Courtesy of GoBonnies.com
ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. – Sophomore Kyrell Luc poured home a game-high 23 points as the new look St. Bonaventure men’s basketball team made its debut a winning one, downing Saint Francis (PA), 71-58 Monday night at the Reilly Center.
The Bonnies (1-0) used a 14-0 run to grab an 18-8 lead six minutes and change into the contest, but fittingly, considering the amount of new faces on the roster, it would at times be an up-and-down night for the home squad.
Bona certainly flashed signs of why so many have excitement about the talent level of the newcomers – like the early sprint, or another quick run powered by Luc out of halftime to push the Bonnies back in front.
“We got off to a good start, but then we started missing some shots and turning the ball over which led to them getting some easy baskets,” St. Bonaventure head coach Mark Schmidt said. “In the second half, we were able to get the ball into the paint. Chad Venning was a presence in the second half. We knew it was going to be a dog fight with Saint Francis, and there were some ups and down, but we finished it at the end.”
Not surprisingly, there were some growing pains as well, such as when the Red Flash embarked on a 12-0 run that saw the Bonnies go scoreless for a five-minute span late in the first period. That drought allowed Saint Francis to send the teams to intermission deadlocked at 32-all.
But when the Bonnies were clicking, there was much to like from a St. Bonaventure fan perspective.
Luc, the 2022 Patriot League Rookie of the Year, was just one point shy of his career high and his ability to get to the rim also drew eight Saint Francis fouls. Bona’s new point guard handed out five assists and posted two steals as well.
Barry Evans threw down multiple thunderous dunks to bring the Reilly Center crowd to life, finishing with 12 points, eight rebounds and two steals. Evans went 6-of-9 from the floor in his Division I debut.
“Barry was active and his strengths are inside, and when he is able to get on the offense glass, then good things can happen for us,” Schmidt noted. “As a young guy, it is important for him to play to his strengths.”
Daryl Banks registered 14 points and three assists to give the Bonnies a third double-digit scorer.
Saint Francis went just 4-for-19 from long range, missing 13 of 14 attempts from beyond the arc at one point. The Red Flash did pull within 50-44 following a trey from Landon Moore with 11:27 left, closing to a four-point deficit on the next possession.
Anouar Mellouk contributed eight points down the stretch and his bucket on the next Bona drive quelled a Red Flash rally and soon, following a three-point play from Chad Venning, the lead was back to nine.
From there, the Bonnies held the Red Flash at a manageable distance, eventually pulling away in the waning minutes.
Josh Cohen, an all-conference pick in the NEC, delivered 21 points for the Red Flash inside.
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