Oliver’s time in junior college prepared her for SBU

By: Jeff Uveino 

Amanda Oliver is one of five players entering her first year with the St. Bonaventure women’s basketball program. But the junior forward is no stranger to competing at the collegiate level.

Oliver, a 6-1 forward from Orlando, Florida, she played two seasons at Florida Southwestern Community College before transferring to SBU.

She averaged six points per game and eight rebounds per game her sophomore year at Florida Southwestern, and was a two-time all-conference selection. She hopes to bring what she learned in junior college to the Atlantic 10.

“It will help me in the long run,” Oliver said. “I just had so much skill work to work on, as well as the mental aspect of the game.”

Oliver played in 63 games at FSCC, starting 57 of them. The mental and physical experience that she got, Oliver said, will help her game going forward.

“It pushed me beyond a mental point where I didn’t think I could go,” she said. “Having those two years is going to help me and motivate me.”

Oliver hopes to bring a defensive presence to a Bonnies team that allowed 69 points per game last season and only scored 63. She averaged 1.7 blocks per game her sophomore year at FSCC.

“I want to bring hustle,” she said. “Anything I can do to help the team or what is needed to win a game. I love defense so that will be a big part of my game.”

On the offensive side of the ball, Oliver will look to be a factor in what she described as the “run-and-gun” type offense the Bonnies will play. With the regular season coming fast, Oliver talked about some of the things head coach Jesse Fleming and the Bonnies have been working on this preseason.

“We’re trying to score quickly in possessions with layups and transition threes,” Oliver said. “We have a lot of set plays ready so I think we’ll be prepared.”

St. Bonaventure opens regular season play on the road. They travel to play rival Niagara University on Nov. 6.