The result was as expected tonight as the Bonnies destroyed division-three Alfred University 80-41. Head coach Mark Schmidt used every scholarship player on his roster and his three walk-ons in the exhibition, something he has not done in years past.
The Bonnies opened fast, feeding its center Chad Venning on the first two possessions. Bonaventure kept its foot on the gas, taking a 9-0 lead into the first media timeout. Schmidt replaced four of his starters following the under-16 timeout which did not affect the offensive rhythm at all. The Bonnies led 14-0 when Alfred’s Kenneth Allison Jr. finally got the Saxons on the board.
St. Bonaventure continued to balloon its lead as Schmidt continued to deplete his bench. A Chad Venning hook shot just under the half-way mark of the first half put the Bonnies up 24-4 and gave the big man his ninth point of the game. Miles Rose, Duane Thompson and Melian Martinez all found the first points of their collegiate careers. The first half came to an end with Bonaventure’s 12 players combining for 41 points and a 23-point lead.
The Bonnies went 14/27 (51.9%) from the floor including 4/12 from behind the three-point arc and 9/11 (81.8%) from the free throw line. The team also registered nine assists on its 14 baskets and won the rebound battle 18-16.
Chad Venning and Assa Essamvous started hot for the Bonnies in the second half as the scoring picked up immediately. The final 20 minutes of the game continued almost exactly as the first half went. Bonaventure received scoring from nearly its entire roster while Alfred found some success the more the game progressed. Easy buckets became a common occurrence for the Bonnies in the second half with most of its points coming inside or near the paint.
The division-one side continued to pound the lower-level Alfred throughout the second half. Moses Flowers showed his ability on both ends of the floor notching a pair of threes and a steal in a three-possession span. Coach Schmidt went to a young look to finish the game with his three freshmen and three walk-ons playing the final five minutes.
The Bonnies were led in scoring by Moses Flowers with 12 points. Venning (11 points) and Adams-Woods (10 points) were also in double figures this evening. Duane Thompson’s nine points, Noel Brown’s eight points, Charles Pride’s seven points all factored into the win as well. Brown and Pride led the team in rebounding with nine and eight respectively. Daryl Banks led the team in assists with six.
St. Bonaventure shot 32/56 (57.1%) from the field including 7/23 (30.4%) from three. The Bonnies dished out 13 assists and out-rebounded Alfred 37-30. An encouraging stat, even with it being an exhibition game, was St. Bonaventure’s 42 points in the paint.
The Bonnies open the regular season Monday at 7:00 p.m. against Longwood in the Reilly Center.