As the game went on, you knew that was not going to happen., However, some solace was present in the opponent that cracked the streak. Would you like to receive our sports news? He even has a mention in pop culture, in the movie "Airplane!," when a young fan recognizes Kareem Abdul-Jabbar disguised as a co-pilot named Roger Murdock and insists the Los Angeles Lakers center doesnt give enough effort. You can find your account number on any recent subscription notice or bill. Thosewho have donned the Brown and White over the past 100 years have created memories to last a lifetime with fans of the program. They advanced to the quarterfinals of the A-10 Tournament where they lost to Dayton. Win #73 was pivotal to Stiths career. Lanier told The News in 1990 that he was hurt and angry but determined to prove Mogavero wrong but also called Mogavero a very perceptive and compassionate coach, and a hell of a human being., It probably was one of the best things that could have happened to me, Lanier said at the time. He pinned the shotit may have been taken by Havlicek against the backboard in being whistled for the violation. He was all an A-10 All-Defensive Team pick in three straight seasons. 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. They made us pay for it. To activate digital access, you will need your account number. The Atlantic 10 announced the pairings Thursday. As a current print subscriber, you receive 24/7 access to our website and online e-edition at no additional charge. There was a problem saving your notification. 3 national ranking before losing to North Carolina in the second round of the NCAA tourney. 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. An apparent late whistle against Baron on the steal affected the outcome. 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. 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. To this point, it wasnt Stiths best moment in a Bona uniform. How it found its way into my assortment of memorabilia was a mystery. My first time on a plane (age 20) was flying from Bradford (PA) to Washington, DC, to see an SBU-GW game (sadly a 78-64 loss). One Bona fan, Pat (Tiger) Flynn, recalled going to Armory games from the age of six. 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. So what does Sabres GM Kevyn Adams do this week? 1. The 6-foot-6 forward from Syracuse, N.Y. averaged 20 points per game over his four years with the team. ALLEGANY The St. Bonaventure mens basketball team likely let out a collective sigh of relief as the buzzer sounded Monday night at the Reilly Center. 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. 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. Just ask the guy in the co-pilot's seat in 'Airplane!'. The captain of the 1959-60 team when he averaged 20.5 ppg, his No. Noted for his aggressive play and the polish of his many skills, he was St. Bonaventure's captain in 1967-68. I think everybody thought they were going to win. After all, the game was played a month before I was born, well before I remember listening to Don McLean call games as a kid. Woollard averaged just four points per game that season, yet his performance against St. Bonaventure was pivotal in dashing NCAA championship dreams. George Carter Houston then survived against Illinois State (91-90) before beating Alabama, 82-76, to reach the championship game. The lead story was about area flooding, though a top-page banner indicated that Niagara had used St. Bonaventure as a stepping stone to the NIT Tournament and pointed to more stories in the sports section. "For more than 30 years, Bob served as our global ambassador and as a special assistant to David Stern and then me, traveling the world to teach the games values and make a positive impact on young people everywhere," Silver said in a statement this morning. Yet teams are planning for contingencies, and the Bills are no exception. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. The final OSU starter that evening, forward Bobby Knight, later became one of the most winning college basketball coaches in history. Dan is a graduate of Cal State Fullerton, where he worked at The Daily Titan as a news reporter, sports reporter, managing editor and opinion editor. They made me so proud.". The only thing is that I came close to charging the other player. That achievement belonged to the star 6-8 forward Len Chappellthe Tom Stith equivalent for Wake Forestwho had a 27 point per game average. Would you like to receive our daily headlines? Greg Sanders Since 2005, Lanier had been the NBA Cares Global Ambassador, routinely working with youth-serving programs that support education, youth, family development and health-related causes. The losswhat became the last setback of the 76-77 season may have been historic for St. Bonaventure. The Reilly Center Arena court where the Bonnies have played since 1966 was named after Lanier in 2007. 54 jersey is retired. Riding a seven-game win streak into the NIT, Indiana State relied on the high-scoring forward who averaged 33 points per game that season, but fell to Houston on the road. 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. Abdul-Jabbar said Wednesday in a statement that he and Lanier will be "forever linked" by the Milwaukee Bucks, for whom they both played, and the scene in "Airplane!". His 40 points hid one other key statistic: He collected a game-high 12 rebounds, an area of the game that some saw tilting toward Houston and its leading rebounder Mike Schultz prior the game. The 55-point output by Bona against Pete Carrils Tigers was a season low, yet was two points more than opponents average against Princeton. In an email to The News, the athletic department outlined its protocols for athletes who return to campus. Hand sanitizer and disinfectants will also be available in all buildings and areas accessed by athletes. The 73-point output by St. Bonaventure was the lowest of the season. According to the OTH writer, they were dazed as though in disbelief that a dear friend had departed from this life.. A two-time ECAC All-Star (1976, '77), he was a co-captain of the NIT Championship Team in 1977, scoring 24 points in the championship game win over Houston after scoring in double figures in every game of that tournament. After the final buzzer in the Bradley Center, Tommasino signed off for the final time, taking along the fond memories of many Bona games courtside and a most inspiring NIT win over Southern Mississippi. To view our latest e-Edition click the image on the left. 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. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. 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. And the NIT game with Southern Mississippi was significant on a number of levels, according to Tommasino. The college transitioned to distance learning and online classes in March. Bona's Final Four team basks in Reilly Center glow on its 50th anniversary, What we said 50 years ago when St. Bonaventure made Final Four, Remembering Bob Lanier: His trademark soft touch made him an all-time great, Oklahoma RB Eric Gray at the NFL scouting combine, Ohio State C Luke Wypler speaks at the NFL scouting combine, UB players mom sings stirring rendition of national anthem on senior night, Serena Williams says her daughter doesn't like playing tennis. It made me really focus on what I needed to do to get to where I wanted to go. The catalyst of the celebrated St. Bonaventure "nervous defense," he helped to initiate a total change in defense which later led to the zone press. A team player, he finished his career with 1,396 points which ranks 19th all-time. 25 was retired in 2007. Tommasino described the crowd as incredible with an energy level absolutely through the roof., The Bonnies responded in kind, surging to a 25-8 lead and ahead, 34-27, at half. As a reserve on the Bona team in 1947-48, Donovan knew the history all too well. Please help local businesses by taking an online survey to help us navigate through these unprecedented times. 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. If you are experiencing difficulties logging in or are a subscriber getting a paywall, please try one or more of the following steps. I found the Bob Lanier autograph taken to my first grade class in 1968. Fast forward 178 games to his first post-season call. That was our feeling. Get our expert short-term forecast, summary of the weather details and news of any severe weather. The message among the Bonnies was about fundamentals. I have been a fan of St. Bonaventure mens basketball for as long as I can remember. The final 14 seconds were sweat-producing, as described by The Times Herald, and found Weise, the 5-11 senior guard and subsequent Bona head coach, sinking two foul shots in the final two seconds to seal the win. His enormous influence on the NBA was also seen during his time as President of the National Basketball Players Association, where he played a key role in the negotiation of a game-changing collective bargaining agreement. He was that kind of guy, he remembered. A post-game commentary in The Bona Venture concluded, When a coach is allowed to pass the ball into one of his players and this results in a score for his team, it is apparent that the officials either dont care or are blindor both., On top of this, a story in the Charlotte Observer referred to a clock malfunction in the scoreboard in the final minutes of regulation, leading to anxious inquiries about the time remaining.. I thought there was enough time left, he recalled. The defensive guy played me for the charge, so I pulled up and banked it off the backboard, Stith remembered. To me, it was the best job in the world, he said. He had a better bank shot, with the hook or on mid-range shots, than any big man today. The men's basketball team's 2019-20 season ended March 12, before it played its first game in the Atlantic 10 Conference tournament. (); : Theyll be in the Pacific Coast League next season. for 1 day, Free 2022-23 St. Bonaventure Men's Basketball Schedule Opens in new window Print Grid Text Add To Calendar Choose A Location: Go Season Go Season Record Overall 14-16 PCT .467 Conf 8-9 PCT .471 Streak W1 Home 11-4 Away 2-10 Neutral 1-2 Scheduled Games Nov 2 (Wed) 7:00 p.m. vs Alfred St. Bonaventure, N.Y. Reilly Center TV: ESPN+ Radio: WPIG W, 76-48 A miss by Sanders, in Satalins eyes, wouldnt have meant defeat. 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. I felt comfortable that we would be very competitive in this game for sure.. He. Sign Up Today! We just have to tighten up defensively, force them into some tough shots, and then go with it., In the moment, even Satalin didnt know that the spotlight was about to shift from Birdsong to SBU forward Greg Sanders. The Bonnies are fifth in the Atlantic 10 standings, and have six games left in the regular season a stretch run that could help propel the Bonnies into the Atlantic 10 tournament, which begins March 9 in Washington, D.C. Were not trying to get comfortable, or satisfied where were at, said Bona center Osun Osunniyi, who led his team with 21 points and three blocks. If athletes are flagged from the screening, they will be evaluated by a physician. Win #100 was denied by the same team upon which the win streak started: the Purple Eagles of Niagara University. The 1994-1995 team brought impressive victories to the Reilly Center that included wins over SEC foes Mississippi State and Mississippi as well as over Louisville, Virginia Tech, and VCU. You have permission to edit this article. Dont foul. In fact, no college basketball fan can bring up St. Bonaventure without the association of Lanier, the larger-than-life Buffalo native. I didnt know at the time I had torn my MCL. 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. But this was the Armorywhere a loss hadnt been known since Truman was president. Billy Packer, the famed Wellsville (NY)-born television analyst who covered 34 consecutive Final Fours, wouldnt have been courtside at that point. No question, he said. Its just that youre not there to help them. The lead story was about area flooding, though a top-page banner indicated that Niagara had used St. Bonaventure as a "stepping stone" to the NIT Tournament and . The. Would you like to receive our ads to go? I think people realized, Well, hes not Don, but hes going to do all right.. The win against Bradley, played before 15,497 in Madison Square Garden, came after it ended the Bonnies season in the 1960 NIT. He more than handled it for us. Flynn said that he cried like a baby after the Niagara loss. Bonas mens basketball players will return to campus July 18 and 19 for offseason workouts, and womens basketball players will return July 25. Essie Hollis and Hagan led Bona scorers with 25 and 21 points, respectively. 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. Nonetheless, St. Bonaventure left the Garden with a 76-73 victory. In launching this blog, I hope that fans enjoy the memories of some special games, both wins and losses, through the years. He went on to play in the NBA and later, a long and successful professional career overseas. One team in the field was the University of Houston Cougars, coached by Guy Lewis, who ended up winning nearly 600 games in his 30 years as its head coach. 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,. 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. 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. Even after Jordan Nesbitt missed a 3-point attempt that clanked off the rim with less than six seconds left, the Bonnies couldnt let up until after Jalen Adaway hit the front end of two free throws with 5.1 seconds left, which cemented the final margin and helped the Bonnies avoid completely squandering a comfortable, double-digit lead. St. Bonaventure basketball legend Bob Lanier, pictured here playing for the Detroit Pistons, made ESPNs list of the top 74 players in NBA history, checking in at No. Bob Lanier speaks at the dedication of the Reilly Center court to him in 2007. He took over mid-season for Don McLean, whose career covered 33 seasons, and found himself at Rutgers announcing his first game at the age of 24. St. Bonaventure will allow basketball players to begin returning to campus July 18. We get to the tournament and we were just rolling through people. They lost their last two regular season games before falling in double overtime to St. Joes in the Atlantic 10 tournament and finding themselves with a record of 17-12. Sign up today! 2. 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. This would drift to the gym, and, by the start of the second half, the teams would need radar to find the bench.. The following games against Oregon and Villanova featured three- and four-point wins, respectively. Would you like to receive our lifestyle headlines about food and wine, Olean living, local history and more? Lanier was a longtime spokesperson and chairman of the NBAs Stay in School program, later renamed Read to Achieve, a year-round initiative supported by all 30 NBA teams, 13 WNBA teams, and 6 NBDL teams that promotes the value of reading and online literacy and encourages families and adults to read regularly with young children. Siena visited the Armory on February 23. Satalin led a 20-6 squad to Princeton, NJ, to face Rutgers, a matchup with a team that the Bonnies had lost to 374 days prior in the previous season. On 2/9, the Brea Olinda varsity basketball team lost their home playoff game against Orange Lutheran (Orange, CA) by a score of 49-40. St. Bonaventure tied the score at 61 with 11:20 left, but Niagara surged ahead behind 70 percent shooting in the second half. In the end, Lucas collected 21 rebounds and missed only seven shots from the field in scoring 32 points. Neither were we, quite frankly, but we and they were able to outscore teams most of the year. Last time I saw Pistons superstar BOB LANIER was several years ago when he spent the weekend at my house as he attended my Gala. Sign Up Today! ); : He helped the Bonnies reach the 1970 Final Four, but sustained a knee injury in a regional final against Villanova, and did not play in a loss to Jacksonville in a national semifinal. 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 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. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Stith, a subsequent Hall of Fame inductee at St. Bonaventure, was chosen as the second overall pick of the 1961 draft by the New York Knicks, while Washington selected Wake Forest player Norm Snead as its quarterback in the second spot of the NFL draft the very same year. 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. 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. On March 16, 1995, the top pop song in the US was Madonnas Take a Bow. In his three seasons, the Bona teams coached by Eddie Donovan amassed a record of 62-13, good for a .827 winning percentage. If you are experiencing difficulties logging in or are a subscriber getting a paywall, please try one or more of the following steps. As a senior, he averaged 17.5 ppg and was named First Team All-A-10. In three years (1971-74), Price played his way into the program record book. Ten first-half turnovers were a part of the five-point Bona deficit at halftime. He blocked out. What they got instead was the actual lights going out. Instead the win over Niagara became a signature game for Stith en route to the Bona Athletics Hall of Fame honor. Keep reading with unlimited digital access. There was an error processing your request. Would you like to receive our latest obituaries? Greg was a very, very good offensive rebounder, so my guess is, in that game, he got a significant amount of offensive rebounds. 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. Lanier's death was. The No. He will be synonymous with St. Bonaventure eternally.. He finished his career third in rebounds and still stands there with 922, an average of 12.1 per game over 76 contests. 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 way that [St. Joes game] ended, I thought, Thats itwe wont even get to the NIT.. Hollis got into early foul trouble in the 85-72 loss. He became an eight-time NBA All-Star who averaged more than 20 points and 10.1 rebounds per game, and had his uniform number (16) retired by the Pistons and the Bucks. Despite the vast difference in school sizes, the Bonnies were not intimidated by the likes of Ohio State. When the team went belly up in the A-10 tournment, it was like our hopes were dashed, he said. He finished his four-year career at St. Bonaventure with 2,103 points, 887 rebounds and 244 blocks in 123 games (118 starts). OLEAN, NY The Olean Elks Club will offer patrons tacos or taco salads with a choice of hot, medium or mild sauce on Wednesday. A UB athletic spokesperson confirmed Tuesday to The News that the mens basketball program has not determined a report date for its players, m. Bob transcended race, united a campus and, by the way, was one of the best basketball players who ever lived. The native of Silver Creek, N.Y. averaged 18 points per game during his ABA and NBA careers spanning between 1967 and 1976. 16 jersey retired by the Pistons and Bucks, to whom Lanier was traded in 1980. Over his four seasons, Adams helped the Bonnies to 87 wins, which is the most ever for a graduating class. At that point, once we got ahead of them, that was going to be hard for them to come back, Satalin said. We played the best teams, which proved to me that I was right in saying that we were good enough to win this thing, he said. He was a consensus All-American each season. I remember it vividly, he remembered. Andrew Nicholson All of those guys were ready to take the next step, and that game showed them that they could do that.. He earned a spot in the Athletics Hall of Fame in 2010. (); : We did that, us being seniors, and we communicated. 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 was picked to the SBU Athletics Hall of Fame in 1988 and his No. 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. Glenn Hagan Nope, nope, he said without a second thought. Hollis enjoyed a tremendously successful career, ranking seventh in program history with 1,798 points while he still stands second in rebounds with 939 - 9.2 per game over 109 contests. Bird, the #3 scoring leader in the nation, poured in 44 points in the 83-82 loss. Looking back, Satalin expressed pride in the four-game streak culminating in the championship. 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. I think that was the reason for our success., College/high school sports enterprise reporter. The campaign for A Bolder Bonaventure Tour Stop: San Clemente, CA 4 March, 2023, 4 30 PM-7 30 PM Join us as we celebrate the beginning of Dr. Gingerich's tenure as president and launch the Campaign for A Bolder Bonaventure, the largest fundraising campaign in the university's history. 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. Lanier finished his 75-game career as the St. Bonaventure record holder in seven categories: career scoring (2,067 points); career points per game (27.6); career rebounding (1,180); single-game scoring (51 points vs. Seton Hall); single-game rebounding (27 vs. Loyola, Md. 8. Bob transcended race, united a campus and, by the way, was one of the best basketball players who ever lived. St. Bonaventure vs Buffalo: 2021-22 college basketball game preview, TV schedule Share The St. Bonaventure Bonnies will host the Buffalo Bulls on Saturday in a battle between two of the. He's also seventh in career field goal percentage (.528) and fifth in scoring average at 20.8 points per game. Her directive to me was clear: In preparing to move, my childhood boxes collecting dust in the basement needed to be sorted out. Raised in the upper Manhattan neighborhood of Harlem, Crawford found the Holiday Festival experience to be a coming home of sorts, and playing at the Garden was a particularly special memory, especially in 1960. Though receiving one first-place vote, they placed behind the Buckeyes, Bradley, St. Johns, and Indiana. A distinguished guard for the Bona basketball program, he was co-captain of the NCAA Final Four team of 1970. As a senior in 2001-02, he averaged 24.6 points per game and scored 738 points that season alone. Brea Olinda vs Canyon Game Highlights - Jan. 13, 2023. They didn't get an opportunity to show their talent.". Mater Dei (19-3): Monarchs conclude regular season Friday at potentially undefeated Camarillo and UCLA-bound Gabriela Jaquez. Though the Bonnies survived with a narrow victory over Niagara, 69-66, the streak appeared to be coming to an end in the final seconds of regulation. However, according to an Associated Press writer, many fans in the inevitable capacity crowds of 2000 would smoke in the outside foyer during halftime. Our confidence was soaring at that time.. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. In Fall 1976, Jim Satalin knew his team was good. Fast forward to February 12, 1977. An Honorable Mention All-American selection by the Associated Press following his senior season, Adams' name is written throughout the Bonaventure record books. Winds light and variable.. Cloudy. We were kind of warriors in this trench together, and we had one focus: to win an NCAA title. He also was the interim head coach for the Golden State Warriors for 37 games in 1994-95, after Don Nelson stepped down. Born on Sept. 10, 1948, Lanier is one of the greatest basketball players to come out of Buffalo. Sign Up Today! The students put me on their shoulders and carried me off the court, he recounted, adding that he almost hit his head on the overhang in exiting the Armory court. It took so much pressure off the other guys, he added. Low 29F. Stiths recollection of what happened after the final buzzer was vivid. He was selected All-A-10 First Team in 2003, the Second Team in 2004 and Third Team in 2002. This page was last edited on 12 October 2022, at 05:16. Southern Mississippi took the lead in the second half, in part due to the Bonnies poor foul shooting (20-38), but the team prevailed behind Nelson-Richards. His roll that postseason continued with 19 points and 18 rebounds vs. Villanova and he also scored 16 points in the Final Four vs. Jacksonville. I cant sleep thinking about those memories . Bob Lanier, St. Bonaventure and NBA legend, dies at 73. He compiles the Hot 150 list of football players to watch in Orange County before each season. The NCAA announced the cancellation of all winter and spring sports championships because of the Covid-19 pandemic. A cause of death was not immediately given, but Lanier had been battling bladder cancer in the last few years, and had also undergone various surgeries on his neck and knees. Its just that youre not there to help them. He really had a terrific game, said Tommasino, and pulled the team through it., Looking back, Tommasino saw the season as a pivotal one, describing it as an uplifting year overall. After all, he noted, By those standards of the time, it [an 18-13 record] was a great turnaround for Bona basketball..