Adaway credits his late mother as he reaches 1,000-point milestone

By CHUCKIE MAGGIO

Jalen Adaway has watched 329 two-pointers, 63 3-pointers and 157 free throws fall through the net in his collegiate career. He is an Atlantic 10 champion and all-tournament team member, a difference-maker as St. Bonaventure ascended from a fifth-place finish in 2019-20 to an NCAA Tournament team in 2020-21.

The 1,000-point milestone Adaway reached on Saturday afternoon was special to him, even more so as he emotionally credited his late mother.

“My mom, she really put all of herself, all that she had, into me and my sister,” Adaway remarked. “Even though she’s not here, it just means the world, cause her dream was me.”

Aja Joele Hiatt died on March 19, 2019, while Adaway was still at Miami-Ohio. “Her greatest love,” her obituary read, “was for her children.”

“Just being able to continue that legacy and put on a show for her, it means everything to me,” Adaway continued. “I’m just really thankful to have accomplished that. I have amazing teammates, amazing coaches around me, and I just couldn’t be more thankful.”

Adaway’s teammates took note of how many points he needed to reach the milestone, as well. Jaren Holmes remarked that when Adaway was at 15 points, he and his teammates were letting him know he needed three more. The Logansport, Ind. native had no issue clearing the thousand mark, finishing with 22.

“He needed that 18,” Holmes said with a laugh. “I’m so proud of this guy. True worker. Not a lot of people talk about the work he’s put in each and every day, and his numbers show the type of player he is… It’s great to see, great to see. It’s wonderful.”

Known for his athleticism when he joined the Bona program (his nickname is “Flight 33,” referencing his dunking and leaping ability), Adaway has rounded into a skilled, consistent mid-range shooter. He is also the second-leading rebounder on the team behind Osun Osunniyi, with four double-doubles in an SBU uniform.

Bonnies coach Mark Schmidt remarked in 2019 that Adaway, who had to sit for games during the 2019-20 season due to NCAA transfer rules, had “really just scratched the surface of his potential.” He became a double-figure scorer in a Bona uniform, substantiating the coaching staff’s projection.

“It’s a great accomplishment. 1,000 points, it’s something that people always talk about,” Schmidt noted. “To be in that club, it tells you how good a player he is and it tells you about our players, our players being happy for him and his success. It just tells you, it tells us, it tells me, that we have some really good players, good guys.”