St. Bonaventure Team Report

GETTING INSIDE

With four starters returning from last year’s 15-15 squad, a little sunshine is finally beaming down on St. Bonaventure.

Mark Schmidt, the third-year head coach has restored belief in the tradition-rich program. Six players return from the 2008-09 squad that recorded the Bonnies’ first .500 season in six years and a berth in the Atlantic 10 Championship for the first time since the league expanded to 14 teams in 2005.

“We took a good step forward last year, going 15-15 and winning six in A-10 play,” Schmidt said. “Our goals from the year before were to improve and to earn our way to Atlantic City for the conference tournament, and we did that.

“The next step is to improve… and that might not necessarily be wins and losses, but we need to keep this program going in the right direction.”

Schmidt has done an impressive job restoring confidence in a program that hit rock bottom in 2004-05 with a 1-15 record in the A-10 and 2-26 overall.

After a rough start under Schmidt, just two wins in his first season, the Bonnies bought in and, after being picked to finish last in the A-10, they finished 11th. Considering the turmoil the program was in just a few short years ago, Schmidt probably should have received coach of the year consideration.

He molded a group of freshmen and newcomers, a band of players who are enter this season more experienced, more confident and hungry to improve the A-10.

“The Atlantic 10 is a heck of a league and our goal is to play our way into the upper echelon of the league,” Schmidt said. “If we can do that, we can get to postseason play.”

NOTES, QUOTES

• F Andrew Nicholson, a program-record six-time A-10 Rookie of the Week selection, was the first St. Bonaventure freshman to garner Rookie of the Year honors since Alvin Lott in 1983-84. The 6-9 forward was the top freshman nationally in both blocked shots (81) and field goal percentage (.602, 154-of-256). A native of Mississauga, Ontario, Nicholson ranked second on the team in scoring (12.5) and third in rebounding (6.0) and scored in double figures in 21 of the Bonnies’ 30 games.

• F Horace McGloster, a 6-foot-7 transfer from Houston, signed with St. Bonaventure over the season. He’ll sit out this season to comply with NCAA transfer rules. The long and athletic wing from Newark, N.J. will have two years of eligibility starting in the 2010-11 season.

• Redshirts Marquise Simmons and Lewis Leonard are eligible to play, giving the Bonnies more depth. Simmons, a freshman, is a 6-foot-8 wing who should cause matchup problems because of his ability to shoot 3-pointers. Leonard is an explosive guard who scored more than 1,000 points in two seasons at San Bernardino Valley College. He will be a junior.

Last Year:   15-15 overall, 6-10 in the A-10.

Head Coach:   Mark Schmidt (career 105-127); 3rd year at St. Bonaventure (23-37).

Quote To Note:   “There was negativity when I first took over but I think the students, community and alumni are behind us again and, as you know, Bonaventure basketball is extremely important up here.”—Coach Mark Schmidt on the improving perception of the program.

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL

Scouting The Newcomers:   The Bonnies will usher in a six-member class of newcomers that includes three players who sat out last season. Redshirt freshmen Jake Houseknecht, a 6-9 forward/center, and 6-8 Marquise Simmons will provide much-needed size and depth in the frontcourt. Junior guard Lewis Leonard is expected to provide an immediate impact after displaying great scoring ability at San Bernardino Valley C.C., while junior guard Ogo Adegboye (11.2 ppg.) from Lamar C.C. should provide depth in the backcourt. True freshmen guards Kelvin Agee and Detetrious Conger will also compete for time.

Key Early-season Games:   St. Bonaventure takes on St. John’s (Nov. 17) in Rochester and gets Binghamton (Nov. 20 at home). Two more measuring-stick games appear on the schedule with a trip to Mississippi State (Dec. 5) and to Syracuse (Dec. 19).

Program Direction:   Considering the depths to which the program had sunk, coach Mark Schmidt has done a remarkable job returning pride and hope to the Bonnies. Optimism abounds, although it might a season or two before St. Bonaventure finds itself back in postseason play.

Probable Starting Lineup:   G Malcolm Eleby, G Jonathan Hall, G Chris Matthews, F Andrew Nicholson, F/C Jake Houseknecht.

Roster Report:  

• F Maurice Thomas was suspended indefinitely for the final two games of last season. The 6-foot-9 post player started 20 of 26 games and was fourth on the team in scoring (9.4) and second in rebounding (6.1), however coach Mark Schmidt decided not to bring him back for his senior season.

• G Chris Matthews is looking to become a more efficient shooter. He attempted a team-high 246 3-pointers last season, making 81—the fourth-highest total in St. Bonaventure history—for 35.7 percent, a number the senior like to see rise a percentage point or two.

• G Jonathan Hall is looking to repeat the difficult feat of leading the team in scoring (12.9), rebounding (6.3) and assists (3.2). He was just the second player in program history to do it.