Make no mistake about it, Southeast Missouri State is not a good team.  In fact, they are awful.  Tonight was a good win for the Bonnies however.  The defense was suffocating, the team shot 54.5%, and the team hit 6 3-pointers, shooting 40% from behind the arc.  The Bonnies even had 18 assists.  There was one negative about this night, and that was the sloppiness of the Bonnies on offense.  21 turnovers is not acceptable, even in a 23 point win.  21 turnovers against Illinois St. equals a loss.  But thankfully against SEMO it did not. 

The Bonnies never trailed in this game, scoring the game’s first 15 points.  Chris Matthews came out on fire, scoring 11 of the team’s first 21 points.  Andrew Nicholson had a double-double by the end of the first half.  Our bench players got some great playing time tonight, giving our starters the ability to rest for the upcoming 2 games in the next 2 days.  This rest will prove important down the stretch of the BTI Classic, giving the Bonnies a freshness that Norfolk St. will not enjoy having today.  For the most part, this game went about as well as one can expect. 

What I Liked Tonight

1a. Chris Matthews.  He played exactly the way we need him to tonight.  14 points with 4-6 shooting behind the arc.  He needs to be a threat from distance for the team, and was exactly that.  In addition, Matthews had 0 turnovers.  He truly takes care of the ball well, and makes smart decisions.  Hopefully tonight’s shooting becomes more regular as the season progresses. 

1b. Andrew Nicholson. Nicholson is my favorite player to watch in the country.  A double-double in the first half?  This kid is amazing.  He also had 2 blocks tonight.  He is quickly climbing all the Bona record lists, and will be number 1 on a lot of them before his time is done.  Best stat of the night though?  26 minutes played.  He will be fresh tomorrow night, and ready to dominate again. 

3. Our Shooting.  When we weren’t turning the ball over, we played very well on the offensive end.  54.5% from the field and 40% from the 3-point line are very good numbers.  We also spread the scoring around, with three players being in double figures.  18 assists is a good indicator of how well we moved the basketball on offense. 

4. We Played Every Player Tonight.  Leaving out walkons, we played every scholarship player on our team tonight, which I bet Coach Schmidt loved.  Great job by Coach Schmidt tonight to work everybody in there and keep this team fresh. 

5. House Getting His First Points As A Bonnie.  A shoutout to House, and hoping that there are a lot more points to come.

What I Did Not Like Tonight

1. The Turnovers. Usually, turnovers are a problem for the Bonnies.  Tonight, they were especially awful at protecting the basketball.  21 turnovers against a team like SEMO indicates a lack of focus.  Hopefully that does not happen again. 

2. Free Throw Shooting.  The Bonnies shot 56.5% from the line, regressing at the free throw line and showing another sign of a lack of focus.  They have to tighten up from the free throw line and take advantage of these opportunities.  I believe tomorrow they will shoot a lot better from the line. 

Tomorrow will be a big game for the Bonnies.  If they can jump out to an early lead and rest their starters again, 3-0 in this tournament would be well within reach.  Gametime is at 9:30.  Go Bonas.

Davenport is averaging over eleven points through 3 games.

By: Ian Nolan

Some worried the St. John’s game might have a lasting effect on the Bonnies. Some worried about our psyche after such a tough loss.  Tonight provided the perfect medicine for what the Bonnies endured on Tuesday.  The Bonnies were able to easily handle one of the worst teams in Division I basketball with a 66-40 win over Binghamton.  The Bonnies took the lead at 9-7, and never looked back.  The game stayed fairly close until the Bonnies went on an 11-0 run before halftime to make the score 32-17.  The Bonnies kept up the pace in the second half, eventually taking a 33 point lead.  The reserves then entered the game, gave the starters some well-deserved rest, and played well the rest of the game.  This was a much needed win after the loss on Tuesday, and will help the Bonnies move on from the 1-point loss to the Red Storm.

What I Liked

1. Balanced Scoring.  The leading scorer for the Bonnies, Jonathan Hall, only had 12 points tonight.  The second leading scorer, Michael Davenport, only had 10.  Altogether, they were the only two players in double figures.  Usually that would be a cause of concern.  Not tonight.  The Bonnies also had Chris Matthews and Andrew Nicholson score 9 points, with each only playing 27 minutes.  Most nights, Andrew will be the leading scorer.  That kind of production from him was not needed on this one.

2. A More Balanced Offense.  After hitting only one three-pointer last game, the Bonnies as a team shot 5-15 from behind the arc.  While this number is not stunning at all, it is a step in the right direction.  Chris Matthews was much more assertive tonight, shooting 3-8 from the 3-point line.  Michael Davenport was also a perfect 2-2 from behind the arc.  If those two keep shooting the rock from distance, it will force defenses to respect our outside game and take pressure off of Andrew to score every time in traffic. 

3. Chris Matthews’s Assertiveness.  I have been harsh on Chris these first two games.  Tonight was a step in the right direction.  Even though he only scored 9 points, he looked much more confident and willing to shoot from deep.  If we are to be anything this year, he needs to be a producer on this squad.  Liked what I saw tonight. 

4. Our Free Throw Shooting Improved.  Tonight Bonas shot 73% from the free throw line.  This is a marked improvement from the first two games that we played.  This week on the Bandwagon, people questioned the importance of free throws, using the Memphis team that went to the championship with Calipari as an example.  That comparison is comparing apples to oranges my friends.  Memphis is full of 5-star recruits, and has a considerable margin of error.  The Bonnies are full of lesser recruits, and do not enjoy the margin of error the top programs possess.  Therefore, in order to beat one of these programs, Bonas needs to do the little things to get points wherever they can.  Free throws are an important part of success for smaller programs.  This improvement was good to see. 

5. Getting to See All of Our Scholarship Players.  It was good to see everybody play tonight.  I really enjoyed watching this game.

What I Did Not Like

This section is going to be real nitpicky, because there isn’t much to write that you did not like in a 26 point blowout.  Here it goes.

1. Conger Tonight Looked Like a Freshman.  Conger will be a good player for us.  This I am sure.  The kid has great upside, crashes the boards agressively, and has great form on his jumpshot.  However, tonight he turned the ball over 4 times, had 0 assists, and shot 33%.  He looked lost at times on the court as well.  He is not ready to see significant minutes yet.  Once he is though, he will be a solid A-10 player. 

2. 15 Turnovers.  We still did not have more assists than turnovers in a game in which we won by 26.  Both point guards did take care of the ball well.  Hall and Conger, well, they did not.  They combined for 7 turnovers.  Conger I understand.  Hall is a senior who has great court vision and at times makes passes and plays off the bounce small forwards should not be able to make.  But then he just makes the dumbest turnovers in the world as well.  Gotta take the good with the bad I guess. 

3. Roseboro Reminds Me of a Young PVP.  Everybody remember when Peter Van Paasen began to play for the Bonnies?  Brett reminds me a lot of him.  Big bodied, not as athletic, yet shows some skill around the rim.  Brett will have his struggles this year, as PVP did in his younger days.  I think Brett will develop into a monster though.  Just goes to show that even the elite programs in Division I also recruit some projects.  While I don’t feel Brett is a project on the A-10 level, I feel that it will take some fine tuning until he gets his feet settled under him.  Which brings me to my final point…

4. House is an Atlantic-10 Project.  I want the local guy to succeed.  It is a great story for the Olean community.  He is not ready for this level of basketball.  He was overwhelmed tonight against Binghamton.  He will eventually be serviceable, and be able to provide minutes off the bench to spell our big men.  It might not be this year however.

Final Thoughts

Tonight’s game was a test only to see how the Bonnies would bounce back from their loss on Tuesday.  They bounced back just fine.  Friday the 27th the Bonnies take on Southeast Missouri St.  This one should go in the win column as well.  It is imperative the Bonnies win at least two games on this roadtrip.  If they can take 3 out of their next 4, then they will be ahead of schedule in my book. 

Early Prediction: St. Bonaventure 75, SE. Missouri St. 59

The Bonnies need more of these, and less Chris Matthew's three pointers at the moment.

LYNDHURST, NJ – Two in the books. One and one. A good opportunity to look at some tempo free trends utilizing the Four Factors. The four factors, were devised by basketball statistical analyst Dean Oliver, now with the Denver Nuggets in that capacity, as simply the factors that allow teams to win games. A quick primer..

Effective field goal percentage (eFG) weights three pointers made into the equation.

EFG = FGM + (3PT FGM * .05)/FGA

FT Prod = FTM/FGA
This stat is a better measure of free throw proficiency. It’s one thing to get to the line. More important to take advantage of the trip by hitting the shot.

OREB PCT = Off rebs/ (off rebs + opp Def reb)

TO Rate – TO/Possessions
Possessions are calculated his way… POSS = FGA + (fta * .475) – OREB + TO

The Bonaventure breakdown the first two games. Bonnies on offense followed by defense, what the opposition posted for their four factors.

OFFENSE
EFG FT PROD OREB PCT TO RATE
Cleveland St. 63 30 29 25
St.John’s 55 33 30 22

DEFENSE

Cleveland St. 43 9 33 18
St.John’s 63 24 26 25

Notes…Tempo free studies indicate 20% the cutoff for taking care of the ball. Bonnies were 24% in A-10 play last season, the conference’s poorest mark. The 25% against Cleveland State saw a repeat of the TO malady. A 22% rate, against St.John’s, is still high but an improvement .

Effective field goal shooting was off the charts against Cleveland State. That was largely due to a 26 of 38 mark (68%) from two point range. Credit Andrew Nicholson’s 7 of 10 from the field en route to 17 points as a major catalyst.

On Tuesday the Bonnies won the offensive rebounding rate battle and forced the Red Storm to end one quarter of their 63 possessions in a turnover. The killer was the effective FG percentage. Bonnies shot well enough to win but allowing St.John’s a 63% mark, courtesy of 8 from 17 beyond the arc was a clear difference.

There is no set figure regarding how many of the factors you need to win. In other words having he edge in two or three of the factors can help but not necessarily guarantee a victory. Especially if your eFG is 15^. What the factors do is give an idea what a teams strengths and weakness are are. For a given game, number of games or season.

Next time out we will discuss possessions and offensive/defensive efficiency.

This one was close for the entire duration of the game.  After a 6-0 start by St. John’s, St. Bonaventure weathered the storm and eventually took a 17-16 lead.  But then trouble struck.  Both Andrew and Jonathan got saddled with their second fouls, taking the two leading scorers for the Bonnies out of the game.  To the Bonnies credit, they stuck in there and kept with the Johnnies.  This was in part due to the inspired play of Da’Quan Cook, who had 7 first half points and clearly established himself as the Bonnies 4.  The Bonnies were only down 2 at the half, after Ogo made a driving layup with 18 seconds left in the half.  The Bonnies were in great position to defeat a Big East foe for the second straight year. 

The Bonnies and Johnnies began the second half by trading baskets, with the score eventually becoming 44-44.  It was at this point the game hit a snag.  The Bonnies brought in Roseboro and Simmons to give Nicholson and Cook a rest.  The second line was unable to produce on the offensive end, allowing St. John’s to go on a 7-0 run, making the game 51-44.  St. John’s kept the Bonnies at a distance, as the lead stayed 7 with 3:27 left at 67-60.  This is where the Bonnies made their run.  The Bonnies went on an 8-0 run, sparked by a Chris Matthews three pointer and capped by two dumb Red Storm fouls.  With 16 seconds left in the game, Eleby stole the ball from Dwight Hardy, taking the ball the length of the court.  It was at this point he was intentionally fouled by Justin Burrell, giving the Bonnies two free throws and the ball.  At this point, the score was 67-65.  Eleby went to the line, nailing the first.  The second, however, was long, and the Bonnies were down one. 

St. John’s then committed the second of its stupid fouls, basically bearhugging Andrew down on the block.  Andrew calmly and cooly stepped to the line, hitting both his free throws.  Then, disaster struck.  Malik Boothe drove the lane, getting the assistance of a well-set pick on Malcolm Eleby.  Chris Matthews, deciding whether to give up an easy layup, taking the risk of having the big men stop Horne, or foul and put him to the line, chose to foul and send Boothe to the line.  Boothe made both of his free throws, putting the Bonnies down 1 with 6 seconds left.  The Bonnies then had to settle for a 23-footer from Michael Davenport, which was just long, and the Bonnies fell by one point.  A great game, and a valiant effort by both teams. 

What I Liked

1. Andrew Nicholson is Firmly Established.  Andrew Nicholson is a monster.  I don’t care what anybody says, he is definitely one of the top 5 players in the Atlantic 10.  26 points on 73% shooting against a Big East opponent, and a good one to boot.  Starting to begin to worry about whether he’ll be at Bonas all 4 years.  From what I have heard about the kid though, he will be.  I don’t think there is another player I’d want on our basketball team over Andrew.  Keep up the good work, it is truly a pleasure watching you play basketball night in and night out. 

2. The Bonnies Peskiness.  There were times when this team could have easily folded.  There were times when it looked like there was just no stopping St. John’s.  This team kept fighting and fighting, and put itself in a position to win.  This peskiness will pay dividends in the future, and this team will win some games people think they shouldn’t.  I look forward to when we do win those games. 

3. Da’Quan Cook.  Cook stepped up big in the first half, providing offense when we most needed it with Nicholson out.  I loved his effort.  While he was quieter in the second half, I was still very impressed.  I hope this carries over and becomes the norm. 

4. Playing Games in Rochester.  If this is what it takes to get a Big East opponent to come play us, so be it.  Yeah, we probably win if this game is in the Reilly Center.  However, the reality is that at this moment, that game is not a possibility.  Bonas has a great alumni base in Rochester (hopefully someday I can join that base when done with school), and it is a good idea to energize this base often with a game there.  We need to keep our schedule tough, because some day in the near future, that will play an important role when the postseason comes around. 

5. We Had More Assists Than Turnovers!!!!  Will this happen often with this team?  Hopefully, but not likely.  I don’t care that we only had one more assist than turnover, I can’t remember the last time that was even the case.  Ogo had 4 assists, and looked strong driving to the hole.  He looked good at times.

6. The Play of Malcolm Eleby.  This does not include free throws, which will be discussed later.  He is becoming more assertive on the floor, and is becoming a better game manager.  He is not perfect, but is a work in progress, who has shown glimpses.  No turnovers, and an overall aggressiveness taking the ball to the hole.  Keep it up Malcolm. 

What I Did Not Like

1. Free Throw Shooting.  15-22. 68%.  Ugh.  Believe it or not, this was an improvement.  This cost us down the stretch, as Malcolm was 1-4 from the line.  That just is unacceptable.  Malcolm is a guard, and should never shoot under 70% from the line.  I do not want to watch Jonathan Hall shoot another free throw either.  I am going to close my eyes next time he goes to the line.  It’s that bad.  Just put some arc on it and you will shoot a higher percentage.  This will be one of the things that keeps us from being a truly upper echelon A-10 team. 

2. Three Point Shooting.  1-8.  12.5%.  Double Ugh.  An old basketball saying goes, “the three point shot is the great equalizer.”  Right now, our equation is way off.  Chris Matthews, please make shots.  1-5 isn’t going to get it done.  Ogo 0-2, Davenport 0-1.  This HAS to get better, or else we will have problems come conference play. 

3. Our End of Game Defense.  I will admit, I have not seen this play.  There is one thing I do know.  There should be under no circumstance a situation where we need to foul like that up one with 6 seconds left.  Where is the help defense?  Can nobody take the charge?  We should not have defensive breakdowns such as this at the end of such a close game. 

4. Our Backup Bigs.  I cannot judge Roseboro, did not see enough of him and this was his first game, so he’ll get a pass.  Still, we do not have a backup that has produced yet.  Simmons did nothing, and House did not play.  We need to have a semi-productive option off the bench. 

Final Thoughts

When I posted my prediction for the season on the Bandwagon, I counted this as a loss.  I still feel like we are on pace for a 16-20 win season, as I thought originally we would finish 18-11.  From what I see of this team this record can be much better.  This start is really encouraging.  We are a team to be reckoned with in the Atlantic 10, and will surprise teams in the non-conference.  I do not expect the Bonnies to have a hangover from this game, as we have Binghamton next, which will be a get better quick game.  This team will bounce back, and continue their great play. 

Next up is Binghamton this Friday at 7.  Expect big things from the Bonnies in this game.  My early prediction, Bonnies 88, Bearcats 58.  One of the backup bigs will step up as well.  Go Bonas.

I just want to start by saying that this is one of the more impressive wins this program has had in years.  Cleveland St. is not a joke and this one was never in doubt.  A shoutout to Mark Schmidt and his staff for preparing the Bonnies for what Cleveland St. brought to the table, and a shoutout to the Bonnies players for executing that gameplan. 

 Again, this game was never in doubt.  The Bonnies took the lead at 4-2 with 17:19 left in the first half, and never relinquished it.  This game had it all, with a thunderous dunk by Michael Davenport, to a putback jam by Jonathon Hall, to even more dunks by Andrew Nicholson, who added a nice left-handed jump hook to boot.  The Bonnies for the most part played good defense, and responded whenever Cleveland St. seemed to be mounting a challenge.  This was mostly the result of the good work of Davenport, Hall, and Nicholson, who combined to score 56 of the Bonnies 72 points.  What a win for Mark Schmidt, what a win for this program, and what a win for this core group of talented student-athletes.  This is a team we can rally around, they truly played the game the right way tonight. 

What I Liked Tonight

1. The Trio of Scorers.  Michael Davenport, Jonathon Hall, and Andrew Nicholson again combined for 56 of the 72 points the Bonnies scored in the game tonight.  Hall and Nicholson were also monsters on the glass, combining for 15 rebounds.  Hall, while he has his moments, at times can be the most complete player on this team with his ball-handling ability, his ability to finish at the rim, and his tenacity on the glass.  If only they taught him how to put arc on his jumpshot, he would be even better.  Nicholson is the star, and will be the most consistent player on this team all year-round.  If he can stay out of trouble, like he did tonight, then this team is going to win a lot of games. 

The thing which impressed me most about this trio was the play of Michael Davenport.  I was not exactly thrilled with his performance against Mansfield, but tonight he looked like the player I expected to see in that game as well.  19 points and 4 rebounds do not sum up the quality of the game that he had, as his energy off the bench sparked this Bona club when it needed it the most.  If Davenport can be our third scorer, that would be much welcomed, as Chris Matthews’s inconsistency plagued us at points last year.  If Matthews gets rolling to and gives this team four scorers, watch out. 

2. Our Ability to Respond.  Winning teams respond when their opponents see light, closing the door on their hopes.  The Bonnies played the role of that winning team tonight to perfection.  Two times in the second half, first in the beginning four minutes of the second half and with 7:32 in the second half did Cleveland St. seem to be knocking on the door.  Each time, the Bonnies responded with a 6-0 run, dispelling any hope the Vikings had of making a comeback.  That kind of poise has not been seen from the Brown and White for some time. 

3. The Bonnies’ Pressure Defense.  The stat sheet tells me that Cleveland St. committed 12 turnovers.  That is not too many by today’s standard, but this stat does not tell the whole truth.  Cleveland St. was out of sync the whole night, as the Bonnies continually pressured their guards, forcing turnovers and bad decisions.  All around a great defensive performance.  Andrew Nicholson had 4 blocks as well.  He is truly The Eraser out there on the basketball court. 

4. The Crowd.  The crowd tonight was excellent.  Kudos to the students for showing up in a big way.  Hopefully they keep that going and make the trip to Rochester to support the Bonnies.  Keep the RC rocking!

5. Coach Gee Succeeding at a New Stop.  Cleveland St. is considered one of the more successful programs in the Horizon today, and it is due largely in part of the efforts of Coach Gee.  He is truly a class act, and not only taught me about the game of basketball during my time at Bonas, but the game of life as well.  When the program was down, he never was, and was instrumental in any success the program had during his years here.  I wish the man all the success in the world. 

What I Did Not Like Tonight

1. The Free Throw Shooting.  This was inexcusable.  The Bonnies shot 56% from the line.  Eleby and Hall need to shoot better from the line, as Eleby shot 3-6 with Hall going 0-2.  Somebody needs to teach Jonathon the concept of arc, it makes making a jumpshot a lot easier.  Free throw shooting can be the difference between a good and great team.

2. More Turnovers Than Assists…Again. This team needs to learn how to take care of the basketball.  Turnovers plagued this team last year, and did again tonight.  17 turnovers is way too high.  Hall, while making some spectacular plays with the ball, committed 5 turnovers.  Eleby also committed 4.  A point guard should take better care of the ball.  Eleby did attack the rim at points tonight, which was a welcome sight.  Eleby’s management skills will have a large say in how this team does this season. 

3. Chris Matthews’ Scoring Inconsistency…Again. 1-4 from 3 point range, 5 points.  While Matthews did take care of the basketball (6 assists 1 turnover), I would like to see more production on the offensive end.  I will complement Chris on one thing however, he does an amazing job taking care of the basketball.  If he can just consistently be a sniper from three-point range, this offense would be complete. 

4. Our Backup Bigs.  I was not sold on our backup bigs before this game, and still am not.  We need the bigs for A10 play to be ready.  I still want to see Roseboro, I think he will be a huge addition to our frontline.  House looked very raw out there.  Cook also contributed 0 points, 0 rebounds, and 3 fouls in 11 minutes.  Cleveland St. could not expose our weakness at the 4 spot, but teams like Syracuse and Mississippi St. sure will be able to.

Final Thoughts

I thought this game would be a barometer of our season, and if it truly was, we have a lot to look forward to.  This team truly played excellent tonight.  Each player complemented each other well.  If we keep turning out performances such as this one, there is no reason this team should not finish in the upper half of the league, if not in the top 5.  Consistency will be the key with this team, and I hope that we can continue this success. 

Up next is St. John’s this Tuesday in Rochester.  A win over the Johnnies would really elevate this team’s profile, as the Johnnies are a good squad.  We shall see if the Bonnies can carry this win over. 

I have been preparing for a trial all week, so this will be pretty short.  But I wanted to give some thoughts on the scrimmage, because there were some things that impressed me, and many that did not.

What Impressed Me

1. Andrew Nicholson.  I love the confidence and swagger.  He was not hesitating to take any shot in which he thought he could make.  That is what I want out of this program’s superstar.  I mean the dunks are nice, but I like that 18-foot jumpshot even better.  He is becoming a complete offensive force.  8 rebounds to go along with 29 points.  If he keeps up efforts such as this, we will have some of the best inside play in the conference, regardless of who is at the 4.

2. Daquan Cook’s 9 rebounds.  We may have found our 4.  In our offense the 4 does not need to score as much, Andrew will get the touches and the other forward can dive or cut.  But we need the 4 to rebound.  That’s what Daquan did last night.  It has never been a question of whether Daquan had the ability to play at the Division I level, rather whether he had the mental strength to play at this level.  Hopefully he continues performances such as these.

3. Chris Matthews’s 8 assists and 0 turnovers.  I wanna preface this by saying, there was a lot about Chris’s game that I did not like last night, which I will write about later.  This was definitely a positive however.  He took care of the basketball, and his passing was sharp. 

4. Jonathan Hall’s all around game.  We need Hall to be an all around player for us in order for this team to be successful.  Reminds me a lot of Ahmad Smith.  If his shooting gets better, that could only be a bonus.

5. We did not pull a Syracuse. 

6. The women’s team’s score.  71-18? Gotta love what Jim Crowley is doing there.  Congratulations, looks like another great season is ahead from the women’s team. 

What Did Not Impress Me

1. We were 8 points better than Mansfield.  As Rasheed Wallace always says “ball don’t lie.”  The score says that we are better than Mansfield by 8 points.  I don’t believe that we truly are, but we should crush this team.  Teams like Lasalle and Massachusetts, teams that will probably be around us in the standings, are not only 8 points better than Mansfield. 

2. We were outrebounded 38-33.  We need to be tougher in the paint.  I don’t care how big Carr is.  The fact is, he is not a Division I player.  We should beat teams like this on the boards.  I am looking forward to seeing what Brett Roseboro does for our rebounding. 

3. Where is Lewis Leonard?  I wonder what the deal is with him.  He was a prolific scorer at the JUCO level.  I hope everything is ok with him.  I still believe he can help us, we need a guard that can score.  Especially with Matthews shooting the way he did.  Which brings me to…

4. Chris Matthews’s  being incredibly consistent at being inconsistent.  Can Chris Matthews just make about 30-40% of 3 point attempts per game? Please? My God, he cannot go 1-8 for our team to be truly successful in A-10 play this year.  This was the most disheartening thing for me last night.  We need him to be a consistently successful shooter in order for this team to win.  He can stretch defenses and keep defenses from dropping defenders on Andrew.  But he needs to be more consistent from the outside!

5. Malcolm Eleby.  Bleh. Malcolm Eleby is to point guards as Trent Dilfer is to quarterbacks.  He doesn’t lose you games, but he sure doesn’t win you games.  4 points? 3 assists? Less than 60% free throw shooting? 28 minutes? I’m feeling sick looking at that stat line.  Ogo will start by the end of the year.  Malcolm, I want you to succeed, I really do.  But you need to stop playing scared and attack.  You are the point guard.  Attack.

6. Not seeing a lot of House, Conger, and Simmons.  I don’t know yet what we have with these players.  I can make no assessment.  I cannot wait to see Roseboro though.

Looking forward to the season premier versus Cleveland State.  Won’t have a trial to prepare for at that point, so there will be a full and thorough review.  Go Bonas.

Will Andrew Nicholson endure a sophomore slump in 2009-2010?

After earning their first .500 record since the 2001-2002 season, the Bonnies will attempt to once again jump in the league standings under third year Head Coach Mark Schmidt. The returnees are headlined by the reigning Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year in forward Andrew Nicholson, senior three point gunner Chris Matthews, and senior guard-forward Jonathan Hall. After qualifying for the league tournament for just the first time in the previous four years last season, the Brown and White seem poised to put together another solid if not spectacular campaign.

2009-2010 Roster

2009-2010 Schedule

The Backcourt

Led by a solid scoring duo in seniors Chris Matthews (12.2 ppg) and Jonathan Hall (12.9 ppg, 6.3 rpg), the Bonnies have two wings who are certainly capable of scoring the basketball. Last year, Matthews ranked 4th in the league in three pointers made (2.7 per game) but was a no show on far too many occasions. The always streaky Matthews failed to score in double figures ten times last year (A third of the team’s games), a figure that simply must improve if the Bonnies are going to take a real step forward this year. The solution? Matthews must find other ways to contribute on offense when his deep jumper is not falling, i.e using screens more effectively, or using a shot fake to draw the defender up while putting the ball on the floor. Hall, unlike Matthews, relies almost exclusively on scoring in the paint via pull up jumpers or drives off ball screens. While he is an awful three point shooter (17%), Hall is very productive overall (50% fg) when shooting due to many close range field goal attempts, and did lead the team in scoring, rebounding and assists per game last season; an underrated all around player.

Junior Malcolm Eleby returns as the starting point guard, though he will be challenged by JUCO transfer Ogo Adegboye for minutes. While Eleby did improve last year (7 pts, 3 ast), he still cannot be considered a top half point guard in the league, mostly due to his poor shooting percentages (16% from three, 38% overall) and poor assist/ turnover ratio: 89 assists with 78 turnovers. Ogo should give the Bonnies more quickness and some more offensive pop off the bench, as will ultra athletic sophomore Michael Davenport (3.3 pts) JUCO transfers Lewis Leonard ( 6’4″, 200) and incoming freshman Demitrius Conger (6’6″, 205). If the Bonnies can get improved play at the point guard spot and more consistent scoring on the wings, they should be able to free up enough space inside for Nicholson who all the sudden lacks a partner in crime down low.

The Frontcourt

For the first time in what seems like an eternity, the Bonnies have a credible big man in the previously mentioned Nicholson. The Canadian logged just 25 minutes a game last year due to frequent foul trouble, but still managed to post impressive numbers (12.5 pts, 6 rpg, 2.7 blocks). Nicholson became a defensive force in the paint, forcing teams to settle for floaters and pull up jumpers instead of lay-ups and dunks. Nicknamed “The Eraser” on campus, Nicholson is the Bonnies best insurance policy on defense as he can cover up for mistakes on the perimeter by altering and blocking shots of both guards and forwards. While he must makes strides in learning how to pass out of the post, he is a very good shooter (60%, 2nd in A10) who can step out and hit 15 foot jumpers if left alone. Points of emphasis over the summer for Nicholson were surely in the weight room (just 220 pounds) and on the free throw line (61%).

Joining Nicholson on the blocks this year is a cast of unknowns. Sophomore Da’Quan Cook (1.6 ppg, 8 min) is the only frontcourt returnee with any experience. Cook already has the reputation as a blue collar player, not necessarily a good thing as a sophomore. He’s physical and can bang, but is not a scoring threat and has attempted just 20 shots in his career. Red shirt Jake Houseknecht (6’8″, 200) and Marquis Simmons (6’8″, 220) round out what appears to be both a thin and tremendously inexperienced frontcourt. With so much attention due to be given to Nicholson, Schmidt hopes someone in this second bunch will step up and provide him with minutes, rebounds and an occasional baskets to keep defenses honest. If the Bonnies can receive decent production from this group, Nicholson will have that much more room to work with his back to the basket, as well as that much more room to pass out of pressure, something he hasn’t shown the ability to due thus far.

The late off season addition of Brett Roseboro gives the Bonnies a little bit more depth amongst the “bigs” but fans shouldn’t view the Marquette transfer as a savior by any means.  Nicholson was the exception, not the rule last year, as a forward who can step in from day one and become a big time impact player. People on campus tell us the Roseboro looks good in workouts and should absolutely see quality minutes, but let’s think more D’Lancy Carter figures than Nicholson for the freshman.

Newcomers

The following commentary was given to CollegeChalktalk .com earlier this summer when they caught up with Head Coach Mark Schmidt…

Demitrius Conger: 6-foot-6 from Brooklyn; Demitrius went to Covenant Christian Academy in Atlanta. Really athletic and long. Scorer’s mentality… he went for 31 or 32 against Oak Hill Academy last year. Good defensive player. 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 we’re looking forward to having him contribute as a freshman.

Ogo Adegboye: 6-0, 180 pounds. JUCO (Lamar Community College, CO). Great kid. Born in Nigeria and moved to London, England where spent his childhood. He’s a very quick, athletic point guard. He can shoot the ball and can score, but he’s really got a great head on his shoulders and can make other players around him better. When I saw him play at the national tournament, I hadn’t even heard of Lamar, but the longer I watched this kid play the more impressed I was with him, just as a leader. So, we’re really excited to have him… we struggled at the point guard position at times last year and we’re hoping Ogo can be a guy that can come in and help us. Just a tremendous kid, a 4.0 student at Lamar.

And then we obviously have Marquis Simmons, Jake Houseknecht and Lewis Leonard who sat out last year and will give us some production inside and outside.

Marquee Non-Conference Matchup

The Bonnies will play host to the St. John’s Red Storm on Tuesday, November 17th, at Blue Cross Arena in Rochester, New York. While their match up with Syracuse at the Carrier Dome might generate more excitement to alumni, the contest against the Red Storm should be an extremely well balanced game. Both teams are coming off similar seasons (SJU won 16 games last year) and the location of the game should bring both Bonaventure as well as Red Storm supporters. The Bonnies knocked off a Big East team last year in Rutgers, they certainly will talent and crowd to knock off Norm Robert’s team in upstate New York.

Stat of Note

Last year, the Bonnies ranked dead last in the league in turnover margin (-2.62) and also coughed the ball over more times than any other team in the league (491). For a team that ranked 6th in scoring offense, 10th in scoring defense and 4th in rebounding margin, this is the stat the keeps Mark Schmidt up at night. Specifically, Andrew Nicholson will need to do a much better job of passing out of double teams this year; last year the freshman registered just 7 assists to go along with 62 turnovers. While Eleby, Matthews and Hall showed improvement in this area towards the end of last year, Nicholson has a great deal to learn. Given their decent scoring potential and run and gun offensive style, fewer turnovers could mean becoming one of the league’s highest powered offensives.

Player to Watch

Look for Michael Davenport to have a breakout year for the Bonnies this year.

Michael Davenport. The 6’4″ sophomore showed flashes of excellence last year, using his great athletic ability to become a great defender and energy man off the bench. Playing just over 11 minutes a game, Davenport averaged over three points and 2 rebounds, showing that he can go get the ball off the glass for a guard. What impresses us most about Davenport is his basketball I.Q and mature style of play. While not a great shooter (41%) he did convert very well at the line (89%) and often defends the opposing teams’ best guard. Look for Davenport to contribute a great deal on both sides of the ball this season; a jack of all trades but master of none kind of player, Davenport can help the Bonnies in many areas.

Season Outlook

After losing at least 34% in scoring, rebounding, and assists, the Bonnies could still have enough pieces to find themselves in the middle of the pack during conference play. While they could stand to upgrade at the point guard position, Eleby has shown signs of growth and the combination of Matthews and Hall gives the Brown and White three returning guards with solid Atlantic 10 experience. Nicholson should take another step forward in his development this year, and if he can stay out of foul trouble, could become of the elite forwards in the entire league. Areas of concern are frontcourt depth, turnovers and lack of consistent perimeter shooters which in turn could clog up the paint for the forwards as well as drive first guards like Hall.

Expectations for this group are as high as any season in recent memory in Olean, all due to just a .500 finish a year ago. That said, Schmidt has added talent and athleticism to the roster, and will continue to ask his team to push the basketball and play aggressive. With a tougher non-conference schedule than a year ago the record may not equate a vast jump in wins, but this should be the best squad that the Bona faithful have seen in several years.

The Bonnies won't be playing this man's alma mater this season.

We have gotten several emails from readers asking about the Bonnies current non-conference schedule. Many of you wanted us to shed some light on what games are on and what are off; so here goes…

1. Cleveland State (And Former coach Jason Gee) is coming to the RC

2. SBU will take on St. John’s in Rochester at the Blue Cross Arena

3. SBU will travel to Niagara, host Canisius

4. The Bonnies owe a return game to Mississippi State

5. @ Illinois State for the Basketball Travelers Invitational (Norfolk State)

6. Bonnies travel to the Carrier Dome to play Syracuse…

7. The Marquette game is off according to my sources

That currently gives the Bonnies eight non-conference games, meaning that they will have to find at least four more games. The Bonnies could look to play teams such as Robert Morris and Saint Francis PA again, both provide winnable games vs. teams who would certainly travel to SBU and enjoy the chance to knock off an A10 team on the road.

What are my other ideas about who the Bonnies could potentially play? Well here are a few games I think would make sense…

1. Play Buffalo somewhere. Here, there, anywhere, there is no good reason these two teams don’t play each other every year. SBU is an A10 team, meaning UB would be playing up in conference by playing us, and we certainly are not above the Bulls who have been a respectable team over the last few years. A great rivalry game, would be well attended.

2. Binghamton. The Bearcats have emerged as a powerful team in the America East. They are about three hours away and are coming off an NCAA bid. Another game that makes too much sense.

3. Penn State. I would love to see the Bonnies play Penn State, even if it meant playing down in State College a few years to get a return game. PSU plays in the Big Ten and has developed into a real threat in that league, last year getting to N.I.T finals. State College is only some three hours from Olean.

4. Colgate. Another in state team who has had recent success in the NCAA tournament. Colgate is coming off a NCAA tournament bid and would be a nice team to have travel to the RC for a non-conference win over a team who, although is not in a great league, has some recent history in the postseason.

5. Pittsburgh or Providence. Both Big East teams would be willing to play the Bonnies at their place, and both would add a great second punch to the Syracuse game. Pittsburgh is obviously within driving distance from Olean, and they, like Providence would draw well in Rochester or Buffalo on a neutral court. Jamie Dixon’s team is as good as it gets right now in college basketball, and even playing them close would give the Bonnies some attention. Providence isn’t quite where Pitt is right now in the national rankings, but they are a program on the rise in the Big East, and they like Bonas, are a small catholic school in a league of giants.

We will see how things play out over the next few weeks leading into the fall, but as of right now work remains as far as the shcedule is concerned. As we get any new information we will put it out there for everyone to read, but the coaches and administration ususally do a good job of keeping the games and terms under wraps.

We aren't Newman, but we can answer your questions about the Bonnies.

Just as promised we are back here at the Blog to answer some pressing questions heading into the summer months and soon, the start of fall. Feel free to submit questions to us through the site’s comments sections, and we will try to answer them when we open our next batch of questions.

Question #1: Is Malcolm Eleby the starting point guard this year, and what does the future hold for him as a Bonnie?

BonaBlog Answer: Eleby finished the year averaging 7 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game; certainly modest numbers from the point guard position. Malcolm really showed some growth towards the end of the year, finishing in double figures in 7 of the team’s last 9 contests. Still though, his 78 turnovers with 89 assists do not form a sold ratio, and he ranked 15th in the league in assists, and out of the top 15 in A/TO ratio…not usually a good sign for your point guard. Eleby’s obvious strengths are his size, ability to convert at the line (68% was a vast improvement over his 38% freshman year) and get into the lane with his big frame. Unfortunately, I do not see Eleby as a “true” Atlantic 10 point guard, and think after seeing him for two years, we have seen what his upside is: maybe a ten point a game scorer, who cannot shoot, lacks true quickness and doesn’t possess the decision making ability to rank among the league’s elite point men.

To answer the question, I believe that Eleby will start the year as the point guard, but my prediction is that by the end of the year, he is coming off the bench and playing second fiddle to Ogo, who should bring more quickness and offense to the team. As far as 2011 is concerned, I would expect Ogo (a senior to be) to be starting over Eleby, his classmate.

Question #2: What does the loss of Maurice Thomas mean to Andrew Nicholson, the reigning Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year?

BonaBlog Answer: Thomas was a very useful player for the Bonnies last year; when he was actually on the floor. Thomas averaged 9.4 points and 6.1 rebounds in just under 20 minutes of action per game. However his off the floor issues were well documented and his poor attitude and maturity have led him to another school. All this just means a little bit more pressure on Andrew Nicholson.

When asked about this situation during an interview with College Chalktalk, Coach Schmidt had the following to say:

“I’m not sure that losing Maurice will really impact Andrew.  Andrew came up without the hoopla of some of the other guys.  Nobody knew about Andrew because he didn’t play in the AAU circuit and he was from Toronto, but we knew we had something special.

In the first half of the Marist game he was nervous, but in the second half he broke out and his confidence grew and he got better and better.  Where he needs to improve is strength-wise… he can only bench 165 pounds (and that’s up considerably from when he arrived); he’s the A-10 Rookie of the Year, bench pressing 165.  And that lack of strength got him in early foul trouble at times.  That’s one thing… he has to get stronger.  The minutes last year and some added strength will help him stay out of foul trouble.

Everyone will know who he is this year.  They’re going to come after him and I’ve told him, ‘As good as you were last year, you’ve gotta be better this year’.  They’ll come after him with double-teams, but he’s an extraordinary talent, a great kid and a great student.  If he gets stronger and continues to work at it, he has a chance to be a really special player and make some money somewhere after he graduates.

As far as Maurice, he brought toughness to our team, but we feel that Marquis Simmons, Da’Quan Cook, and others can help make up for that. But in terms of Andrew, I know he’ll continue to work hard (he’s up to 230 pounds, from 215 when he arrived), he’s not the kind of kid who will get big-headed, and we expect a terrific sophomore season.”

Mark Schmidt has forgotten more about the game of basketball than I’ll ever know. That said, I do have to agree to disagree with Schmidt’s statement that he is not sure losing Grease will affect Andrew. If Thomas was around this year, teams would have to prep for two players who could potentially drop a double double on them each night, now, they will prepare for Nicholson and who? House? Leonard at the four? Simmons at the four? Its just not the same.

I know Thomas wasn’t a great post player, but he was a capable scorer, a great presence, a hard-nosed rebounder and a workhorse. Those things will not easily be replaced, and by losing him, teams know they can focus on Nicholson and only Nicholson in the post. For a team that already lacks perimeter shooters (Matthews aside) having only one low post scoring threat could cause even more problems for the Bonnies’ guards. Defenses will be able to play our guards tight beyond the three point line, knowing they might only need to single cover in the post, and double teams may not even be needed given Andrew’s turnover issues.

Question #3: What is the team’s greatest weakness heading into the 2009-2010 season?

BonaBlog Answer: An easy one to answer; turnovers. The Bonnies ranked dead last in turnover margin, as well as assist/turnover ratio.  Although the team finished 4th in assists (15.1 per game) their -5.13 ratio made for many empty possessions. Eleby checked in with 78 turnovers, and Ray Blackburn added 64 of his own. Chris Matthew’s turned it over 76 times, and ROY Andrew Nicholson coughed it up 62 times to go with his 7 helpers (ouch), Hall had 97!  Bonaventure boasted the 8th best scoring offense in the league and third best field goal percentage. With those two facts in mind, it appears that only turning the ball over could cause the Bonnies to drop so many games. 17 turnovers  a game could potentially lead to 51 points the other way; a scary thought when you play in the Atlantic 10. Xavier, and Dayton don’t need any extra possessions to beat teams like Bonaventure, but when you give them to them, it makes winning that much more difficult. Only time will tell if adding Ogo as the team’s point guard will help to straighten out these lopsided numbers. If they can cut the turnovers down to say 12 a game, the Bonnies could easily add a few more victories to their total (see the Duquesne game last year in Pittsburgh).

We know Hall can score, but can he and the Bonnies take care of the ball next year?

Question #4: What is the team’s greatest strength heading into the 2009-2010 season?

BonaBlog Answer: In my opinion, another rather easy question; the offense and the ability to score the ball. As noted above, the team ranked 3rd in field goal percentage and 8th in scoring offense. With Leonard on the floor (said to be a true scorer at the three) and with the additions of Simmons, Ogo, House, and Conger, the team should be more athletic and more offense oriented. If Leonard is a true scorer as advertised, and I hope he is, the team should have  three true guards who can score the ball in Matthews, Leonard and Hall. Hall was so inconsistent last year, that too many times Matthews had to shoulder the scoring load; with Leonard in the fold, that shouldn’t be as much of a problem. Matthews should provide the long range scoring, while Hall and Leonard can take defenders off the dribble and score in the paint and off the dribble and pull-up. As long as the team can 1.) Better value the basketball and 2.) Get production from the post aside from Andrew, I think the Bonnies could be one of the more potent offenses in the league.

Question #5: What Bonnies player is most vital to the team’s success?

BonaBlog Answer: This question is not as easy for me as the two before it. However, after giving it some thought I’ll give the nod to Jonathan Hall over Malcolm Eleby. Hall lead the team in scoring with just under 13 a game, and also led the team in rebounds and assists. Hall is much more athletic than he looks, and some of my favorite memories of last season were a few of his 18 blocks which were of the highlight reel variety. Hall’s biggest problem were his 97 turnovers (2nd on the team) to go with his 95 assists. Hall killed more possessions than any other player, and at times, became a black hole in the offense. His tendency to put his head down and drive to the basket like a freight train, instead of moving the ball from side to side and looking to rip the gaps in defenses caused Hall to spend time on the pine. If he can improve his shot selection, as well as his actual jump shot, Hall could become a 15 point a game guy rather easily. He is the most versatile player on the team, and his play on the offensive end of the floor will be a major key in how far the Bonnies go next season.

Photos are courtesy of the BonaVenture and Talbot Eckwiler.

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