Photo: GoBonnies
BY NATHAN SOLOMON, MANAGING EDITOR
Daryl Banks lll is ready for a new brand of basketball.
After three seasons at Saint Peters, Banks transfers to St. Bonaventure in a position to blossom into a star. But, he wouldn’t be in this position without his special junior season with the Peacocks.
Banks averaged 11.3 points as Saint Peters won the 2022 MAAC Championship and earned a berth in the 2022 NCAA Tournament. There, Banks scored 27 points in the first round against Kentucky to spark a magical run to the Elite 8.
But now, Banks has a new home in western New York.
“The family environment that is here — when they were recruiting me, I felt it,” Banks said in a media teleconference. “Everything was genuine with what they were telling me and what my future goals is playing basketball. I just knew right away this was the right decision.”
Banks is expected to immediately take on a huge role with the Bonnies. He shot 38.3% from the field and nearly 86% from the free throw line last season and will become a primary offensive threat.
At the same time, Banks is known as a physical, gritty defender that can succeed on both ends of the floor.
“I’m someone that likes to get after it on the defensive end,” Banks said. “That’s the tone that sets the energy for the game. Defense is what gets everyone excited, and gets everyone pumped up. That’s what wins championships.”
For coach Mark Schmidt, he’s hoping that Banks will reach his full potential at Bonaventure.
“He’s got a great skill set,” Schmidt said. “He’s got great mannerisms, he’s got a really good IQ for the game, he knows how to play, he can shoot the ball and take you off the dribble… he gives our guys confidence. If there’s one guy on our team who has done it at a high level, it’s him.”
And that respect is mutual.
Banks is one of 10 newcomers on this year’s squad after five seniors, all of whom were starters, departed after leading the team to the National Invitational Tournament semifinals last season. Schmidt has a completely new team and identity, which is highlighted by Banks.
“He’s a genius. He’s like a madman with the stats he draws up and everything,” Banks said on Schmidt. “He’s been in our shoes. We’re able to relate to him in that way… It’s a great system. [Schmidt] has been successful his whole coaching career.
“I have to be vocal, telling people how to approach things, how to approach practice. It’s really just getting guys to buy in as I’m buying in myself.
“The coaches have a standard that they set here in this program that you know when you come in… we’re following that and learning to put that together.”
When the season kicks off on Nov. 7 against Saint Francis (Pa.), it’ll begin a new chapter for Banks on the court. He’s ready to help develop the young Bonnies into a threat in the Atlantic 10.
“Just because we’re young men, it doesn’t mean anything,” Banks said. “It doesn’t matter where it comes from. It could come from me, it could come from one of the freshmen, sophomores — it doesn’t really matter… I just have to lead by example.”
solomonj20@bonaventure.edu
