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. In the 1961 NCAA Tournament, he posted 34 points and 16 rebounds in a first round win over Rhode Island, then had 19 points and 10 boards in a second round setback vs. Wake Forest and scored in double figures in every postseason game he played. Lanier was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1992. Jerry Trass/Olean Times Herald ALLEGANY, N.Y. Bob Lanier, the greatest basketball player in St. Bonaventure University history, died early today surrounded by family in Arizona. He earned a spot in the Athletics Hall of Fame in 2010. In the 2014 Atlantic 10 tournament, the Bonnies were defeated by Saint Joseph's the semifinals. He was the near-unanimous MVP of the tournament. The NCAA announced the cancellation of all winter and spring. After all, losing wasnt common to Stiths career at SBU. 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. Jandoli School Alumni in Sports Media - St. Bonaventure University Niagara and Duquesne upended St. Bonaventure toward the end of the regular season with the consecutive setbacks occurring within five days of each other. Bona took a 36-26 lead with less than five minutes left in the first half, part of a 17-3 run that helped the Bonnies to a 48-32 lead at halftime. St. Bonaventure announces 2023 Hall Of Fame class | sbusports Would you like to receive our lifestyle headlines about food and wine, Olean living, local history and more? NBA Commissioner Adam Silver called the Hall of Fame player among the most talented centers in the history of the NBA, but that his impact on the league went far beyond what he accomplished on the court. He served as captain his senior season of 1962-63 and was named All-East that year. According to the OTH writer, they were dazed as though in disbelief that a dear friend had departed from this life.. Bad rotations on the defensive end and unnecessary fouls put them in the 1-and-1 (on free throws).. More importantly, he led the 1994-95 team to the NIT - the first for the program since 1983. Donovan called a timeout, and Stith headed to the team huddle with his head down, thinking that he was being pulled from the game for committing the foul. 6. His 10 three-pointers in February 2018 vs. Saint Louis stands as the program's all-time single-game record while his 14 assists in a game - twice - are tied for the program record. He was honored as a Jim Staunton Champion for Character by the CIF-Southern Section in 2017. A player in the NBA for Washington and New Jersey, Vanterpool today is a well-respected NBA assistant coach, today with Minnesota and previous with Portland. The men's basketball team's 2019-20 season ended March 12, before it played its first game in the Atlantic 10 Conference tournament. A positive test will require each player and staff member on a team to also be tested. When I got the job here 11 years ago, we heard the stories about 1970 and how disappointing it was that Lanier got hurt and they didn't have a chance to have a full team going to play Jacksonville," Schmidt said. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). In his first varsity season, the 6-11 Lanier and his teammates the legendary Iron Man Five of Lanier, Bill Butler, Billy Kalbaugh, John Hayes and Jim Satalin put together an undefeated regular season and a No. He earned Atlantic 10 Player of the Year twice (1980, '81) and helped the Bonnies to a 70-41 record during his career before earning selection to the Athletics Hall of Fame in 1991. No, we didnt think about that, Crawford said. Bill Butler David Vanterpool Stith, who passed the 2000-point mark in the subsequent consolation victory over Princeton, saw his spectacular career at St. Bonaventure come to an end, and, just two months after the Wake Forest loss, Donovan accepted a head coaching position with the New York Knicks. He finished his four-year career at St. Bonaventure with 2,103 points, 887 rebounds and 244 blocks in 123 games (118 starts). He had a better bank shot, with the hook or on mid-range shots, than any big man today. But Houston was not like that. Please help local businesses by taking an online survey to help us navigate through these unprecedented times. Bonas mens basketball players will return to campus July 18 and 19 for offseason workouts, and womens basketball players will return July 25. 8. This outcome was different, however, with Glenn Hagan scoring the winning shot in the 79-77 overtime win. From that list, a group of 20 program greats have earned selection to the Centennial Season All-Time Team. Fred Crawford It was a labor of love for Bob, who was one of the kindest and most genuine people I have ever been around. Saint Louis opened the second half with a 9-1 run in the first 2:31, which forced the Bonnies to call an early timeout. He carried a 26 points-per-game average during the tournament, yet prior to the Bona game, Lewis remarked, Hed be the first to tell you he hasnt had a good tournament. One high point of Birdsongs season was scoring 43 in a nationally televised loss to UCLA at Pauley Pavilion in January, proving that explosive games were possible. Though growing up closer to Olean than to Winston-Salem, Chappell took his high school experience from a small town near Johnstown, PA, to become a two-time ACC Player of the Year. The new Bona coach, 24-year-old Larry Weise, inherited the team later that year. So what does Sabres GM Kevyn Adams do this week? Since you viewed this item previously you can read it again. 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. Tom Stith, the two-time All-American and runner-up national player of the year that season, scored 34 points, while Freddie Crawford added 29 points. 1 overall NBA Draft pick by the Detroit Pistons in 1970, Lanier led the Bonnies to an undefeated regular season in 1968 (23-0) and the NCAA Final Four in 1970. He. (); : 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. Still the Purple Eagles of Niagara nearly sent SBU fans home from the Armory in shock. They responded. The Olean Times Herald storyheadlined Pipe-Dreamer Couldnt Have Improved on Bonas Victorycredited that basket with 15 seconds left as deciding the game and keeping the streak alive. Noted for his aggressive play and the polish of his many skills, he was St. Bonaventure's captain in 1967-68. J.R. Bremer Thosewho have donned the Brown and White over the past 100 years have created memories to last a lifetime with fans of the program. You have permission to edit this article. An upset loss to Wake Forest in the 1961 NCAA tournament prevented any Bona hopes for a rematch with Ohio State. And win they dida first post-season tournament championship in a program dating to 1919-20. We had so much fun together over the years in Motown . Bona also retired his uniform number, 31. $3.00 $1,000 is being awarded. Athlete, coaches and staff members will be required to wear a mask provided by the school, and equipment such as basketballs will be cleaned before and after each practice or workout. Orange Lutheran (17-7): Lancers play JSerra, Santa Margarita and Anaheim this week. My four years here were the best of my lifetime, Lanier told a capacity crowd at the Reilly Center. The spirit of St. Bonaventure is bigger than any one man, but no singular soul in 164 years has ever brought more honor, dignity, glory and love to bear at Bonas than Bob Lanier, said Mike Vaccaro, St. Bonaventure class of 1989, New York Post columnist and the foremost historian on Bonnies basketball. St. Bonaventure Bonnies men's basketball - Wikipedia Havlicek won eight NBA championships with the Boston Celtics, and both he and Lucas were named to the 50 greatest NBA player list in 1997. Even Eddie Jordan, a guard for Rutgers at the time, acknowledged as much on another website, He (Baron) took two dribbles, then a whistle blew, he said. 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. And over the last 50 years, its just been remarkable. Then, they saw it Monday against the Billikens (17-8, 8-4). Rosary (13-7): Kaylee Byon had 30 points and seven assists in a 65-55 victory against Orange Lutheran last week. But it was Laniers three years with the Bonnies that helped solidify their spot in college basketball lore, and helped catapult Lanier to a Hall of Fame professional basketball career. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. The NCAA Division I council approved a plan last month that allows for required summer activities for up to eight hours a week in basketball to begin July 20, and to last up to eight weeks or until the schools first day of classes. In 1960, Ohio State (OSU) enrolled about 18,000 undergraduate students. Wake Forest lost its next game, the Eastern Regional finals, to a Jack Ramsay-coached St. Joes team. But when I ran back down the court and tried to pivot, my leg collapsed. Shannon Shepherd, '12, Buffalo Bills beat reporter for Sports Illustrated I feel that it was a turning point in my life. "As fierce and as dominant as Bob was on the court, he was equally kind and impactful in the community," Detroit Pistons owner Tom Gores said in a statement. The college transitioned to distance learning and online classes in March. And then the worst thing in the world that could happen (vs. Villanova) Billys (Kalbaugh) going down on a break, I turn around, and boom, a guy falls into my knee. This victory is for those guys. In fact, I distinctly recall listening to the championship victory in the 2012 A-10 tournament from a hotel in Armenia. 3 national ranking before losing to North Carolina in the second round of the NCAA tourney. Unique in its own way, the Armory offered something special for those sitting in the first row of the courtside bleachers: Their feet actually straddled the out-of-bounds lines. He's pictured at the opening of the Bob Lanier Center at the site of Kensington High. 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. 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. A prolific scorer, Crawford established the SBU men's basketball scoring record for sophomores with 614 points in 1960-61. Then there was an unusual item, something related to a Bona defeat to Wake Forest Collegeits name at that timein March 1961. Yet teams are planning for contingencies, and the Bills are no exception. I've worked in sports journalism since 1997 and I have covered everything from college football to the Stanley Cup playoffs, high school sports and the NCAA Tournament. I found the Bob Lanier autograph taken to my first grade class in 1968. Syracuse started the game in an uncharacteristic man-to-man defense instead of a 2-3 zone, something that surprised Satalin according to an Olean Times Herald post-game story. We get to the tournament and we were just rolling through people. His No. To this point, it wasnt Stiths best moment in a Bona uniform. An eight-time NBA All-Star and member of the 1970-71 All-Rookie team, Lanier scored more than 19,000 points over his 14-year career with Detroit and Milwaukee, averaging 20.1 points, 10.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.5 blocks, and 1.1 steals while shooting 51.4 percent from the field. Keep reading with unlimited digital access. Boeheims assessment in the same story echoed respect for the Bona offensive threat in saying, We couldnt play zone here, not with the shooters they have., The Bona backcourt of Baron and Hagan got into early foul trouble, but Satalins squad got 18 bench points from Dan Viglianco (8 points), Delmar Harrod (5 points), and Nick Urzetta (5 points). You have permission to edit this article. Ask Sam Stith, the legendary player who scored over 1100 points in his three varsity seasons at St. Bonaventure University (SBU) from 1957-60. Keep reading with unlimited digital access. He spent the 2018-19 season in the NBA with the Atlanta Hawks. The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference announced Monday that it will not allow athletes to return to campus in June or July for offseason workouts and that the MAAC will begin its fall sports competition Sept. 11. 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. Lanier tearfully recounted his emotions during that time in an interview on the day of the Reilly Center Arena floor dedication, which was shared by St. Bonaventure. In their first-round game, a sophomore named Larry Bird nearly derailed Houstons season. I lived and died with Bonas, he added. Nonetheless, St. Bonaventure left the Garden with a 76-73 victory. The Bonnies reeled off another four straight victories to end the regular season at 20-5. During his three years of varsity competition, he totaled 1,738 points and ranks eighth in program history. He didnt want Lanier to get hurt playing against older, more skilled players. None of the responses will be shared or used for any other purpose except to better serve our community. Eastern 8 newspapers? High School Sports Scores and Schedules - Orange County Register Category: Posting up: Memories of St. Bonaventure basketball {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}, City mourns Buffalo firefighter Jason Arno as investigation into fatal fire launches, Buffalo firefighter makes 'ultimate sacrifice' in blaze that may have sparked backdraft, Paula's Donuts to move Clarence store that faced backlash for tax breaks to Amherst, Vandal damages 'brokenhearted' Russell Salvatore's tribute park in Lancaster, Chad Hall's departure from Buffalo Bills to Jaguars remains a bit of a mystery. Donovan, however, kept Stith on the floor and instructed the Bonnies to run a set play. We didnt finish the way we needed to, said Bonnies coach Mark Schmidt, whose team was 9 for 16 on free throws, including 4 for 9 in the final 3:20. I dont mean this to be trite: We honestly loved each other and would go through the wall for each other, Lanier said, recalling the preseason goal the team had set for itself over beers and burgers at The Burton. Called the best team in the East, the story related that the enterprising Bonnies could get a rematch against Ohio State, the only team to beat them to that point in the season. The Bonnies managed the game for nearly the entire contest before a controversial foul in the closing seconds sealed the Rutgers victory. He rebounded.. In the end, Lucas collected 21 rebounds and missed only seven shots from the field in scoring 32 points. Preview of tonight's St. Bonaventure men's basketball matchup against St. Louis In addition, only five baskets were scored from the field by both teams in the final nine minutes of regulation. (); : Bonas and Niagara seemed to have a good rapport with each other.. The native of Silver Creek, N.Y. averaged 18 points per game during his ABA and NBA careers spanning between 1967 and 1976. 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. The NBA confirmed Lanier's death in a statement by commissioner Adam Silver, which was posted to social media early Wednesday morning. pic.twitter.com/8GD9BhKt7C. The later assistant coach of the program was inducted to the SBU Hall of Fame in 1989. 1. (This brief stretch may be the only consecutive three-game run of facing top 20 teams in Bona history.). You can find your account number on any recent subscription notice or bill. They made me so proud.". It was always a great experience, especially when Niagara would come in, he said. The Niagara loss in the Olean Armory ended SBUs 99-game home winning streak that dated to 1948, while the Dukes upset the Bonnies in overtime, 79-74, in Pittsburgh. Entering the game, Birdsong and the size of Houstons roster were on Satalins mind, but there was a key factor that he liked. If you are experiencing difficulties logging in or are a subscriber getting a paywall, please try one or more of the following steps. In the closing minutes and the Bonnies down 87-86, Sanders made a 22-foot jumper from directly in front of the Bona bench. Others considered (listed alphabetically): Aliso Niguel, El Dorado, Kennedy, Santiago, Tustin, Valencia, Please send feedback on rankings to Dan Albano at dalbano@scng.com or @ocvarsityguy on Twitter and Instagram. Despite the success, the Bona Director of Public Relations, Jack Ritzenthaler (Athletics Hall of Fame inductee, 1977), remarked to reporters immediately before the Holiday Festival that the Bonnies had been playing over their heads.. The 5-9 junior guard for the Demon Deacons averaged 17 points per game, but wasnt the scoring leader for the squad. Looking back, Satalin expressed pride in the four-game streak culminating in the championship. Our confidence was soaring at that time.. Adaway (17 points, six rebounds) missed a dunk attempt with less than four minutes left, and Gibson Jimersons free throws cut the lead to six with 3:26 left. The men's basketball team's 2019-20 season ended March 12, before it played its first game in the Atlantic 10 Conference tournament. 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. If you have any questions or need further assistance, please call our customer service team at716-372-3121or emailnfinnerty@oleantimesherald.com. It highlighted two players who went on to become the second picks in the first round of a professional draft. St. Bonaventure had won 99 straight games at home. We werent in the right places at the right time. The Bonnies were 90th on Monday, and should move up with the win. Bob Lanier, St. Bonaventure and NBA legend, dies at 73. ALLEGANY - Rev. 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. To activate digital access, you will need your account number. 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. 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. According to a Sports Illustrated account from February 1961, St. Bonaventure was the first independent team chosen for the 1961 NCAA tournament. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. Quick to steal the ball, he was the ultimate playmaker and team player. Sanders performance earned him tournament MVP honors. Its just that youre not there to help them. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. From the days of Butler Gymnasium and the Olean Armory through to the past five decades in the Reilly Center, St. Bonaventure basketball has remained a constant in the University community for the last century. It made me really focus on what I needed to do to get to where I wanted to go. St. Bonaventure forward Osun Osunniyi (21) attempts a shot over the outstretched arm of Saint Louis forward Francis Okoro (5). Hollis layup at the buzzer electrified the Bona crowd in capping off its first post-season tournament championship. He earned All-American honors in 1977 and was an eighth round draft choice of the New York Knicks in 1978. 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 Win #73 was pivotal to Stiths career. If you are experiencing difficulties logging in or are a subscriber getting a paywall, please try one or more of the following steps. The Bonnies finished the season with an overall record of 1815, with a record of 610 in the Atlantic 10 regular season for a ninth-place finish. Bona inducted Lanier into its athletics hall of fame in 1975, and he was inducted into the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame in 1991. Niagara just had control of the game., Final score: Niagara 87, St. Bonaventure 77. St. Bonaventure needs to capitalize on the remainder of their schedule, including four games against teams that are in the bottom half of the , Starting this weekend, spectators who attend basketball games at St. Bonaventure won't be required to show proof of Covid-19 vaccination for e. He finished his career with 1,112 points, 620 rebounds and shot .761 from the free throw line. The final AP poll placed St. Bonaventure at #3 in the country, two spots behind the NCAA champion Ohio State team that featured Jerry Lucas, Larry Siegfried, Mel Nowell, John Havlicek, and Bobby Knight. I've worked in sports journalism since 1997 and I have covered everything from college football to the Stanley Cup playoffs, high school sports and the NCAA Tournament. Fast forward 178 games to his first post-season call. He realized that the ending to the game nearly 55 years ago could have been different. When we looked at that game, I thought, This team is really good, and were going to have to score a lot of points to win this thing, but it should be a great game, he said.