Photo: La Salle Athletics
BY KYLE MAIER, SPORTS ASSIGNMENT EDITOR
The St. Bonaventure University men’s basketball team dropped a crucial conference matchup against La Salle on Wednesday, losing 72-59 in Tom Gola Arena.
After trading baskets for the first 10 minutes, the Explorers (13-14, 4-10 A10) took a 21-19 against the Bonnies (16-10, 7-7 A10) and never looked back.
The Brown and White battled to keep the game within five behind the offense of center Chad Venning, a redshirt junior. Venning scored six straight for the Bonnies to cut La Salle’s lead to 31-29 with two minutes to go in the first half.
Senior guard Anwar Gill and junior guard Khalil Brantley cranked up the heat for La Salle to end the first 20. Gillanwar and Gill both knocked down jumpers in the final minute to put the Explorers up 36-28 at the break.
Venning had 12 points in the first half. No other Bonnie surpassed five.
Venning got Bonaventure back into the game early in the second half with physical play in the paint.
Bonaventure’s leading scorer bullied his way under the rim for three straight layups to put the Bonnies back within four through the first three minutes of the second half.
However, the sharpshooting of La Salle’s guard halted SBU from getting any closer.
A three from senior guard Jhamir Brickus sparked an offensive blitz for the Explorers. Sophomore forward Rokas Jocius and Brantley followed with a jumper each on ensuing possessions.
A thunderous dunk by Brantley brought La Salle’s lead to 47-36 with 7:43 left in the second half. The Explorers kept a double-digit margin the rest of the way.
Graduate guard Mika Adams-Woods hit a free throw to cut the lead to 10 before another shooting-fueled run by La Salle put the game out of reach.
Freshman forward Tunde Vahlberg Fasasi drained two straight threes before Brickus attacked the rim for a deuce. A fastbreak slam by junior guard Daeshon Sheperd put Bonnies’ deficit at 20, 65-45.
Bonaventure’s guards came alive offensively late in the half. Guard Moses Flowers, a redshirt junior, hit a three and got in the lane for a floater to get the game within 16, 66-50, with 3:46 left.
In the final two minutes, Flowers added an and-one jumper to cut the lead to 13 after senior guard Daryl Banks III nailed a three, but it proved all too late for the Bonnies.
LaSalle outmatched SBU offensively, shooting 51% from the field compared to Bonaventure’s 43%.
“We didn’t shoot the ball well. Didn’t execute our offense enough. Didn’t have enough pace,” said Bonaventure coach Mark Schmidt. “I thought the problem we had was our offense was affected by our defense. On the road, you win with your defense, and we didn’t have our defense.”
Venning finished with 22 points on 8-13 shooting for the Bonnies. Flowers added 14 points on two threes. Banks had 8 points.
Shepherd led the Explorers with 23 points and seven rebounds. Brickus followed with 15 points and seven assists.
The Bonnies return to action against UMass on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. in Amherst, Massachusetts. The game will be streamed on USA Network.
maierkj22@bonaventure.edu
