Photo: St. Bonaventure Athletics
BY: WILL NUNN, STAFF WRITER
As we near the return of Bonnies men’s basketball in the Reilly Center, it is difficult not to feel optimistic about the upcoming season. Despite the low expectations entering the year, the Bonnies have the makeup to challenge the best in the conference.
Bonaventure was tabbed to finish 10th in the Atlantic 10’s Preseason Poll. After a tumultuous offseason with heavy roster turnover, it may be easy to write this team off as a non-contender in the conference. However, a mix of veteran leadership and young flair will have the Bonnies right in the mix in the A-10.
The Bonnies lost all but one member of the rotation from a year ago, including the entire starting five, and will have to make up for the loss of 91.4% of their scoring from last year.
The only returner who logged significant minutes last season is Noel Brown, a graduate student from Leesburg, Virginia. Brown appeared in all 33 of the Bonnies’ games last season, averaging 6.1 points and 2.2 rebounds per game while shooting 71% from the field. Brown will likely take on an increased role this season and will continue to be a force in the paint.
The Bonnies’ offseason pickups will be key to their success this season. A slew of transfers and incoming freshmen will be tasked with making an immediate impact in the coming year.
Chief among them is senior guard Melvin Council Jr. The transfer from Wagner comes off a season in which he averaged 14.9 points and 5.7 rebounds per game. He earned first-team All-Northeast Conference honors and led the Seahawks to an NCAA tournament appearance, where he scored 18 points in a first-round defeat to North Carolina.
Another key offseason pickup for the Bonnies was junior guard Lajae Jones — one of the top junior college players in the country. The transfer from Barton Community College was the leading scorer for the NJCAA Division I national champions, leading them to a 36-1 record and earning tournament MVP. Jones is a true three-level scoring threat who scored 15.4 points and 9.2 rebounds per game last season and will be the focal point of the Bonnies offense this year.
Chance Moore comes to St. Bonaventure by way of Missouri State, where he averaged 10.7 points and 5.3 rebounds per game last season. The senior guard was a former four-star recruit coming out of the state of Georgia and saw limited NCAA tournament action with the Arkansas Razorbacks his freshman year. Moore has the potential to shine at SBU in an increased role and will complement the offense well.
Dasonte Bowen, another transfer portal pickup, played in 51 games, including eight starts, throughout two seasons with the Iowa Hawkeyes. The junior guard adds more big-game experience to the Bonnies’ rotation, scoring a season-high 12 points as a freshman against Duke at Madison Square Garden. Bowen is a crafty floor general whose experience and unselfish play will be especially useful for the Bonnies this season.
The most intriguing of the offseason pickups for the Bonnies is Noah Bolanga. The freshman guard is a native of Poitiers, France, and has played for Orleans Loiret Basket, a second-division team in his native country, since the age of 16. Bolanga represented his country at the FIBA U-20 EuroBasket tournament, averaging almost six points per game. Bologna brings a youthful flair to the Bonnies squad and, while unproven, can make a massive impact this season if he finds his footing within the team.
While there are several unknowns for the men’s basketball team this season, the Bonnies do not lack talent and experience. If everything comes together correctly, the squad can make some noise in the A-10 and beyond.
nunnwg24@bonaventure.edu
