This editorial represents the opinion of The Bona Venture staff.
It’s that time of year again. The leaves are falling, the temperature is dropping and there is excitement in the air at St. Bonaventure.
Why is the Bonaventure community getting hyped up? Both the men’s and women’s basketball teams will kick off theirs seasons this weekend and finally bring some energy back to campus.
With the days leading up to Thanksgiving break and all the assignments and exams that go with it, students could use a bit of distraction. The perfect opportunity presents itself in the form of old-fashioned competition in the Reilly Center.
That’s right. Bona’s basketball is back with a vengeance. Fresh off exhibition games this past weekend, the Bonnies are rolling into the first official games of the 2012-2013 season, and students should be feeling the excitement soon enough. After last year’s impressive runs for both teams in post-season tournaments, it’s hard not to get fired up for another round of Bonnies’ basketball.
The men’s team will play Bethune-Cookman University on Friday, and the women’s team will battle Binghamton on Saturday. Both games are home, offering two opportunities to rock the Reilly Center.
It is no secret the team lost some talented seniors on both the men’s and women’s teams. However, the teams are working just as hard to make up for the players who graduated last year.
As Bonnies, we need to do the same and carry on last year’s enthusiasm and bring the passion we brought to Atlantic City, Nashville, Tallahassee and Raleigh to the Reilly Center this weekend.
Students got a taste of what is to come at the annual Brown and White Night last Friday. Hundreds of students packed into the Reilly Center for the opportunity to receive fresh WolfPack shirts and some inspiring words from women’s basketball coach Jim Crowley and men’s basketball coach Mark Schmidt.
Both coaches made one thing absolutely clear. If the Reilly Center is to remain one of the most intimidating arenas in the A-10, it’s going to need each and every available student in attendance, and with only eight men’s home games, attendance is even more important.
There aren’t many valid excuses for not being able to take two or three hours out of your weekend and attend a game. Tickets are free, for those living on campus it is not much of a hike and it isn’t like there is much to do on the Bona’s campus on a winter weekend anyway.
If the Bonnies are going to be putting on a show on the court, we need to make sure we’re holding up our end of the bargain. If Crowley and Schmidt want us there, we should be there. Our season tickets are paid for, so let’s make sure we make the most of them and get to every game we can. We’ll get some exciting Bonnies’ basketball and have the chance to see another run at post-season glory.
Basketball unifies the Bonaventure community and gives us something to be enthusiastic about.
Our teams and coaches are ready to play. As fans, we need to be, too. Get to the games this season and show your support. Go Bonnies!
