BY JONNY WALKER, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
The St. Bonaventure men’s basketball team will open its 2023-2024 regular season on its home court Monday night, hosting Longwood in the Reilly Center.
The Bonnies (0-0, 0-0 A-10) debuted a retooled starting lineup in their exhibition against Division III Alfred University Wednesday night — a matchup they won 80-41. For the Lancers (0-0, 0-0 Big South), Monday night’s tipoff will mark their first game action since being picked fifth of nine teams in the Big South’s Preseason Poll.
“I know we’ll have a good crowd and the students will be behind us, but we’re going to have some first-game jitters,” said Bona head coach Mark Schmidt. “Hopefully we can get them out of our system early, but we want to play well. We want to defend. We want to take care of the basketball and make our foul shots — do the things that you need to do to win.”
Bona’s projected starting lineup features three returners — Atlantic 10 Preseason All-Conference First Team guard Daryl Banks III, forward Assa Essamvous and Preseason All-Conference Third Team forward Chad Venning — alongside two graduate transfers — guards Charles Pride (Bryant) and Mika Adams-Woods (Cincinnati).
Longwood’s 16-man roster includes six returners, five transfers and five freshmen. While the Lancers lost their two leading scorers from last season, guards Isaiah Wilkins and DeShaun Wade, they retained seniors Walyn Napper and DA Houston, who averaged 9.4 and 7.2 points per game, respectively, last season. Longwood also added the 2022 Southland Conference Freshman of the Year, guard Johnathan Massie (McNeese State), during the offseason.
Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. The game will be streamed live on ESPN+, and radio listeners can tune into the game via the Bonnies Online Network.
walkerjc20@bonaventure.edu
