I couldn’t help but think back to March and boarding a bus that would trek nearly 400 miles to Dayton, Ohio to see the St. Bonaventure men’s basketball team win its first NCAA tournament game in 48 years . I also realized that this basketball season would present many ups and downs for this new-look Bonnies squad without Jaylen Adams, Matt Mobley and Idris Taqqee for the first time in what seems like forever.
So far this season, the Bonnies have started two freshmen, Dominick Welch and Kyle Lofton, in each of their three games. Jalen Poyser, a redshirt junior, has also started all three games. Freshmen Osun Osunniyi and Alpha Okoli have played big roles off the bench early on. Overall, the team has five newcomers in the regular rotation (and will most likely be six when Melkisedek Moreaux returns from injury). Did I mention that two of the team’s senior leaders, Courtney Stockard and LaDarien Griffin, are out injured?
Stockard averaged 31.3 minutes per game and scored a total of 413 points last season, and Griffin averaged 35 minutes per game, scored 289 total points and came up with 209 total rebounds (10 per game). While Stockard and Griffin can mentor the newcomers in practice and off the court, having their presence on the floor is a totally different story.
So far this season, the Bonnies stand at 1-2 overall with a heartbreaking overtime loss to Bucknell on opening night, a win against Jackson State and a disappointing loss at Niagara University. How can things turn for the better for this young, inexperienced Bonnies squad?
Without the duo of Mobley and Adams, which provided 1,151 points last year, the Bonnies are going to have to work hard on the offensive end.. And that has become even more important than originally thought because the Bonnies lack any form of a ‘go-to guy’ without Stockard in the lineup, and nobody seems to have any knowledge of when he will make his return to the floor. It would obviously be nice to have Griffin back as well.
We have seen flashes of what this young team can do on the defensive end early on this year. Osunniyi blocked seven shots against Jackson State in the team’s 67-36 win against Jackson State (he was just two blocks shy of Andrew Nicholson’s single-game record). Lofton also made his presence felt on defense, as he looks to be the one to fill the shoes of Taqqee. His hustle and willingness to sacrifice his body for loose balls has been impressive.
While consistency hasn’t been there just yet, it will certainly come as this team plays more games and gains more experience. I firmly believe good defense will lead to more production on offense in the game of basketball.
Where should Bonnies fans expect this team to be in February and March?
Historically, Mark Schmidt’s teams hit its stride and play their best basketball when it matters most. This year is going to be a developmental season with a slew of young players with raw talent, but potential. I am looking for game-to-game improvement for the freshmen. Schmidt’s program is all about getting better and developing as a player. Schmidt’s made that clear over the past year, and it’s a big thing that fans need to keep in mind throughout this season. It may be a rollercoaster ride, but look for Schmidt and his young group to look like a totally different team when they take the floor in February and the Atlantic 10 tournament in March.
And remember this quote from Schmidt after that triumphant win against UCLA, putting his program and his goals into perspective.
“It’s not just me,” said Schmidt. “I’ve got great assistants, great players and kids that really strive to be good. Our guys, we always talk about [how] we’re a bunch of misfits. No one wanted us. We come to Bonaventure, we work our tails off. And it’s good that when you work to have success, and that’s what I’m most proud of. And it’s emotional because we know how much we’ve put into this.”
By Mike Hogan, Sports Assignment Editor
hoganm17@bonaventure.edu
