By: Scott Eddy, Assistant Athletics Director for Strategic Communications
Kyrell Luc's resume is impressive.
He made an immediate splash in his first collegiate season, shining at Holy Cross on the way to earning 2022 Patriot League Rookie of the Year accolades.
The Massachusetts native averaged 13 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.5 steals while starting all 31 games last year. As the season continued, he only improved, posting double-figure scoring in 12 of the Crusaders' final 13 games.
On the surface, the numbers for one of St. Bonaventure's newest guards should gain the excitement of any Bonnies fans.
When one considers his path to those figures, though, the instant success at the Division I level becomes even more remarkable.
Almost two seasons of high school ball were wiped out for Luc due to the pandemic. For a while, he could only shoot in the backyard.
"I played pick up with a mask toward the end of my senior year," he said, "but that was it really."
So, despite being named the New England Preparatory School Class AA Player of the Year and scoring over 1,000 points in only two varsity seasons, he saw only offers from Patriot and Ivy League schools as most mid-major interest dried up.
Luc stayed close to home, opting to start his college career at Holy Cross.
Kyrell Luc made an immediate impact in his freshman year at Holy Cross.
The leap to the Division I level is a big one for any college freshman. For Luc, it was multiplied as he was not only making the jump to D-I but also returning to real games after so long away.
"My first couple of games were like, 'Woah, I'm back playing in front of people, back to five on five, getting up and down," he said. "I had to get adjusted again. I was a little nervous at first. Getting thrown into the fire as a freshman starting guard was kind of tough at first. I was able to learn, put my head down and get through it."
He wasted no time in turning heads.
Luc scored in double figures in four of his first five games last year, draining 18 points in just his second career game at Boston College. He went 9-for-15 from the floor at the ACC opponent, playing 32 minutes.
He was named Patriot League Rookie of the Week six times on the way to being crowned the league's top rookie.
"I improved a lot emotionally and in reading the court as a guard," he said.
By the end of the season, he decided to make a change and enter the transfer portal. From the beginning of the process, one school stood out above the rest.
"It was fun at first, but after awhile I didn't like it," Luc said of the portal experience. "The portal is interesting because you hear from a lot of coaches, but then out of nowhere they just won't hit you up again. Bonaventure was the only school that was consistent, talking to me on a daily basis. Bonaventure came down and had a meeting with me and my dad. That really stood out to me."
When Luc made the trip to Western New York to visit St. Bonaventure, he immediately knew that a spot in the Brown and White would be the best fit to continue his career.
"This place felt like home," he said. "The connection between the players from last year and the coaches was so genuine. Some places fake it, but you can tell when it's real. The atmosphere here is different; it's like a big family and I knew I wanted to be a part of that. My mom and I looked at each other at the end of my visit and just knew. I came from a school where basketball isn't valued as a top priority, so I wanted to go to a place where basketball is the main priority."
"Kyrell is a strong, scoring combo guard. He is a proven player who had some big games against high-level competition last season," head coach Mark Schmidt said. "We expect him to step in right away and make an immediate impact. Our staff is thrilled to welcome Kyrell to the program."  Â
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And, on a team with all new faces, Luc has one familiar one joining him in the backcourt – fellow Dorchester, Mass. native Moses Flowers.
"He was a couple years above me, but I've always seen Moses around. We played on the same team; he was on the 17U and I was on the 15 or 16U. I've been around him since I was eight or nine," Luc said. "We had our visit here at the same time and he told me right away this was the spot for him. I waited a little to commit, but I knew it would be fun to have a backcourt of Boston kids coming back together."
When Bonnies fans see Luc on the court this year, they'll be getting a player who likes to push the tempo and get his teammates involved. He uses elite speed and athleticism to play larger than his 5'11'' frame.Â
"I feel we have the guys to really push the ball and get fastbreak layups," he said. "That will make my job easier."
It's a group that used the summer to build chemistry as much as any on the court skill.
"The summer was all about building chemistry, getting to know each other's game, but bonding on and off the court," he said. "I feel that will help us a lot when the season starts. I feel like we all help each other because we're all new."
And though stepping into the large shoes left by the successful guards who have come before him, Luc says he takes those expectations in stride.
"There's always going to be the thought of what the last group of guys did, but I don't think there's any real pressure," he said. "We are a new team and we're going to make new statements."
A new team that might fly under the radar in the Atlantic 10 this preseason – just like Luc coming out of a pandemic-shortened high school career.
"We can be called underdogs if people want," he said. "Underdogs don't talk much, they just do the work."
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