TEAM ROSTERS
ST. BONAVENTURE BONNIES
1 Ilia Ermakov G, Fr., 6-6, Kursk, RUS
2 Amar'e Marshall G, R-Sr., 6-4/210, Montclair, NJ
4 John Ikpotokin F, Fr., 6-7, Dublin, IRE
5 Dasonte Bowen G, R-Jr., 6-2/190, Boston, MA
7 Brayden Jackson G, So., 6-8/200, Milton, ONT
8 Darryl Simmons II G, Jr., 5-11/175, Detroit, MI
15 Jack DeRose G, Jr., 6-0/175, Olean, NY
20 Achille Lonati G, Fr., 6-5, Pavia, ITA
21 Xander Wedlow PF/C, So., 6-10/245, Detroit, MI
24 Cayden Charles G, Sr., 6-3/185, Kennesaw, GA
30 Broek Ostrom G, Sr., 6-2/180, Holley, NY
32 Joe Grahovac F, So., 6-10/215, Santa Ana, CA
33 Andrew Osasuyi C, Fr., 6-9, Magenta, ITA
CANISIUS GOLDEN GRIFFINS
0 Chris Kumu G, Fr., 6-4/190, Montréal, QUE
1 Javante Edwards G, Fr., 6-1/175, Milwaukee, WI
2 Marcus Niblack G, Gr., 6-2/190, Leesburg, FL
3 Anthony Benard G, Jr., 6-0/170, Detroit, MI
4 Nicco DiGiulio G, So., 5-11/170, Williamsville, NY
5 Myles Wilmoth F, Gr., 6-10/225, Chestnut Ridge, NY
6 Zach Christian G, Fr., 6-3/175, Grand Island, NY
9 Evan van der Plas F, So., 6-5/190, Rosmalen, NLD
11 Kahlil Singleton G, Jr., 6-3/195, Vancouver, WA
COACH: Mark Schmidt
COACH: JIM CHRISTIAN
2025-26 St. Bonaventure bonnies
TEAM STATISTICS
2025-26 Canisius golden griffins
TEAM STATISTICS
GAME NOTES
BUDDY BALL
Two games into the 2025-26 college basketball season, Buddy Simmons II stood alone atop the Division I scoring leaderboard. Simmons II’s 24-point performance on Monday (Nov. 3) paced the Bonnies in a hard-fought 69-63 win over Bradley.
Simmons II had the highest-scoring Bonnies debut (against a Division I opponent) since Carl Jackson in 1970. The St. Bonaventure Hall-of-Famer scored 24 points of his own in a 10473 win over Detroit College in 1970.
Fifty-five years later, Simmons II has made a similar, immediate impact. His two dozen points accounted for nearly 35 percent of the Bonnies’ offense. The junior buried a go-ahead three with 1:06 remaining to lift SBU to the season-opening win.
“He can really score the ball, he can shoot the ball, he’s tough and he’s not afraid...” Bonnies’ coach Mark Schmidt said on Simmons II. “He hit the big shot and that’s what we need him to do. He needs to put the ball in the basket for us. He did today and hopefully he can continue to do that.”
Simmons II led the Big South in three-pointers made (82) last season at Gardner-Webb, earning Second Team All-Conference. Now, with the Bonnies, he is primed to be one of the Atlantic 10’s premier scorers in 2025-26.
CRASHING THE BOARDS
The Bonnies dominated Bradley on the boards in the seasonopener, outrebounding the Braves 44-29. St. Bonaventure exceled at creating extra opportunities, grabbing 15 offensive rebounds. It was a team effort on the glass, as five Bonnies at two-or-more offensive rebounds.
Three Bonnies had eight-or-more rebounds on the afternoon. Frank Mitchell led the way with nine boards off the bench. Joe Grahovac and Cayden Charles had eight rebounds each. Mitchell, Grahovac and Charles combined for nine rebounds on the offensive end.
BLOCK PARTY
St. Bonaventure set the tone on the defensive end in Monday’s win over Bradley, posting seven blocks as a team. The Bonnies met or exceeded that total just twice in 2024-25 (Nov. 16 vs. Le Moyne and Nov. 28 vs. Utah State).
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NOVEMBER
GAME SCHEDULE
GAME NOTES
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Grahovac and Mitchell led the way with two blocks each. Charles, Daniel Egbuniwe and freshman Andrew Osasuyi each chipped in with one.
DIVISION I DEBUTS
Four Bonnies made their debuts at the Division I level on Monday. Charles (Div. II North Georgia) and Grahovac (Juco Fullerton College) both exceled at a higher level, combining for 26 points and 16 rebounds.
Charles stuffed the stat sheet with 15 points (14 first half), eight rebounds, three steals, one block and one assist.
Meanwhile, Grahovac shined in his first game at any level of NCAA competition. The 6-10 forward posted 11 points and eight rebounds while shooting 5-for-8 from the field. Grahovac’s elite shooting touch was on full display, drilling one three-pointer and several midrange jumpers.
As the college sports landscape continues to evolve, St. Bonaventure’s ability to find production and bring in talent at all levels of college basketball could prove to be extremely vital to the program’s success.
In addition to Charles and Grahovac, two Bonnies freshmen also made their debut. Andrew Osasuyi got the start in his first collegiate game, recording three points, four rebounds and a block in just nine minutes. His Italian teammate, Achille Lonati, posted two rebounds and an assist in five minutes of action.
GRAND OPENING
For the first time in six years, the Bonnies opened their season at a neutral site against Bradley on Monday (Nov. 3) at the Field of 68 Opening Day Marathon. The game was the second of the entire 2025-26 college basketball season. Bonnies fans packed the Rock Hill Events Center in Rock Hill, S.C. to watch a 69-63 win.
The last time St. Bonaventure played a season-opener at a neutral site or on the road was in 2020 against Akron at then-Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland. SBU pulled out an 81-74 win over the Zips behind 25 points from Osun Osunniyi.
ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
Simmons posted a game-high 24 points in a season-opening victory vs. Bradley on Monday morning. He went 7-for-17 from the floor and drained five 3-pointers in his Bonnies debut, posting four assists and three steals. Sixteen of his points came during the second half.
He delivered likely the biggest bucket of the game as his 3-pointer with 1:06 to play broke a tie and the Bonnies would never look back.
Drake tallied 16 points on 7-of-9 shooting to lead the St. Bonaventure women's basketball team past Mansfield, 82-34, Monday in the 2025-26 season opener.
Drake made a pair of threes to go along with four rebounds, two assists and a steal in 13 minutes against the Mountaineers.
A native of Hancock, N.Y. Drake made her Bonnies debut last Wednesday against Daemen in an exhibition contest, tallying 13 points, five rebounds and three assists.
Laycee Drake
The GoBonnies.com Student-Athletes of the Week presented by CPL for the week ending Nov. 3 are men's basketball junior Darryl Simmons II and women's basketball grad Laycee Drake.
Darryl Simmons II
FROM THE HEART
Bonaventure Athletes Team Up With Muscular Dystrophy Association
By Nathan Laird, Athletics Communications Assistant
St. Bonaventure student-athletes Arjun Pindiprolu and Patrick Shanahan understand the importance of their health. Being Division I student-athletes requires them to be in peak physical shape to compete at some of the highest levels. However, they also look out for those less fortunate than themselves.
This past summer, the pair of Bonaventure athletes volunteered a week of their time to the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA). Pindiprolu, a junior on Bona’s men’s tennis team, and Shanahan, a junior on the men’s lacrosse squad, were counselors at one of the organization’s summer camps hosted in Hardwick, N.J.
The MDA works with individuals living with muscular dystrophy, ALS, and other neuromuscular disorders. The association runs programs for individuals with neuromuscular conditions, provides support for families, educates about these disorders, and funds research into therapies to help those affected.
“It seemed like a pretty cool opportunity to get involved with something I hadn’t previously,” said Pindiprolu, who heard about the camp and their need for volunteers from a friend.
When Pindiprolu suggested the camp to Shanahan, they both agree to volunteer. Neither had any previous experience working with someone who had a neuromuscular disorder, but it didn’t stop them.
The summer camp was six days long for participants, who ranged in ages 8-17. At the camp the Bonnies’ pair went to, there were 27 camp participants and 35 counselors. This allowed each participant to have a 1-on-1 caretaker through the week.
Over the week, the campers and volunteers participate in a range of events. The camp offers as close to a traditional summer camp experience as they can, including arts and crafts, sports, and other outdoor activities. Pindiprolu and Shanahan say swimming was a favorite among the campers.
While the experience was a unique one for the campers, Pindiprolu and Shanahan felt as though they learned a lot themselves.
"Seeing the challenges these kids face every day, and how much joy and strength they still carry, made me realize how much I take for granted. It completely changed my perspective on what it means to have a hard day,” Pindiprolu shared.
Shanahan volunteers with Community Ambulance Company in his hometown of Bayport, N.Y. Pindiprolu works with Greater Buffalo Adaptive Sports, an organization that offers athletic opportunities to people around Buffalo with a range of disabilities, and also volunteers with Williamsville Pediatric Urgent Care.
Both athletes are also involved in the Olean community. The pair can often be found at the Warming House, one of the oldest student-run soup kitchens in the nation. They also participate in St. Bonaventure’s Medical Emergency Response Team (MERT), a student-run emergency medical services agency.
St. Bonaventure student-athletes and teams are no strangers to getting involved in the community. Every team is involved with local organizations to give back to their community. During the 2024-25 academic years, Bonnies student-athletes put in over 3,500 volunteer hours.
Pindiprolu and Shanahan believe the volunteer work benefits both parties.
“It’s about who you’re with, and building a culture within your team,” Shanahan said. “You’re going to have fun, while also doing a really good deed.”
“It’s the most rewarding thing I’ve done,” said Pindiprolu. “A lot of what we do in school and sports are for ourselves, and for the first time my work was directly benefitting a kid and impacting a kid’s life.”
2025-26 St. Bonaventure athletic
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