Solid Start for Bonnies

It's not often that teams hit the floor for the season opener looking like they're in mid-season form, but that's what St. Bonaventure did Friday night. The Bonnies shot 77 percent from the field in the first half (17 of 22). They forced nine turnovers with their three-quarter court pressure defense. They led by as many as 21 and coasted to a 72-62 victory over Cleveland State and are now 41-3 in Reilly Center openers.

There was a lot to like on the Bona end. Andrew Nicholson, the 6-9 soph who was last year's A-10 Rookie of the Year, dominated inside in the first half. Guard Michael Davenport scored a career-high 19 off the bench and could provide a valuable scoring option throughout the season. Guard Chris Matthews, a three-point specialist, managed only five shots and five points but countered with six assists and four rebounds. Jonathan Hall of his usual self, scoring 20 and snaring eight boards.

Still, there's work to do. The Bonnies were last in the A-10 in assists-turnover ratio last season and Friday's numbers -- 16 assists, 17 TOs -- isn't the improvement they're looking for. Point guard Malcom Eleby still has to be more assertive offensively, not because the Bonnies need points but because he has to keep defenses honest and relieve the pressure on the scorers. Starter Da'Quan Cook played an uneventful 11 minutes on the inside.

-- Bob DiCesare

Comments

[John T,]

e,the Trott Center,Suite e,Rm 1014. Let me know as we are on lock-down after 2 pm.
You must show credentials but it's a good group.
Mr.Carter's signing is being widely acclaimed by the A-10 and the NY press.
This could be the final piece to the puzzle!

[E]

I don't think that writer's recollection is correct, though- I'm pretty sure it was less than the 3 seconds he referred to- as in like 1 second on the clock.

[E]

http://blog.timelines.com/2008/10/03/its-never-over-until-its-over/

Here you go- 1979, I guess my recollection was off, as the game went into OT instead of an outright winner.

[John T,]

e,Michael,are you ignoring my recollection of the other game where the clock was not started when BROWN had a lead? The clock was not immediately started although the ball was touched by EAGLE hands. This was a BARON team and not the famous,world wide seen toss by Delmar H..
I will check my media guide next week and see when Delmar graduated. I think he was a soph on the NIT CHAMPIONSHIP team so he may have grad.by '81.

[E]

Where do you meet? I may take you up on it.

I looked at NU's media guide- I believe it was the January 1981 game when St. Bona beat NU 64-63 at the Convention Center. I asked my father, who went to the game w/ me- he recalled that Bo Erias was the timekeeper, and did not properly start the clock on the inbounds pass, leading to the "longest second" and the chance for the Bonnie player to make the improbable 70+ foot shot after the inbound pass.

We went to a ton of games, including the magical night when NU toppled then top-rated St. Johns, I believe in January 1985.......

Quick search of Buffalo News shows archives only go back to 1989....

[John T,]

e,YOUR MORE THAN WELCOME TO JOIN US AT 1001 ST.,N.F.ANY EARLY AM. YOU'LL HEAR THE FACTS,ALLEGIANCE AND THE GENUINE FACTS FOR THIS LONG TIME RIVALRY. A COUPLE OF EAGLES STILL BELIEVE YOU GRADUATED FROM GRIFFIN LAND BASED ON YOUR PRIOR BLOG ENTRIES.
BACK YOUR ALLEGATIONS JUST ONE TIME AND I MIGHT THINK YOU KNOW A LITTLE ABOUT LOCAL B-BALL.
SOURCES,VIDEO,FILMS,THE NEWS OR COURIER ARTICLES WITH DATES,ETC. ARE ALWAYS APPRECIATED AND NOTED.

[E]

Nope- I'm thinking of a game in the Convention Center in I believe the late 1970's, perhaps early 1980's. 7500-8000 people at the game.

1 second left. St. Bona down 1. Inbounds pas, clock not started promptly, and the Bona player heaved the desperation shot, that hit nothing but net. Did he make it? Yes- should it have counted? No- I think the clock did not start correctly. Was it argued? Yes.

Do REAL NU fans remember this and feel like I do? Yes- If you think otherwise, then you're not remembering correctly.

E, aka "Mike" to John.

[John T,]

e,Mike,your thinking of the BONA/NIAGARA game at Gallagher in Baron's 2nd year I believe. The clock was not started with the BONNIES holding a 1 pt lead over the EAGLES and a couple of seconds were added to Niagara's winning bucket. Baron was not happy but when questioned said it never should've came down to the last shot. A true professional and sportsman.
I guess your too young to remember ABC,NBS AND CBS sports before ESPN but wait a minute,they still exist.As do chs.2,4 and 7.
Tremendous coverage of BONA's first 2 games by the NEWS.

[E]

I was young- but in my recollection the clock did not start correctly on the inbounds pass. It should have expired.

As far as national outlets- how many were there in that era? Not like today when there are 8 espn's, etc.

E, aka to John, "Mike"

[John T,]

e, aka Mike,I was at the Niagara/Bona game at the conv.center when Delmar Harrod launched the shot and the ball tickeled the net when the horn went off. Mike,that means it counted. None of the local EAGLE fans recall any protest from their coaching staff.
I believe the shot and clock was seen on several national outlets the next day.
Another nice try,e.

[E]

My name isn't Mike either.

Again, for the sake of clarity, although I doubt it will matter to you:

1- I am first and foremost a Niagara fan. I grew up watching them, and have attended Niagara games since I was 5 years old, first at the Convention Center and then at Gallagher Center. I've gone to NU games since Frank Layden was there.

2- I did attend both Canisius and UB, and root for them unless they play NU- as I grew up watching NU, I never stopped rooting for them. I did however root for Canisius over NU during the Beilein era, as NU was down and out and Canisius had a shot at something special that I didn't want to see wrecked.

3- I root for St. Bona unless they play any of the other "Big 4" teams. I remember seeing St. Bona beat NU at the Convention Center in the 1970's on a shot from 70 feet away when the clock should have ticked 0 before the shot ever was released. I've loved to hate St. Bona ever since.

So, keep insulting me if you'd like- I find it hilarious.

[John T,]

Thanks e, I now know it's Mike.
Part of my on the job credentials and experience at work.
Your griffs were destroyed by a 2nd rate Horizon league team. They did not make the NCAAs,Wake Forest or have 28 ws last year. Read your blue and gold game review of Loyola. This surely wasn't a moral w for Loyola. It will probably destroy their RPI.
College b-ball has been the talk in N.F since 9 am and will continue with the outstanding BONNIE,PURPLE EAGLE AND BULL fans throughout the season.

[E]

My name isn't James, and i don't state anything my opinions based on what I see, as we all can and do. Sorry John, you have me mixed up w/ someone else.

I'll let you stew in your personal vendetta, whatever it may be, while I talk college hoops. if you want to talk hoops, let me know.

You no longer need to apologize for calling me names, as now i know you for some reason think I am someone else. That's funny- go ahead and think that.

As for St. John's- they're expected to be a middle-of-the-pack Big East team. Not great, not bad- lucky to get an At Large Bid, likely to be an NIT team at best. A good win, yes, for the Bonnies, if they can- and they should or else it will be a disappointment for the Bonnies.

[John T,]

e or James,you've taken cheap shots when you make stmts. that cannot be verified and are not factual. You've done that for years and you have thrown in your name calling recently and in the past.
If you live in a fragile glass house with no foundation,you'll receive what you deserve.
I would apologize to anyone if I knew I was incorrect in my views and allegations.
The NY Daily News and TIMES seem very confident this is a
very good St. John's team but what do they know.

[E]

That was a cheap shot, sorry- but John, I think you started it by calling me a moron for no reason. I said nothing at all about you personally, and was posting to David- I respect his opinion even though I disagree, and like that there are people on here who want to talk hoops. Not many of us around.

Still waiting for the apology there.

As for St. Bona-St. John's. I pick Bonnies tonight. St. John's isn't exactly the cream of the crop in the Big East, but would still be a quality win for the Bonnies.

[John T,]

e,I would reread your above e mails on making personal attacks. For i.e.,
you quote,"I have trouble understanding",etc.,etc..
When you make 1 constructive point about UB,BONA,DAVE'S comments,etc.,I'll see there's hope for fair and objective reporting which someone lacked in covering the BIG 4. However,there are several outstanding writers at the NEWS that comprehend what fair journalism is all about.
C.S.is in transition as the GRIFFS are in,have been and always will be in.
I believe BONA had a heck of a time in winning the Rutger's trnmt. last year and gave Miss.St and several MIGHTY A-10 teams all they could handle or a defeat in going 15-15.
I sure hope C.S. does not rebound and end up in the NCAAS again defeating another ACC team. I will have to gloat for the first time in my life.

[E]

PS- I root for St. Bona when they don't play any of the other WNY teams.

I root against St. Bona when they play Niagara (the team I grew up watching), or Canisius and UB (my alma maters). I "love to hate St. Bona" when they play the WNY schools.

But when they play in the A-10, I root for them, as their doing well in my opinion is good for local hoops, and they're the local team.

i don't make it personal like John T seems to want to do. It's just a sport.

[E]

I hope St. Bona beats St. John's. That would be great for the Bona program. Much more meaningful than beating a Cleveland State team that is in transition to say the least.

[John T,]

e,check Nicholson's articles in SPORTS ILLUSTRATED AND THE NY TIMES.
Also,note the preseason write-ups on ST.JOHNS in the NY papers. So if BONA gets the w tomorrow,sports experts do not want to READ/DECIPHER your hatred and very immaterial,unprofessional views on why the game meant nothing.
I can say,you did make the Niagara alumni and myself laugh at this morning's case orientation. You at least have some credentials.

[John T,]

wow,since there are very few readers to this blog,I guess the subscribers will have to take Bob DiCesare's expert, unbiased,objective review and observations of the team and game.
Next up,the Big East and a trip to the SEC,Niagara,Marshall,Illinois State and a date at the dome.
One would have to say a very tough o.c.s..

[wow, 3rd in the mighty horizon]

again, always nice to get a win, but cleveland state is down this year.

[John T,]

e,check the Horizon League Network site. C.S.is picked to finish 3RD..
WHAT A DROP OFF!!!!

[John T,]

e,here you go again. Where did I say the w made BONA a top rated program? Anyone in attendance will admit there is loads of potential and the goal is closer than it was last year when only 1 senior started for BROWN.
I sure hope none of the other local schools have scheduled a school in transition or they'll be attacked from lower main.
e,just the material and relevant facts.

[David,Amherst]

Note to Big Four coaches:
Recruit "blue chip" player.
Marqus Blakely cashed in on opportunities given by Bulls, while Rodney Pierce came up small (1 for 9 first half). Great defense by Vermont and Buffalo, as Bulls front line bulked up well in off-season. Schools need the "money" player to go to. UB goes to bottom of class, playing at home and losing in opener. Give Blakely acknowledgement. He is a big conference player.

[cleve. state is depleted, and you are delusional]

Cleveland State lost 2 of their top three scorers from a team without much depth last year. So comparing them to last year's team is idiotic.

Give credit to the Bonnies for winning, but a win against a weak Vikings team isn't the same as a close loss against Auburn.

As for the A-10 having 10,000 fans in attendance, maybe in your dreams. College basketball is small potatoes for the Western NY sports scene. Canisius hosted Syracuse in front of almost 15,000. To fill HSBC Arena you need a GREAT opponent with a traveling fan base. No A-10 team has fans like that.