By CHUCKIE MAGGIO
On the surface, St. Bonaventure basketball fans are typical sports fans. The idiosyncrasies that exist beyond that surface are anything but normal, but the university community ultimately holds most of the same expectations for its athletes as the rest of the athletic-loving world.
Bonnies fans want their players to play hard and smart; to represent the university positively, on and off the field; to stay in the gym, improving each season. When these factors come together, they obviously want conference championships and NCAA Tournament appearances, too.
Beyond these basic expectations, however, Bonaventure alums carry another expectation: a strong aspiration for their Bonnies to really want to be Bonnies, to carry the same level of feverish pride they had during their time on campus. The aspect of the “Bona Bubble,” as close-knit as it is small in stature, means everything to its inhabitants. Indifference is scoffed at, while jersey-popping passion is applauded.
By all accounts, SBU freshmen Kyle Lofton and Osun Osunniyi are exceeding expectations in the “happy to be here” department. Lofton was so confident in his college decision that he did his best 2010 Dwyane Wade impression this spring and convinced Putnam Science Academy teammate Osunniyi to take his talents to Olean. Osunniyi, who decommitted from La Salle in March, is so pleased with his choice that he is already recruiting future prospects for the Putnam-Bona Pipeline.
“I’m recruiting, I’m recruiting,” Osunniyi said. “There’s a guy on the team who’s trying to get over here. But we’re trying to bring everybody from Putnam over here.”
“We’re gonna get someone else, too,” Lofton added confidently.
PSA newcomer Justin Winston has already committed to be a Bonnie in the 2019-20 season, while three of his teammates- Akok Akok, Hassan Diarra and Demarr Langford- hold offers from the SBU coaching staff. Speculation has run rampant about who’s next, yet it is still remarkable to revisit how a second Mustang got to Mark Schmidt in the first place.
La Salle’s decision to move on from 14-year coach John Giannini in March opened the door for Schmidt to swoop in on Osunniyi, but Hall of Fame diversions from Syracuse and Georgetown loomed large. Osunniyi secured offers from both schools after an MVP performance in the National Prep Championship.
The Bonaventure staff responded to the competition by placing all of its chips on the table. Schmidt added former Giannini assistant Sean Neal, who led Osunniyi’s recruitment to North Philadelphia, to replace departing assistant Dave Moore. Osunniyi visited Bonaventure in the second week of May, the first of his final three visits.
As the coaches did their due diligence, Lofton played an indispensable role, speaking with Osunniyi every day and selling him on four years in the Southern Tier.
“The coaches were telling me to get him here,” Lofton said, “so I just did that.”
“He did really well,” Osunniyi said. “I mean, I’m here now. But when I first decommitted he did text me. The coaches texted me and had him send me some videos about different guys here. He was on me from the day I decommitted.”
Becoming a finalist for the 6-foot-10 big man’s services was one step; earning a signature on a grant-in-aid was another challenge.
Osunniyi’s May 21 announcement, streamed live on Periscope, was the culmination of a half-year’s worth of social media banter between SBU and SU. The Pleasantville, N.J. native watched the tweets unfold, acutely aware of the rivalry he had found himself at the center of.
“Seeing Twitter, I had Syracuse and Bonaventure, the interstate rivalry,” Osunniyi commented. “I saw Bonaventure fans going back and forth with Syracuse fans and after I committed, the Bonaventure fans kind of overpowered the Syracuse fans with the support and welcome.
“It all came down to the visit. When I came here I felt at home; it was a home away from home. I met a couple seniors on my visit and they treated me like I was one of the guys on the team already. After that visit I kind of had an idea… when I finished my visits I talked to my parents and I told them I felt the most at home at Bonaventure. It made the decision a bit easier, feeling at home here.”
Schmidt has welcomed players from the same high school to his program before, most recently when center Jake Houseknecht and walk-on Zach Moore made the short trip from Olean High to the Bonaventure campus.
Lofton and Osunniyi starting college having already played a year of ball together could have strategic benefits, but Schmidt is looking forward to a different advantage.
“In terms of friendship, the tighter you are off the court, the tighter you are on the court,” Schmidt said. “They have a really good relationship off the court, and whenever you have a good relationship with point guard and big guy, that’s everything. The point guard can yell at the big guy, and there’s respect off the court, and the big guy’s not gonna take it personally.
“It’s advantageous for them to have played last year on the court, but I think it’s more of an advantage because of the relationship they have. They’re friends, and that goes a long way in their development as players at Bonaventure.”
Winston’s 6-foot-6 frame will add a small forward to the friend group, a happy medium between the 6-foot-3 Lofton and the 6-foot-10 Osunniyi.
The competitiveness of Atlantic 10 basketball ensures there will still be yelling, but Putnam has provided Schmidt a notable team chemistry jumpstart for 2020. And as the two present Bonnies have made clear, they’re not done yet.
“Just the winning atmosphere… the vibe,” Osunniyi said as he explained why Putnam players want to play for Bonaventure. “I feel like being able to bring the winning atmosphere from Putnam and continuing it here is gonna be a lot of fun.”
Lofton, who has been compared by PSA coaches to Putnam alum and former Dayton Flyer Scoochie Smith, agreed.
“Bonaventure, it welcomes you,” Lofton said. “The fans, friends… they all want you to come here.
“It feels like home.”
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