St. Bonaventure Basketball: Bonnies VS Cleveland State, Dec. 7th

5-11/165,

Fr., 6-6/200, Libreville, Gabon

5 Daryl Banks III G, R-Jr., 6-3/170, Somerset, NJ

10 Max Amadasun C, R-So., 6-10/250, Dublin, Ireland

11

23

Anouar Mellouk F, R-Fr., 6-8/205, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Anthony Belardinelli G, Jr., 6-3/185, Upper Saddle River, NJ

24 Brett Rumpel G, R-Fr., 6-4/190, Binghamton, NY

30 Broek Ostrom G, Fr., 6-2/185, Holley, NY

32 Chad Venning F, R-So., 6-10/270, Brooklyn, NY

35 Anquan Hill F, So., 6-9/200, Philadelphia, PA

RS Tyler Curran G, Fr., 6-2/185, Allegany, NY

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

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2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1 2 3 4 5

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1 2 3 4 5 4 Moses Flowers G, R-Jr., 6-3/180, Dorcester, MA

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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1 2 3 4 5 NO.

RS Melian Martinez F/C, Fr., 6-10/ 200, Santo Domingo, Dom. Republic

0 Jason “Deuce” Drake G, Fr., 6-2/190, Detroit, MI.

1 Tae Williams G/F, Jr., 6-7/205, Chicago, IL.

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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1 2 3 4 5

2 Yahel Hill G, Sr., 6-0/170, Cleveland Heights, OH. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1 2 3 4 5

3 Deshon Parker G, Sr., 6-4/195, Dayton, OH. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1 2 3 4 5

4 Cole Middleton F, So., 6-6/220, Atlanta, GA.

5 JaMir Price G, So., 6-3/170, Rock Island, IL.

11 Jayson Woodrich F, Jr., 6-7/195, Beachwood, OH.

12 Dylan Arnett F, Fr., 6-9/230, Chicago, IL.

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Tristan Enaruna F, Jr., 6-8/220, Almere, Flevoland, Netherlands

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1 2 3 4 5 15 Paxton Payne G, Jr., 6-2/190, Cookeville, TN.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 1 2 3 4 5 20 Ramar Pryor G, Fr., 6-3/190, Canton, OH.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

GAME NOTES

• St. Bonaventure is looking to remain perfect at home, owning a 4-0 record on home court so far in non-conference play. The Bonnies are 25-3 at the Reilly Center overall the past three seasons. The only Atlantic 10 team with a better record at home over that span is new conference member Loyola Chicago (27-3).

• The Bonnies are averaging nearly 76 points per game at home this season, with an +11.8 scoring margin.

• When Chad Venning plays at least 22 minutes, the Bonnies are 4-0.

• Yann Farell is on this week’s Atlantic 10 Weekly Honor Roll after posting a career-high 18 points Saturday at Buffalo. Through his first eight collegiate games, he’s averaging 10.6 points and 8.1 rebounds per game. He ranks tied for fourth among all A-10 players in rebounding and leads all A-10 freshmen on the boards this season.

• Redshirt junior Moses Flowers recorded his first double-figure scoring effort of the year at Buffalo, finishing with 10 points. He posted 42 doublefigure scoring games during three seasons at Hartford. Flowers continues to see his role with the Bonnies grow, playing at least 22 minutes in two of the last three games.

• Redshirt sophomore Max Amadasun chipped in a career-high six points in 18-plus minutes off the bench Saturday. He also set a new career-best in minutes played in the contest, besting his previous high of 15 set vs. South Dakota State last month.

• Prior to Wednesday’s game, Bonnies redshirt junior Daryl Banks III will be honored for reaching 1,000 career points. Banks reached the career

milestone in last week’s victory over Middle Tennessee. He scored his first 890 career points in three seasons at Saint Peter’s and leads the Bonnies so far this season at 16.9 ppg.

ABOUT CLEVELAND STATE

• Cleveland State has won six straight games after starting the year 0-3, but got things turned around with an overtime win at Canisius Nov. 16. The Vikings are 2-2 away from home so far this year, also winning at Western Michigan. Junior forward Tristan Enaruna leads the team this season (12.6 ppg, 7.1 rpg), while senior guard Deshon Parker averages 5.9 assists per game.

• Daniyal Robinson is in his first season as CSU head coach. Before earning his first head coaching position, Robinson had been an assistant coach at several schools, most recently working at Iowa State for seven seasons. Robinson was an all-conference performer as a player at Arkansas-Little Rock, graduating in 1999. He replaces Dennis Gates, who left in March to take the Missouri job after going 50-40 in three seasons at CSU.

• The Vikings were tabbed to finish seventh in the 2022-23 Horizon League Men’s Basketball Preseason Poll.

• The Vikings were Horizon League regular season champions last year, finishing 20-11 overall with a conference record of 15-6. In the Horizon League semifinal, they were outmatched by Wright State, 82-67. The team’s performance in the 2021-22 season was good enough to earn an NIT berth in which they fell in the first round to eventual champion Xavier, 72-68.

2022-23 St. bonaventure men’s basketball GAME SCHEDULE

7 vs. Cleveland State 7:00PM

11 vs. Iona % 11:30AM

16 vs. Florida Gulf Coast 7:00PM

19 at Siena 7:00PM

february

1 at Richmond ........................7:00PM

4 vs. Dayton 8:00PM

8 vs. La Salle ........................7:00PM

NOVEMBER

2 vs. Alfred (Exhibition) W, 76-48

7 vs. Saint Francis (PA) W, 71-58

12 at Canisius L, 84-80

15 vs. South Dakota State L, 66-62 19 vs. Bowling Green....... W, 81-68

22 vs. Southern Indiana W, 80-66

25 vs. Notre Dame # ............. W, 63-51 30 vs. Middle Tennessee W, 71-64

decEMBER

3 at Buffalo L, 83-66

22 at Northern Iowa .................7:00PM 31 vs. UMass 2:00PM

january

4 vs. George Mason 7:00PM

7 at Saint Louis .......................4:00PM

11 at Rhode Island 7:00PM

14 vs. Richmond ...................2:30PM

18 vs. Duquesne 7:00PM

21 at Loyola Chicago ................4:00PM

25 vs. Fordham 7:00PM 28 at VCU 6:00PM

11 at Duquesne 12:30PM

15 at Fordham ..........................7:00PM

19 vs. George Washington 2:00PM 22 at Davidson 7:00PM

26 vs. Saint Joseph’s ......... 12:00PM

march

4 at UMass 2:30PM

All game start times are listed in Eastern Time and are subject to change. Home games in bold # = Gotham Classic % = Basketball Hall of Fame Invitational

BONNIES NEWCOMER

MELIAN MARTINEZ HOPES NUMBERS POINT TO FUTURE SUCCESS

And while filling the shoes vacated by four-year Bonnie Osun Osunniyi will be incredibly difficult, Martinez is up for the challenge.

“I feel that I can always be better, every day. I’m respectful to what Osun did; he did some insane things,” he said. “But I can see myself chasing that record, God willing. I just really, really love to block shots and give 100 percent on defense.”

‘That record,’ of course, would be the all-time St. Bonaventure blocks record established by Osunniyi before he finished his Bona’s career last March.

Though talk of the number 305, representing the Bonaventure swats benchmark, can be curbed for some time down the road potentially, what is known about Martinez is the potential the Dominican Republic native brings with him to Western New York.

BONA’S NEWEST NO. 21 ENTERS FRESHMAN SEASON WITH HIGH ASPIRATIONS

By: Scott Eddy, Assistant Athletics Director for Strategic Communications

Originally published 9/14/2022. Martinez plans to redshirt this season. The comparisons will be impossible to avoid. They’d be understandable based on his 6-foot-10, 200-pound frame (and impressive wingspan) alone.

“Melian is an exciting addition to the program. He is tremendously athletic; someone who runs the floor as well as any player at his position since I’ve been here,” head coach Mark Schmidt said when Martinez committed in late June. “His ability to block shots and protect the rim will bring an intimidating presence to our defense. He has tremendous upside and endless potential. We are thrilled he decided to join the Bonnies.”

Martinez has been a rising star in the prospect ranks since he started playing seriously at 12 years old. He came to the United States to further his development, playing for the likes of former Atlantic 10 and NBA star David West in the North Carolina AAU circuit.

Throw in his jersey number – a familiar No. 21 – and Melian Martinez has already heard his name and that of a former Bonnies center mentioned in the same breath. Continued on page 15

“I saw the opportunity to go the United States and knew I had to take it seriously. There aren’t words for me to describe how my family helped me through the

ATHLETES OF THE WEEK

Kraus secured two event victories to help the Bonnies grab a 159-82 win over Little Three rival Canisius Saturday afternoon.

The Erie, Pa. native earned her first victory in the 200-freestyle with a time of 1:57.15. Her second top finish came when she registered a time of 52.15 in the 100-freestyle.

Nakaya notched an individual victory, a relay victory, and a runnerup finish Saturday afternoon.

In the 200-IM, Nakaya touched the wall in a time of 1:57.36 for an event win. He was a member of the 200-medley team that earned a victory with a time of 1:34.22.

The Honolulu, Hawaii native completed the dual meet with a second-place finish in the 100-breaststroke (59.66).

The men defeated Canisius 155-88 Saturday afternoon.

Bonnies Swim and Dive are off until after the holidays when the divers compete at the UB diving invitational on Jan. 13-15, while the swimmers will be off until Jan. 21 when they travel to Binghamton. The meet is slated for a 1:00 p.m. start.

nicholas nakaya

Ellie kraus

The GoBonnies.com Student-Athletes of the Week presented by CPL for the week ending Dec. 4 are men’s swimming senior Nicholas Nakaya and women’s swimming sophomore Ellie Kraus.

BONNIES FEATURE

process. My brother was a good coach for me, but when I went to the United States I was by myself for the first time,” Martinez said. “I had to look at it as an opportunity not only for myself, but for my family. Now that I have the chance to play Division I, the next step is to play in the NBA and I really feel I have a chance to do that.”

He finished his high school career at North Florida Educational Institute in Jacksonville, posting 8.1 points, 9.9 rebounds and 4.2 blocks per game for a squad that reached the state final four last year.

There came another interesting St. Bonaventure numerical comparison. “My favorite memory was scoring 31 points in a game,” he says, before smiling when told of the significance that number holds in Bonaventure basketball tradition.

Yes, a certain Bob Lanier made the No. 31 famous in college basketball and the late Lanier’s jersey hangs in the Reilly Center rafters as a permanent reminder of his greatness.

Filling the stat sheet isn’t among the things Martinez is truly concerned about on the court, though.

“I’m an unselfish player; if someone is hot, I’m going to give them the ball and let them roll,” he emphasized.

There was a time that baseball, not basketball, seemed like the likely route for Martinez.

Growing up in the baseball-rich Dominican Republic, he has the game in his genes. His father played professionally in affiliated ball, reaching the Triple-A level in the St. Louis Cardinals organization before also playing pro ball in Japan for a year. Melian spent time in Japan with his father then, though he was too young to remember those days.

“He always told me to be myself and not give up on my dreams,” Martinez says of his father, although he may have had baseball dreams for his son at first.

“At first he was like, why do you want to play basketball instead of baseball? But he said, I love you and will help you in any way I can.”

With great coaching throughout his development, AAU taught him to time his blocking ability and become a strong defensive presence he says, though it was a member of his family who instilled the work ethic he’ll need to achieve his lofty goals at the Division I level.

“My brother would have me wake up at 7am and go to the court and work until 1pm. I was just a kid and like, why do I have to wake up at 7am to play basketball? He was like ‘wake up at 7am, that’s it, bro,’” Martinez said. “I was throwing up and he would tell me to stop crying. ‘At the next level it’s going to be like that. You have to be strong. I’m just trying to teach you how strong you need to be.’ I really understand that now and appreciate that. My family really loves me and wants the best from me and I want to do it for them.”

That work and natural ability put Martinez on the radar for many programs this past spring.

But the trip up the East Coast all the way to Western New York felt right after making his on-campus visit and talking with the Bonnies coaching staff.

“Bonaventure treated me like family. Sometimes when you’re on a basketball scholarship visit, you’re treated like a celebrity,” he said. “At Bonaventure you’re not treated like a celebrity; you’re treated like family and I really liked that. I really felt that if I went here they would help me achieve my goals.”

Baseball “just wasn’t his thing” though, and after awhile, his family saw the talent Martinez boasted on the basketball court.

february

january

A BOLDER BONAVENTURE

ignite. inspire. invest.

REILLY ROSTER

$1,000 or more to the Bonnies Athletic Fund

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