PHOTO: GOBONNIES.COM
BY TOM SEIPP, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
With just under a minute remaining against Coppin State, St. Bonaventure’s worst nightmare happened: Kyle Lofton went down with an injury.
After twisting his ankle, Lofton was sidelined for the next two games against Buffalo and Loyola (Md.). With freshman Joryam Saizonou being the only other point guard on the roster, Jaren Holmes had to take over for the injured Lofton and Quadry Adams took his spot in the starting lineup.
“When your leader is out, other guys have to step up, and Jaren has done a tremendous job playing out of position,” St. Bonaventure head coach Mark Schmidt said. “Two games that Kyle has been out, guys have to step up. Jalen and Jaren really have stepped up.”
Holmes, who was already averaging 37.9 minutes-per-game before Lofton’s injury, has now played all 40 minutes in each of the last two games; he’s looked fantastic for the Bonnies in the point guard spot.
After being the primary point guard backup each of the last two years, Holmes didn’t have to play too much of the position since Lofton never got hurt. There were multiple occasions where Holmes ran the position due to Lofton being in foul trouble, but the minutes weren’t many.
When Holmes did run the position last year, he looked extremely conservative and not confident bringing the ball up the floor. Now, he looks like a regular point guard for the Bonnies.
“It’s just knowing the system,” Holmes said after the Bonnies scrimmage vs Alfred where he ran the point guard position. “I’m a lot more comfortable out there… I’m not trying to do too much.
Holmes gave much credit to Tyler Relph, who played for St. Bonaventure from 2005-08, for working on his pace, progression readings and his overall ball handling during summer workouts prior to the season.
In the two games Holmes has run the point position, he has had 17 assists combined, while only turning the ball over three times in 80 minutes.
Adams, who only played a combined 14 minutes in games where all five Bonaventure starters are healthy and active, has started the last two games and has played really well both offensively and defensively.
Adams has three steals in the two games, as he set his career-high in points on Wednesday when he finished with 12 points on six-for-seven from the field.
“He’s really athletic, he has quick hands,” Schmidt said of Adams. “A game like this should give him confidence, just like last game. He needs to know what his strengths are, and I think he’s figuring that out.”
Adams, who only played 72 minutes a season ago with Wake Forest, has been a critical part of the Bonnies’ depth to start the season.
The Bonaventure depth gives the Bonnies a glimmer of hope, after a year of no depth at all. If Holmes can continue to be a plus ball handler, it only will give the Bonnies more of a chance to secure wins without Lofton.
seipptw19@bonaventure.edu
