July 28 marked 100 days until the 2019-20 tip off for the Centennial Season of St. Bonaventure basketball. Each day leading up to the first game, St. Bonaventure Athletics will treat fans to moments from the history of Bonnies basketball, from tremendous photos, game programs, memorabilia and more, all leading up to a November 5 season tip.
Fans wishing to share photos or memorabilia from their favorite Bonnies moments should email them to seddy@sbu.edu.
Days 100-91Â |Â Days 90-81Â |Â Days 80-71Â |Â Days 70-61Â |Â Days 60-51Â |Â Days 50-41Â |Â Days 40-31Â |Â Return to #Bonnies100 Site
DAY 30Â (October 6)
In this photo, St. Bonaventure great Fred Crawford and Kareem Abdul Jabbar pose with a group of onlookers after playing a game of one-on-one at New York City's legendary Rucker Park.
A prolific scorer, Crawford established the SBU men's basketball scoring record for sophomores with 614 points in 1960-61. During his three years of varsity competition, he totaled 1,738 points and ranks eighth in program history. His 22.5 points per game still ranks third all-time among Bona players. In the 1961 NCAA Tournament, he posted 34 points and 16 rebounds in a first round win over Rhode Island, then had 19 points and 10 boards in a second round setback vs. Wake Forest. He scored in double figures in every postseason game he played for Bona. He served as captain his senior season of 1962-63 and was named All-East that year.
He played professionally for the New York Knicks, Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Lakers, Buffalo Braves and Philadelphia 76ers of the NBA and his No. 54 jersey is retired. Crawford was inducted into the Athletics Hall of Fame in 1970.
DAY 29Â (October 7)
Great friends, great times, great memories. Jim Baron and Essie Hollis were at the heart of the 1977 NIT Championship team and images like this one are ingrained in the minds of Bonnies fans from that era.
Before he became a celebrated head coach, Baron was a hard-nosed, defensive-minded guard. He made his mark as a player from 1973-77, helping the Bonnies to a 73-28 record. As a senior co-captain, he keyed a run to the 1977 NIT Championship with one of the most magical seasons in program history.
Hollis, a two-time ECAC All-Star (1976, '77), was also co-captain of the NIT Championship Team in 1977, scoring 24 points in the championship game win over Houston after posting double figures in every game of that tournament. Hollis was an NBA second round pick of the New Orleans Jazz in 1977 and also played for the Detroit Pistons (1978-79).
DAY 28Â (October 8)
The Bonnies went 17-7 in the 1956-57 season which started a run of 28 straight years in which the program went .500 or better (Sam Stith, pictured here as part of that run, was one of the many reasons why).
During those years, the Bonnies went to the NIT 11 times and to the NCAA Tournament an additional four seasons.
DAY 27Â (October 9)
Courtney Stockard put on a performance for the ages March 13, 2018, as he led the Bonnies past UCLA, 65-58, in Dayton for a victory in the NCAA Tournament.
With UCLA keyed on Bona's standout backcourt of Jaylen Adams and Matt Mobley, Stockard took over. After missing two seasons with injuries, the Missouri native introduced himself to the nation with a 26-point effort, adding four steals.
Stockard, who had been questionable to play after suffering a hamstring injury that forced him out of the Atlantic 10 Tournament the previous weekend, played all 40 minutes as the Bonnies got their first NCAA Tournament win since 1970. Read the game story | Watch the highlights
DAY 26Â (October 10)
With 26 days left in our countdown, we look back to two seasons ago when the Bonnies set the program record for victories with a 26th win that will never be forgotten: St. Bonaventure knocked off UCLA in the NCAA Tournament to pick up win No. 26 of the 2017-18 season.
Here, St. Bonaventure players LaDarien Griffin and Nelson Kaputo celebrate on the court in Dayton following Bona’s victory over UCLA in First Four. The victory gave the Bonnies 26 victories on the year, breaking the previous school record of 25 set by the Final Four team of 1970.With 26 days left in our countdown, we look back to two seasons ago when the Bonnies set the program record for victories with a 26th win that will never be forgotten: St. Bonaventure knocked off UCLA in the NCAA Tournament to pick up win No. 26 of the 2017-18 season.
Here, St. Bonaventure players LaDarien Griffin and Nelson Kaputo celebrate on the court in Dayton following Bona’s victory over UCLA in First Four. The victory gave the Bonnies 26 victories on the year, breaking the previous school record of 25 set by the Final Four team of 1970.
DAY 25Â (October 11)
In this photo, Bill Kalbaugh defends Providence's Jim Larranaga in a February 1970 game at the University Center. St. Bonaventure defeated the Friars, led by future Big East leader Dave Gavitt, 68-52 in front of over 5,600 fans. The game was televised as the ECAC TV Game of the Week as thousands more watched the Bonnies move to 17-1 on the season.
Kalbaugh tallied 659 points and his skillful play was instrumental in leading Bona to a 65-12 record during his career (1967-70). Later an assistant coach for the program, he was inducted to the SBU Hall of Fame in 1989.
DAY 24Â (October 12)
With 24 days left in our countdown, we look back at one of the great images of the 1977 NIT Championship Celebration in Olean. This photo ran in the March 21, 1977 edition of the Olean Times-Herald.
Here, NIT MIV Greg Sanders celebrates with fans after posting 40 points in the Championship Game victory over Houston at Madison Square Garden. The Bonnies got back home after midnight, but that did not deter fans from all over the Southern Tier to show their support for the Brown and White. Despite the late hour, members of the Bonnies were honored at Olean Municipal Building by a hundreds of well-wishers who followed the unforgettable run to a national championship.
DAY 23Â (October 13)
23 days are left in our countdown and today we bring an image that connects the present with the past.
Here we see this year's Bonnies men's basketball media guide cover which features current student-athletes Amadi Ikpeze, Kyle Lofton and Osun Osunniyi along with pictures from the past.
The Centennial Season is all about celebrating the connection of the current success of the program while remembering all those who have paved the way.
DAY 22Â (October 14)
In this photo, Matt Gantt goes up for a rebound in a game vs. Villanova. St. Bonaventure defeated the Wildcats, 97-74, in the Elite Eight of 1970 to advance to the Final Four - Gantt scored 19 points and posted 18 rebounds in that win.
A key member of the 1970 NCAA Final Four team, Gantt scored 992 points and averaged 13.6 points per game during his career. In the first round of the NCAA Tournament in 1970, he had a stat line of 19 points and 16 rebounds in a first round win over Davidson, then had 15 and 11 in a second round triumph over N.C. State. His roll that postseason continued with his double-double vs. Villanova and he also scored 16 points in the Final Four vs. Jacksonville. He hauled in 706 rebounds over his career, averaging 8.5 per contest. He also helped Bona to the 1971 NIT with a 21-6 record and 62-17 overall during his career. He was inducted into the SBU Athletics Hall of Fame in 1990.
DAY 21Â (October 15)
The 1921-22 season marked the third full-time intercollegiate campaign for the St. Bonaventure basketball program.
That year, the second under head coach Al Carmont, marked the first winning campaign for Bona Basketball. It was also the most games the program had played to that point – the Brown and White finished a 23-game campaign with a 13-10 overall record.
The '21-22 season started a run of 10 straight winning campaigns for St. Bonaventure. In 99 seasons, the Bonnies have finished with a winning record 65 times.
Check back each day as we continue our 100 Years, 100 Days Countdown To Tip Off! Or look back at previous countdown memories | Continue to the next set of days
