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Atlantic 10 Basketball: Who will capture the 2016-17 conference title?

By Carmine Carcieri

Feb 27, 2016; Dayton, OH, USA; Rhode Island Rams head coach Dan Hurley (C) talks with his team during a stoppage in play against the Dayton Flyers in the second half at the University of Dayton Arena. The Rams won 75-66. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 27, 2016; Dayton, OH, USA; Rhode Island Rams head coach Dan Hurley (C) talks with his team during a stoppage in play against the Dayton Flyers in the second half at the University of Dayton Arena. The Rams won 75-66. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports /
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Feb 13, 2016; St. Bonaventure, NY, USA; St. Bonaventure Bonnies guard Jaylen Adams (10) runs into George Washington Colonials guard Joe McDonald (22) and was called for an offensive foul during the first half at the Reilly Center. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 13, 2016; St. Bonaventure, NY, USA; St. Bonaventure Bonnies guard Jaylen Adams (10) runs into George Washington Colonials guard Joe McDonald (22) and was called for an offensive foul during the first half at the Reilly Center. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports /

7. St. Bonaventure Bonnies

2015-16 record: 22-8 overall, 14-4 in Atlantic 10

Head coach: Mark Schmidt

Key returning players: Jaylen Adams, Denzel Gregg, Idris Taqqee, Nelson Kaputo

Newcomers: Two-star SF Tareq Coburn, two-star C Amadi Ikpeze, non-ranked F Josh Ayeni, JUCO G/F Courtney Stockard, Syracuse GS F/C Chinonso Obokoh, Central CT State transfer G Matt Mobley, Liberty transfer F David Andoh 

Marcus Posley, Jaylen Adams and Dion Wright were an unstoppable trio that helped St. Bonaventure finished tied for the Atlantic 10 Conference title. However, the Bonnies were robbed an NCAA Tournament berth and collapsed in the first round of the NIT against Wagner.

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Posley and Wright won’t be returning to St. Bonaventure in 2016-17. But Adams is.

The now-junior guard is ready to set the conference on fire with his knack for scoring the basketball. Adams averaged 17.9 points, shot 45 percent from the field, drilled 44 percent of his threes and knocked down an efficient 87 percent of his free throws. If Jack Gibbs wasn’t a member of the A10, Adams would definitely be the top scorer in the conference in 2016-17.

Unfortunately, for Adams his junior season is likely to end in a disappoint from a perspective of team success. The Bonnies will need Denzel Gregg to replace Wright’s interior punch, but there is no one that could possibly make up for the 19.6 points that Posley scored per night.

Head coach Mark Schmidt does add three quality transfers in Chinonso Obokoh, Matt Mobley and David Andoh. Mobley averaged 17.2 points per game at Central Connecticut State two years ago and Andoh averaged 10 points and nearly six boards at Liberty. But Obokoh was a lightly used role player at Syracuse.

While St. Bonaventure won’t be a poor team by any means, they will not match last year’s results.

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