In March 2018, St. Bonaventure won its first NCAA Tournament game since the 1970 win against Villanova, a 65-58 victory against UCLA in a First Four game in Dayton, Ohio. Nonetheless, St. Bonaventure left the Garden with a 76-73 victory. Hollis scored 37 points27 in the first half alonebefore a capacity crowd in what was Jim Boeheims first year as the Orangemen head coach. Niagara just had control of the game., Final score: Niagara 87, St. Bonaventure 77. . Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. A consensus All-American twice (1969, '70), Lanier finished his career as the St. Bonaventure record holder in seven categories including points (2,067), rebounding (1,180), single-game scoring (51 points vs. Seton Hall), single-game rebounding (27 vs. Loyola MD), single-season rebounding (416), single-season shooting percentage (.586) and average rebounds in one season (16.0 rpg) in 1969-70. And over the last 50 years, its just been remarkable. You have permission to edit this article. He compiles the Hot 150 list of football players to watch in Orange County before each season. The final OSU starter that evening, forward Bobby Knight, later became one of the most winning college basketball coaches in history. The men's basketball team's 2019-20 season ended March 12, before it played its first game in the Atlantic 10 Conference tournament. By this point in the season, the Bonnies were 21-1, losing only to the top ranked team in the country, Ohio State, in late December. "It was a labor of love for Bob, who was one of the kindest and most genuine people I have ever been around. Fast forward to February 12, 1977. We did that, us being seniors, and we communicated. Bonaventure will require its athletes to be tested at testing centers in their hometowns, and it is asking athletes to self-quarantine for two weeks before returning to the Allegany campus. What made the victory more memorable was that it marked the Bonnies first return to post-season action since the 1983 NIT (a 90-76 loss to Iona). Over his four seasons, Adams helped the Bonnies to 87 wins, which is the most ever for a graduating class. I wanted it because I messed up by fouling [the Niagara player]. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. It hurt me to my heart that my guys were going (to the tourney) without me, Lanier said. The team lost 6-7 forward/center Bob Rozyczko and his 17 points per game average to graduation, but the foursome of Hollis, Baron, Hagan, and Sanders brought a 55 points-per-game average into the 76-77 season. Please help local businesses by taking an online survey to help us navigate through these unprecedented times. Sage Hill (16-9): Lightning will say goodbye to the San Joaquin League after this weeks games against St. Margarets and Webb. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. We hope that you continue to enjoy our free content. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. Each player added eight rebounds apiece. I enjoyed the enthusiasm and the friendships that were formed. We were ready, and they didnt do anything we didnt think they were going to do, Billikens coach Travis Ford said. The pair of wins against the Billikens should pay dividends for the Bonnies (15-7, 7-4 Atlantic 10 Conference), who completed the season sweep in a rare back-to-back, home-and-home series that started Friday with Bonas 68-61 win at Chaifetz Arena in St. Louis, Mo. Belcher averaged 19.9 points per game and was a member of the NCAA Tournament team in 1978, and also played on the 1979 NIT team. His 1,704 career points still rank 11th in Bona history while he is also seventh in assists (408) and fifth in steals (194). The 76-77 Bonnies jumped out to an 11-3 record by the end of January, losing only at Georgetown and DePaul and to Princeton at the Rochester War Memorial in the championship of the Kodak College Basketball Classic. 1 overall pick by the Detroit Pistons in the 1970 NBA draft, after a season in which he averaged 29.1 points a game. Rosary (13-7): Kaylee Byon had 30 points and seven assists in a 65-55 victory against Orange Lutheran last week. By the time that Stith joined the varsity squad in 1957, the streak of victories in the Olean (NY) Armory had gained national attention. After he retired, Lanier served as the NBA Cares Global Ambassador, working with programs that supported education, family development, youth and health-related causes. That was our feeling. My gratitude goes to the people featured in the blogs for sharing their memories and to Dennis Frank, SBU Archivist. Yes, Wake Forest upset St. Bonaventure on March 17, 1961, in the NCAA Eastern Regional semifinal game before a capacity crowd of 12,000 in Charlotte, NC, a profound disappointment to Bona fans thinking about a national championship. Hollis scored 27 of Bonnies first 50 points as they headed into halftime with a comfortable 52-33 lead. Eastern 8 newspapers? Thats exactly what the Bonnies did that evening in the Reilly Center, and it was Francis Tommasinos most memorable Bona game behind the microphone in his Bona tenure. The third all-time leading scorer in program history with 2,077 points from 1977-81, he finished his career 15th in rebounds (650) as well as third in free throw percentage (.831). Both The Bona Venture and Olean Times Herald reports of the game referred to numerous traveling infractions called against the Bonnies. The games were often the topic of wintertime conversations at school, the neighbors hoop, the dinner table, and really anywhere in the community. 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In an interview on the day of the Reilly Center Arena floor dedication in 2007, Lanier wept recalling how devastated he was not being able to play in the Final Four. I thought there was enough time left, he recalled. His No. 2. The following games against Oregon and Villanova featured three- and four-point wins, respectively. While the Bonnies won the NIT in 1977, Southern Mississippi took that same crown in 1987 in defeating LaSalle in the championship game. pic.twitter.com/a3ynIFGshp. The St. Bonaventure University women's basketball team is doing more than taking on the Richmond Spiders on Saturday in an Atlantic 10 matchup. It was a labor of love for Bob, who was one of the kindest and most genuine people I have ever been around. He was also A-10 second team in 1983 and the captain of the 1983 NIT team before being selected to the SBU Hall of Fame in 1995. That would have really been disastrous. After the ensuing buzzer, Crawford felt cheated.. access for current print subscribers. The 5-9 junior guard for the Demon Deacons averaged 17 points per game, but wasnt the scoring leader for the squad. OC Varsity Scores and Schedules If you have any comments, questions, feedback or corrections for the information related to the scores or schedules, please contact our high school sports department The Bonnies were badly outrebounded, 42-23, with Oregon star and second team USBWA All-American Greg Ballard nearly matching the Bona total with 15 rebounds. A shower of rain or wet snow possible late. Would you like to receive our daily headlines? In a game with likely NCAA implications, Syracuse enacted revenge in the ECAC tournament game at the Manley Field House in Syracuse in early March. And the NIT game with Southern Mississippi was significant on a number of levels, according to Tommasino. To watch the All-Team Team Selection Show, please click here. Green left St. Bonaventure as one of the best guards in program history. Niagara and Duquesne upended St. Bonaventure toward the end of the regular season with the consecutive setbacks occurring within five days of each other. As part of the St. Bonaventure Basketball Centennial Season celebration, the Athletics Department gathered voting from fans and partnered with some of the most well-versed individuals on the history of the program to create an All-Time Team. The standing room only crowd was an estimated 2300. One Bona fan, Pat (Tiger) Flynn, recalled going to Armory games from the age of six. Sign Up Today! His 22.5 points per game is still good for third all-time among Bona players. On the day of the game, a writer for The Olean Times Herald predicted, It could be rough sledding before the century mark is recorded. Niagara entered as a 19.5-point underdog, but was hoping for a post-season NIT invitation. After all, losing wasnt common to Stiths career at SBU. The point guard of the 1977 NIT Championship team, Hagan established the career assists record for the program with 486 (4.7 apg), a total that still ranks fourth today. Collins Sets Single Season Assists Record as Billikens Beat Dayton on Friday Night, Dayton Visits Billikens for Final A-10 ESPN Friday Night Showcase, Legendary Richmond Radio Broadcaster Bob Black to Receive Bob Vetrone Media Award, Hawks, Dukes, Colonials All WIn While Mason Takes Overtime Affair and Rhody Survive Rambler Rally. Since that setback, Houston went 20-4 with the most recent loss to #7 Arkansas in the championship of Southwest Conference tournament. ST. BONAVENTURE Bob Lanier, the greatest basketball player in St. Bonaventure University history, died early today surrounded by family in Arizona. In what was St. Bonaventures tenth overall trip to the NIT, Coach Jim Satalin was a realistic optimist in his first look at the list of 16 teams in 1977, something he even remembers 45 years later. The Reilly Center fans were energized for the post-season matchup with Southern Mississippi. He also was a longtime spokesperson and chairman of the NBA's "Stay in School" program, later renamed "Read to Achieve," a reading-engagement initiative supported by NBA and WNBA teams. A part of that seemed to be the respect given to Coach Gallagher, who was carried off the floor by Niagara fans after the game. The New Years Eve matchup served as the most memorable game in the Bona career of Fred Crawford, who was later named as one of the best players in the schools longstanding basketball history. 54 jersey is retired. The Bonnies prevailed despite 17 turnovers, the last of which could have been most costly. $3.00 St. Bonaventure guard Kyle Lofton scores two points over Richmond Spiders forward Nathan Cayo last February. Win #100 was denied by the same team upon which the win streak started: the Purple Eagles of Niagara University. Matt Gantt You can find your account number on any recent subscription notice or bill. As a senior in 2001-02, he averaged 24.6 points per game and scored 738 points that season alone. He earned a spot in the Athletics Hall of Fame in 2010. He realized that the ending to the game nearly 55 years ago could have been different. The Universitys webpage of Stith offers an apt description: When the game was on the line, he became the Go To Guy, and he seldom disappointed. Win #73 included. Sanders performance earned him tournament MVP honors. That Niagara game jump-started my career at St. Bonas, he said. I think about the lasting memories and the lasting friendships I have to this day because of those guys I was in a trench with for so long.. If I miss that shot, it means Im the goat, and keep in mind that it would have broken the Bona winning streak, Stith added. Recruiting buzz is already building just days after the St. Bonaventure men's basketball team's season ended at the hands of the LSU Tigers in the NCAA Tournament. By VINNY PEZZIMENTI Olean Times Herald Feb 19, 2023 ST. BONAVENTURE "Hope," St. Bonaventure basketball coach Mark Schmidt said, was all the Bonnies had left with 2.2 seconds left,. Santa Margarita (13-6): Eagles can clinch third in the Trinity League by defeating host Orange Lutheran on Wednesday. Each team shot 34 free throws with Wake Forest sinking five more than Coach Eddie Donovans squad. 31 on their uniforms this season, the school's athletic department anno, Lanier made the NBA All-Star Game in seven of his first eight seasons. Glenn Hagan Game #179 would be fresh in his mind years later: Coach Jim Barons squad beat the University of Southern Mississippi for a first-round NIT victory, 75-70. I knew the Bonnies had some good teams in the pre-Lanier era, but knew nothing about the 1960-1961 squad and wondered about this particular loss. Low 29F. The 73-point output by St. Bonaventure was the lowest of the season. Because I think that's really important -- legacies and tradition. By the time he closed his Bona career, he had scored 1,657 points - a total that leaves him 12th all-time in the program record books. He served as captain his senior season of 1962-63 and was named All-East that year. He ranks third in school history in three-pointers with 223 and also stands sixth in career steals (185) and ninth in assists (334). Then, after Adaway missed the back end of a pair of free-throw attempts, Fred Thatch Jr.s 3-pointer cut Bonas lead to 78-74 with 3:03 remaining. In 32 games (all starts), he averaged 18.5 points and 8.4 rebounds in 30.1 minutes per game. As a kid growing up in Olean (NY), I recall the excitement of getting the cardboard schedule of the upcoming season and filling in the results as the year progressed. Bird, the #3 scoring leader in the nation, poured in 44 points in the 83-82 loss. The first round of the NCAA, played as part of a tripleheader before 18,000 fans in Madison Square Garden, saw the Bonnies rally over Rhode Island. (Records through Sunday, Jan. 30) 1. His No. During his three years of varsity competition, he totaled 1,738 points and ranks eighth in program history. Quick to steal the ball, he was the ultimate playmaker and team player. Vanterpool stands 14th all-time in career scoring with 1,474 points and is also among the program's leaders in assists (401, eighth), rebounding (630, 22nd) and three-pointers (106, 19th). This weeks Orange County high school girls basketball rankings. Timmy was our only size to speak of, Satalin said. Winds light and variable.. Cloudy. As a senior in 201112, Nicholson earned Atlantic 10 Player of the Year honors in addition to All-American Honorable Mention, and First Team All-Atlantic 10 and All-Defensive team honors. Sign Up Today! Posting up: Memories of St. Bonaventure basketball, December 1960: A chance to beat the #1 team in the country, Francis Tommasino: The NIT home win in 1995, The launching of Posting up: Memories of St. Bonaventure basketball. But when I ran back down the court and tried to pivot, my leg collapsed. Sorry, no promotional deals were found matching that code. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Hagan also posted 13 points in a win over Oregon as well as 14 points in the championship game win over Houston. "Becky" Millis Field, 59, of Olean, passed away unexpectedly Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022, at her home. He tallied 659 points and his skillful play was instrumental in leading Bona to a 65-12 record during his career (1967-70). Instead a 16-team NIT opportunity awaited. He is also first in career field goals made (944) and shot a .538 percentage, also grabbing over 600 rebounds. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). Meanwhile, Ohio State featured a powerful squad, highlighted by All-American and US Olympic star center Jerry Lucas who averaged 25 points and 18 rebounds a game. An apparent late whistle against Baron on the steal affected the outcome. He was inducted into the Athletics Hall of Fame in 2006. Lanier graduated from St. Bonaventure in 1970 with a degree in business, and his name is on the basketball court at the Reilly Center in Allegany, an honor bestowed in 2007. He also writes about high school football recruiting, including The Register's annual FAB 15 teams that list the top high school football players in the Western U.S. before National Signing Day. Vanterpool helped lead the Bonnies back to national respect, taking Atlantic 10 All-Rookie Team honors in 1991-92. He will be synonymous with St. Bonaventure eternally.. Coach Eddie Donovans squad handed DePaul their seventh straight loss, 78-69, on February 18 in the Buffalo Auditorium. Lanier averaged 26.2 points and 15.6 rebounds per game. I felt comfortable that we would be very competitive in this game for sure.. 31 jersey that brought the University national fame hangs in the Reilly Center rafters and he was inducted into SBU's Athletics Hall of Fame in 1975. 22 is retired and he was a member of the inaugural Athletics Hall of Fame class. OLEAN, NY The Olean Elks Club will offer patrons tacos or taco salads with a choice of hot, medium or mild sauce on Wednesday. The Buckeyes lost their only game of the season in the NCAA championship game to Cincinnati. I'm a college/high school sports enterprise reporter at The Buffalo News. Bonas mens basketball players will return to campus July 18 and 19 for offseason workouts, and womens basketball players will return July 25. The NBA statement said Lanier died following a brief illness. The basketball success in that era was known for something else during Stiths playing days: a prominent home-game win streak. a group of Olean Times Herald columnist and former sports editor Chuck Pollock and former beat . He played professionally for the New York Knicks, Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Lakers, Buffalo Braves and Philadelphia 76ers of the NBA and his No. Having set an NCAA record for the highest freshman free throw percentage (88.4 percent) in 1979, Jones went on to become the seventh-leading scorer in program history at the time he finished his career. Nelson-Richards scored nearly half (16) of the Bona points in that half and eventually led all scorers with 24 points. Sonora (17-6): Raiders return to the top 10 after beating Troy to seize control of the Freeway League. The new Bona coach, 24-year-old Larry Weise, inherited the team later that year. In the first round of the NCAA Tournament in 1970, he had a stat line of 19 points and 16 rebounds in a first round win over Davidson, then had 15 and 11 in a second round triumph over N.C. State. In these cases, the average was taken. He scored his 2,000th career point and averaged a double-double in the final week of the 2011-12 season, posting 25.5 points and 11.0 rebounds. Hagan helped clinch the 1977 NIT Championship with clutch efforts in the postseason: He knocked in the game-winning shot for a win over Rutgers, finishing with 26 points. Shannon Shepherd, '12, Buffalo Bills beat reporter for Sports Illustrated ); : It was a tough call to have at that particular time of the game, and that saved them their undefeated season, he said. Although. The later assistant coach of the program was inducted to the SBU Hall of Fame in 1989. The 201415 St. Bonaventure Bonnies men's basketball team represented St. Bonaventure University during the 201415 NCAA Division I men's basketball season.