St. Bonaventure Basketball: Previewing the 2018-19 season for the Bonnies

Starting Lineup

Nelson Kaputo – Senior

Kaputo is a true pass first point guard. The senior guard has been in the Bonnies system for 4 years. Due to his experience, the coaching staff is going to be comfortable with him running the offense night in and night out. Kaputo may not have put up great statistical numbers, but he is capable of scoring points as he has had a 20-point game in his career. The point guard is going to bring stability to the offense and allow Schmidt to let his incoming point guard in Lofton a chance to learn and become acclimated to the college game. Will Kaputo do enough to keep his starting job all year?

Courtney Stockard – Senior

The wing returns to Olean after a national coming out party in the NCAA tournament. Stockard showed the type of player he can be in the two NCAA tournament games. The senior will have the keys to the car this season and the Bonnies are going to expect him to be a key contributor. The wing has the potential to be an all-conference type of player.

Stockard is another player who was overshadowed by the two superstars in Olean a year ago. The wing has shown he can fill a stat sheet, and with consistent minutes and the trust of the coaching staff. It is not unreasonable to think the senior can average a double double on the season. One of the more unheralded parts of his game is his rebounding prowess. He can score and rebound like one of the best players in the conference.

LaDarien Griffin – Senior

Griffin along with Stockard will be a focal point of the offense. Often a season ago, the senior forward was the third option to Adams and Mobley. Griffin did not disappoint, he was recognized by the coaches in Atlantic-10 as the most improved player in the conference. He was able to pour in nine points and six rebounds per game last year. This season when paired with Stockard the Bonnies are hoping for an uptick in production across the board. The wings are going to be the strength of the Bonnies this year, and Griffin and Stockard have the potential to be two of the better wings in the conference.

Stockard is a player who makes his living in the paint and around the rim. The senior is a great shot blocker and ranked near the top of the Atlantic 10 a year ago in that category. The forward is poised for an even bigger year now that he is out of the shadows of Adams and Mobley. Can he deliver?

Jalen Poyser – Junior

Poyser enters his first season playing for the Bonnies. He is a transfer from UNLV and sat out last year after the transfer. Poyser spent all last year running with the scout team and going against Adams and Mobley in practice. The guard is going to turn some heads in the Atlantic 10 with his style of play. He looks bigger and stronger than he did at UNLV. Going against two of the best players in the Atlantic 10 everyday is only going to make him better.

While at UNLV the junior averaged in double figures with 10 points a game. Poyser is a great shooter from deep, will be able to provide quality depth at both guard positions, and is deadly from the free throw line. Poyser is going to provide this offense a huge boost, and he becomes eligible at just the right time for the Bonnies.

Amadi Ikpeze – Junior

The Junior big man enters the starting lineup and will see a drastic uptick in minutes from a year ago. Ikpeze much like Kaputo is another player who did not pop off the screen at you while watching him, but the big man did not play many minutes for most of the year. The Junior entered the starting lineup during the last 11 games of the season. After entering the starting lineup, the Bonnies made their run to the NCAA tournament. Ikpeze showed flashes of offensive potential while in the starting lineup.

One thing that stuck out about the big man was his high shooting percentage from the field. Ikpeze shot almost 50 percent from the field last year in limited minutes. If he can improve on those numbers, it is going to be a plus for the Bonnies. If the Bonnies need Ikpeze to score in double figures, they are most likely in for a long year.