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. They lost their last regular season game at third-ranked Rutgers, 85-80, in a heartbreaking defeat. Not only because it was a return to the tournament, but it was also a win, and it was a game that the Reilly Center hadnt seen in a long timegetting to play a post-season game and come away with a win, he said. One Bona fan, Pat (Tiger) Flynn, recalled going to Armory games from the age of six. In only his fourth season as the Bonnies head coach, Jim Satalin found himself in the national spotlight against famed coached Guy Lewis. Get our expert short-term forecast, summary of the weather details and news of any severe weather. And just a couple mistakes on the defensive end allowed them hit a couple open threes. This victory is for those guys. He's played as a pro overseas for 15 years. The survey is at: www.pulsepoll.com Bonnies coach Mark. (); : You can find your account number on any recent subscription notice or bill. CHUCK POLLOCK Olean Times Herald ST. BONAVENTURE St. Bonaventure's men's basketball team couldn't have picked a better time to put up its biggest point total of the season and its junior guard, Daryl Banks Players: Daryl Banks III He earned All-American honors in 1977 and was an eighth round draft choice of the New York Knicks in 1978. Thank you for signing in! Then, they saw it Monday against the Billikens (17-8, 8-4). It was a tough call to have at that particular time of the game, and that saved them their undefeated season, he said. Mike Harrington: His team looks good, even without Alex Tuch. The Bonnies had just come off consecutive road losses to two Top 20 teams. During NCAA Tournament runs in 1968 and 1970, he scored in double figures in every game he played with dominating performances. An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Stith fouled a Niagara player, who made both free throws to put the Purple Eagles ahead by a point. He scored 40 points in the NIT Championship Game in 1977 and had a career-high of 46 points against Detroit earlier that year, also pouring in 30 points in the second round of the NIT with a win over Oregon. The later assistant coach of the program was inducted to the SBU Hall of Fame in 1989. Cloudy. Bob Woollard, a 6-10 center later drafted by the New York Knicks, scored 10 points and grabbed 11 rebounds off the Wake Forest bench to contribute to the Demon Deacon win. 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. NBA on TNT remembers Bob Lanier pic.twitter.com/ecVMTRBiwe. 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,. 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. In three seasons at St. Bonaventure, the 6-foot-11 center became one of its most prolific players and became a hallmark not just of the basketball program but as the longtime face of the schools athletic program. A miss by Sanders, in Satalins eyes, wouldnt have meant defeat. You have permission to edit this article. College basketball season is scheduled to begin with practices at the end of September, and the regular season is scheduled to open Nov. 10. You have permission to edit this article. Love u big guy . His No. The consecutive home victory streak, started in 1948, had neared triple digits. Hagan led all scorers, including the Herron brothers of Villanova, with 26 points, and Barron added 13 points in only 22 minutes of play. 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. In the preview story, an OTH reporter wrote, Its practically unanimous that the hapless men of Siena will be the 99th Armory victim. The reporter was correct: The Saints were marched out of Olean, 99-57. 8. St. Bonaventure basketball players return to campus this month. Despite the vast difference in school sizes, the Bonnies were not intimidated by the likes of Ohio State. A prolific scorer, Crawford established the SBU men's basketball scoring record for sophomores with 614 points in 1960-61. Just how good was the story. In this Dec. 7, 2019 file photo, Bob Lanier speaks during a celebration of the 1969-70 St. Bonaventure mens basketball team as teammate Billy Kalbaugh looks on Saturday at the Reilly Center. 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. His No. 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. Over his career, Winn guided the Brown and White to 66 wins, an NIT berth in 1998, an appearance in the Atlantic 10 Championship Game and a berth in the 2000 NCAA Tournament. Though Stith scored 33 points in his home finale, Niagara had four starters in double figures, led by Al Butler with 24 points (11-19 from the floor). 16 jersey retired by the Pistons and Bucks, to whom Lanier was traded in 1980. Essie Hollis We did what we had to do., College/high school sports enterprise reporter. The MVP of the 1974 NBA All-Star game, Lanier had his No. He will be synonymous with St. Bonaventure eternally.. a group of Olean Times Herald columnist and former sports editor Chuck Pollock and former beat . According to The New York Times, Houston guard Ken Williams hurried downcourt after the turnover and took a shot, seemingly in panic, instead of slowing down the game and setting up a play. Bona center Tim Waterman grabbed the rebound and headed to the foul line, making one free throw. The Bonnies made Bramah's list of three finalists . After the ensuing buzzer, Crawford felt cheated.. George Carter 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. "As an ambassador for both the Pistons organization and the NBA, he represented our league, our franchise and our fans with great passion and integrity.". Flynn, then nine years old, sat with his neighbor at midcourt in the Armory balcony. Bob Lanier 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. Hollis layup at the buzzer electrified the Bona crowd in capping off its first post-season tournament championship. 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. Mike Harrington: His team looks good, even without Alex Tuch. He played professionally for the New York Knicks, Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Lakers, Buffalo Braves and Philadelphia 76ers of the NBA and his No. Fast forward 178 games to his first post-season call. If you are experiencing difficulties logging in or are a subscriber getting a paywall, please try one or more of the following steps. He tallied 659 points and his skillful play was instrumental in leading Bona to a 65-12 record during his career (1967-70). 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. Was there pressure in the moment with such a long win streak on the line? If athletes are flagged from the screening, they will be evaluated by a physician. 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. His injury didnt scare the Pistons, who, according to an NBA.com story, signed Lanier as he was still in the hospital, recovering from knee surgery that spring. 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. St. Bonaventure had won 99 straight games at home. 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. Thank you for reading! 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. The message among the Bonnies was about fundamentals. He was selected All-A-10 First Team in 2003, the Second Team in 2004 and Third Team in 2002. 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. Then came February 25 with Niagaras visit to the Armory. With so many greats to wear the Bonaventure colors through the years, coming up with an All-Time Team stands as a daunting task. Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. The NBA statement said Lanier died following a brief illness. Crean Lutheran (18-3): Saints can clinch the Empire League title outright with a victory against Pacifica on Tuesday. The OTH called it the upset of upsets in Little Three basketball history. And win #100 was never reached. Thank you for reading! Pacifica Christian (18-5): The top-ranked team in Division 4A closes the regular season against 2A Rancho Christian on Saturday. Its just that youre not there to help them. 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. J.R. Bremer "And everybody talks about if Lanier was healthy, they would have taken on UCLA. Did the officials get the call correct? Ohio State entered the in-season tournament ranked #1 in the country, while the Bonnies were fifth in the UPI poll. Tommasino, the voice of the Bonnies from 1988-1995, called 180 games over that span. He became the seventh player in the 35-year history of the league to earn both Rookie and Player of the Year honors and the first St. Bonaventure player to earn the top overall award since Earl Belcherwon two such honors in 1980 and 1981. If you have any questions or need further assistance, please call our customer service team at716-372-3121, St. Bonaventure, NBA basketball legend Bob Lanier passes away, McKean County man jailed on over 880 felony counts of child porn, Police reports 3/2/23: Franklinville pair face drug charges after traffic stop, Eric Jones sculpts Gabby's dog Koda outside ECMC room, Carter Auction and Event Center in Allegany listed for sale, Warren, Pa. man killed by police in Finger Lakes city. The New York Times account described the Bona duo as the most dazzling practitioners among the six teams that day in playing with startling acrobatics.. He finished his career third in rebounds and still stands there with 922, an average of 12.1 per game over 76 contests. Yet teams are planning for contingencies, and the Bills are no exception. Satalin pointed to the Bona free throw shooting (32-46) that resulted from Houstons 29 fouls. Watch this highlight video of the Brea Olinda (Brea, CA) basketball team in its game Brea Olinda vs Canyon Game Highlights - Jan. 13, 2023 on Jan 13, 2023. Since that setback, Houston went 20-4 with the most recent loss to #7 Arkansas in the championship of Southwest Conference tournament. (This brief stretch may be the only consecutive three-game run of facing top 20 teams in Bona history.). I didnt even know at the time I tore my knee up. The basketball success in that era was known for something else during Stiths playing days: a prominent home-game win streak. 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. We still have to handle business, do our jobs.. An apparent late whistle against Baron on the steal affected the outcome. I didnt even know at the time I tore my knee up. 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. I think everybody thought they were going to win. The college transitioned to distance learning and online classes in March. Though receiving one first-place vote, they placed behind the Buckeyes, Bradley, St. Johns, and Indiana. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Sparked by Francis Okoros inside play and Yuri Collins passing Collins had five of his 10 assists in the first five minutes of the second half the Billikens cut Bonas lead to 55-49. I felt comfortable that we would be very competitive in this game for sure.. Would you like to receive our ads to go? After graduating from SBU (1983), I continued to follow the Bonnies. During his time with the Bonnies, he sank 192 three-pointers, good for fourth in program history. He was inducted into the Athletics Hall of Fame in 2006. His 1,704 career points still rank 11th in Bona history while he is also seventh in assists (408) and fifth in steals (194). 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). Nonetheless, St. Bonaventure left the Garden with a 76-73 victory. There was a problem saving your notification. It was always a great experience, especially when Niagara would come in, he said. He also helped Bona to the 1971 NIT with a 21-6 record and 62-17 during his career. 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. 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. He's the school record-holder in both assists (657) and steals (325) - ranking second in Atlantic 10 history for steals and eighth in assists. Three of the seven Bona players fouled out as the team committed a season-high 24 fouls. 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. {{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. Olean, NY REBECCA FIELD OBITUARY Rebecca A. Millis Field OLEAN - Rebecca A. Bremer also had memorable postseason performances - in the 2000 NCAA Tournament, he posted 17 points vs. Kentucky, then had 26 points vs. Pitt in the 2001 NIT and 29 points vs. Syracuse in the 2002 NIT. We had been doing pretty good, so we werent about to change our gameplan, he said. 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. 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. The win against Bradley, played before 15,497 in Madison Square Garden, came after it ended the Bonnies season in the 1960 NIT. Matt Gantt 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. 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). Buffalo Bills GM Brandon Beane on salary cap, Gabe Davis expectations, Damar Hamlin update and more, Sabres place Alex Tuch on injured reserve; top-line winger's status is uncertain, Owner of Buffalo CPA firm denies claims of financial, workplace wrongdoing, Buffalo Bills defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier to take year off from coaching, Yellow Corp. to close two trucking terminals, Sabres acquire defenseman Riley Stillman from Vancouver for prospect Josh Bloom, 14 police agencies break up fights outside Boulevard Mall, Democrats explore blue-collar struggles as brand is 'damaged', Erie County comptroller calls for state to investigate Forest Lawn, A humble icon: Western New York basketball personalities recall St. Bonaventure great Bob Lanier, St. Bonaventure to honor basketball great Bob Lanier this season, Erik Brady: Bob Lanier is one of the NBA's best. A look at the front page of The Olean Times Herald (OTH) on Monday, February 27, 1961, revealed little about the tumultuous event that took place two days prior at the Olean Armory. The front page had no story of the consecutive home wins. The final OSU starter that evening, forward Bobby Knight, later became one of the most winning college basketball coaches in history. 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. Lanier played for 14 seasons in the NBA, with the Pistons and Bucks, and was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 1992. In late December of that year, the two universities met for the championship of the highly regarded annual Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Holiday Festival in Madison Square Garden. In his senior year, he was the Times Herald's beat reporter for St. Bonaventure's women's basketball team. The Reilly Center Arena court where the Bonnies have played since 1966 was named after Lanier in 2007. St. Bonaventure had its own challenge in the first round. It highlighted two players who went on to become the second picks in the first round of a professional draft. (); : In the 2014 Atlantic 10 tournament, the Bonnies were defeated by Saint Joseph's the semifinals. 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. Game over. And 72-game home win streak over. Orange Lutheran (17-7): Lancers play JSerra, Santa Margarita and Anaheim this week. 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. 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. 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. . In an 83-79 win against Saint Louis, the Bonnies saw the Billikens outrebound them, outshoot them and outhustle them in the final seven minutes as Saint Louis cut a 15-point deficit to two with 30.6 seconds left. We were ready, and they didnt do anything we didnt think they were going to do, Billikens coach Travis Ford said. Walk-ons and incoming freshmen are scheduled to start training Monday at UB, and athletes from other select teams will begin a similar phased plan to return to campus for workouts starting Monday. The Bonnies, led by eighth year head coach Mark Schmidt, played their home games at the Reilly Center and were members of the Atlantic 10 Conference. Hollis got into early foul trouble in the 85-72 loss. Probably five or so at least.. The Bonnies will play in the A-10 quarterfinals against a yet-to-be-determined opponent on Friday in Washington, D.C. Now starting five seniors, the Bonnies must win three games in three days to defend their title and return to the NCAA Tournament for the seco, Hes coached at the college and professional levels since 1975, a tenure defined by both success and controversy, but his coaching path brings, The senior guard finished 7 for 8 from the floor and 6 for 6 on free throws, and his 20 points helped the Bonnies bounce back from a 75-66 los, The Bonnies lived up to a big-game billing, but a late offensive surge couldn't lift the Bonnies in an 81-76 loss to Davidson, despite Jalen A.