Recruiting Update/Roster Moves

Another summer, more changes for the Bonnies...

Well fellow Bonnies fans its been a while since we’ve posted anything here on the site, however after taking a much needed break from college basketball and Bonnies hoops we are ready to begin posting during the summer months. We hope that you have enjoyed reading along with us during out first season of being up and running on the net’ and hope you continue to visit us this coming fall…now onto what we’ve missed…

1. Mo Thomas and Ray Blackburn are gone

This roster move came as little surprise to anyone who was connected with the team. Granted, I think some of us were a little but puzzled at the transfer of Blackburn, but if you thought that Thomas was going to be back with the team next fall than clearly you really don’t know what kind of guy Mark Schmidt is. Thomas was suspended a handful of times during the season for team violations (being late for walk-throughs, etc.) and was simply a kid who had a great deal of troubles. I worked with Mo last season and can say that while he is a nice guy to those on the team, he obviously has some issues that need to be worked out. Mo was not a good fit for the program and his immaturity and lack of team first attitude were only going to be a roadblock for the squad. Although he did provide a great deal of toughness inside, Mo is one of those guys who coaches view as addition by subtraction…its just a shame things couldn’t work out for him here because clearly the ability is there (But this is not an uncommon trend in college basketball).

Blackburn's near 1:1 A/TO Ratio got him in the doghouse, and maybe forced him to leave the school.

Blackburn averaged 8 points and nearly 3 assists per game, and his quickness and aggressiveness made him a decent option at the point position during the early stages of the year. However, as the sample size grew those around the team had to realize that Blackburn was not going to be the floor general this team needed. Blackburn burst onto the scene during the Mississippi State game by scoring 22 points, but then successfully threw away the Canisius game just days later. After scoring in double figures for seven games mostly in December, Blackburn never cracked ten points again in the remaining 17 contests. His 64 turnovers to go with 66 assists from the point position was simply not good enough to be considered a starting guard on the team. As the season grew on Malcolm Eleby showed decent growth and the staff moved away from Ray. His decision to leave the school will have little to no impact on the program this year.

2. Lewis Leonard, Marquis Simmons and Jake Houseknecht are eligible to play…

Leonard, Simmons and “House” (because its just easier to type and spell out) should be become key contributors this season. From all reports that I’ve heard, Leonard is a scoring machine who uses his frame to get into the paint and can really finish at the rim. He is a good athlete and has a capable handle. I do not believe LL will solve the Bonnies outside shooting problems unfortunately, as he is said to be more of a slasher and much less of  catch and shoot type guard. I foresee Leonard playing major minutes at the three this year, and probably start from day one along side Chris Matthews who will, it seems anyway, start again at the two. I do think Michael Davenport could give LL a run for his money at this spot, specifically when you consider his defensive abilities, but for now I’d call Leonard the starter. Leonard should be that other scoring option that Bonas missed so greatly last season, as defenses were able to key off Matthews.

Houseknecht should bring a decent face up game at the four spot with his 6′8″ frame. He has obviously put on some muscle mass since his days terrorizing the Big 30 Conference, but he will  need to keep putting on weight to really be able to bang with the true forwards in the Atlantic 10. House has a nice touch around the rim and can probably play a nice pick and pop game, but how he will fare around the rim in crowds remains to be seen. I would count on him to be a role player off the bench this year and probably not much more. If he can just give Andrew a few quality minutes off the bench a game he will have done his job.

Simmons checks in at 6′8″ and 210 pounds, and while he probably has the body to play a few minutes at the four spot, he will likely be playing the three. He, along with Jonathan Hall and Lewis Leonard give the Bonnies three versatile players who can all play the three or four positions if need be. Simmons is said to have a nice stroke from the outside, and if its true at 6′8″, he could present real matchup problems for other teams. After sitting out last year, Simmons should be somewhat used to the team’s offense and defense, so he might have a jump start on Conger in terms of basketball I.Q. Still, I think Simmons is probably stuck in a log jam behind Hall and Leonard at the three spot, so he might have to really earn his minutes off the bench.

3. The Bonnies signed Kelvin Agee from Niagara Falls High School

Could Kelvin Agee be the next great shooter for the Bonnies? Tyler Relph could surely teach him a thing or two...

I’ll preface this portion of the post by saying I’ve never seen Agee play and I’ve never talked with anyone who has…That being said, Agee will redshirt this coming season and be eligible in 2010-2011. He is a 6′3″ shooting guard who averaged over 22 points a game in high school and was named the Niagara Gazette Player of the Year. I think it’s a great idea to have the kid take a year to learn the system, because Schmidt really demands a lot of his players, specifically guards offensively. Agee can learn the pack line defense that Bonas uses and practice against division one guards for a year before having to face them in a game. I trust Schmidt’s ability to evaluate talent a great deal, so Agee could be a great late find for the Bonnies. That being said, he was recruited by just a few lower level division one teams, and there has to be a reason he wasn’t signed this late in the period. Only time will tell what Agee will bring to the table but let’s all hope the kid can shoot the ball because with Matthews gone after this year the team will be in dyer need of a shooter.

4. The Bonnies landed Blackburn’s replacement in Ogo Adegboye.

Boy if I thought spelling Housknecht was a bit rough then I shouldn’t even bother trying to use this kid’s last name…so I won’t. From what I have heard, Schmidt really likes Ogo’s game and thinks he has what it takes to give Eleby a real run for his money as the team’s point guard. Ogo is said to be a jet quick point guard with a really high basketball I.Q…and I’ve heard he’s pretty good in the classroom as well (Not that I really care). Now let’s not all think Jermain Calvin when we think quick point guard, Ogo should be able to push the ball down the floor quickly like Schmidt wants, and hopefully get to the rim under greater control than say…Ray Blackburn. I wouldn’t expect Ogo to be the second coming of Marques Green, but he should be an upgrade over Blackburn, and present a different look to opposing teams than Eleby provides. If he can take care of the ball, and push it down the floor getting to the rim from time to time, Schmidt will be thrilled. For a Bonnies team that shot itself in the foot with mindless turnovers last year, a point guard who can handle the rock will be key for having an over .500 season; having a point guard who does that and scores would just be gravy.

5. The Bonnies signed high school guard Demitrius Conger

Schmidt said the following about Conger in an interview with CollegeChalktalk.com; “I’m not saying he’s James Posey, who I coached at Xavier, but he has a similar body in that he’s long, lean and athletic.” And thank God he didn’t because some of the folks on the bandwagon would be declaring the kid a lottery pick before midnight madness. Conger is 6′6″ so I can say that he seems to be long enough and should have the size to get his shot off at the next level. Schmidt thinks that the Bonnies may have stolen one, getting Conger in the early signing period, and seeing he went for over 30 on Oak Hill, maybe they did. Conger is said to have a real nose for the ball and a good scorers mentality and his natural position is the three. I can see him playing the wing already with Davenport; giving the Bonnies a long and athletic backcourt of the future.

In all, I have to say the Bonnies have done well in terms of restocking the pantry so to speak. I think Leonard will be a high impact JUCO who should start from day one, and I think that Ogo will in the long run, wind up being this team’s point guard. Houseknecht and Simmons should see minutes off the bench at the three and four positions, while Conger should play backup to LL and Michael Davenport.

Check back with us soon as we throw up some new content, and answer some questions concerning a possible starting lineup, Andrew Nicholson’s growth, Malcolm Eleby’s future with the team and more.

Photos are curtesy of the BonaVenture and Talbot Eckwiler.