Migliore ready to help Bonnies bounce back

By: Teddy Caputo

The St. Bonaventure Bonnies women’s basketball team finished the season last year with a record of 8-22, including 5-9 in non-conference play and 3-13 in conference play. Junior Danielle Migliore was one of the most improved players in the A-10 last season, and she’s looking to help the Bonnies turn things around this year.

Even though the team struggled last year, Migliore, a Frankfort, New York native, had a breakout season. In her freshman year, she played in 20 games and averaged 1.7 points per game, one rebound per game and eight minutes per game. In her sophomore year, she started in 29 of their 30 games and averaged 10.3 points and 5.6 rebounds in 32 minutes per game. Migliore had the second-best increase in scoring average year-to-year of any A-10 player.

Danielle Migliore talked about her success last year and how it can help her prepare for this year.

“It helps me knowing how much work I put in last year,” said Migliore. “If I want to continue staying consistent, then I got to keep putting in the work that I did offseason of freshman year going into my sophomore year. Knowing that hard work does pay off sticks in my head.”

Migliore talked about how she has prepared for the season.

“Since I knew that I could be successful, I’ve continued working on being consistent, whether that is going to the gym more than the year before or speeding up my foot work and shot. Hopefully that helps,” said Migliore.

Migliore is looking for more success from herself and the team this season. Migliore talked about what she thought the team could have done better last season.

“Our chemistry was always there, but we didn’t know how to handle the game when we were ahead,” said Migliore. “We’ve been used to playing and winning games while we were down for most of the game. But, when we were ahead for most of the game, we would always let a team get back into the game. We didn’t know how to finish games and didn’t handle the pressure well.”

Migliore also spoke about what she likes about the team this year and what the offseason was like.

“We’re a more loose team and we like to have fun, and that’s when we play good,” said Migliore. “Compared to last year, we didn’t play like we were enjoying it as much.”

The Bonnies did lose some key players from last year’s team such as sophomore guards Jalisha Terry and Rhianna Council, but they also added five new players to the roster. When talking about the new players on the team, Migliore spoke highly of them.

“I think the younger girls have become more used to what we do here,” said Migliore. “They’re always on time for things, we always play together and run through the offense and defense repetitively, so it gives us greater team chemistry now.”

Migliore continued, “My role for the younger girls is to lead by example. I’m not the type to constantly get on their case and tell them to do ‘this, this and this’, but I could be in the gym or practicing my jump shot and they could look up to that.”

Migliore joins teammate senior guard Mckenna Maycock, as the most experienced players on the team this year.

In the women’s exhibition game on Friday, Nov., 2 2018 against Alfred University, Danielle Migliore scored 14 points on 5-9 shooting coming off the bench, also adding six rebounds and two assists in an 88-43 victory. Migliore and the Bonnies play in their first regular season game of the season on the road against long-time rival Niagara University on Tuesday, November 6, 2018 at 7 p.m.

Migliore prepared to be a leader this season

By Justin Myers

Last season, sophomore Danielle Migliore was just a freshman guard from Frankfort,New York who could knock down threes.

This year, she’s a key starter on a young team hungry to improve off their 9-20 campaign last season.

With second-year coach Jesse Fleming getting a full off-season with his team, Migliore impressed enough to crack the starting lineup last Saturday in the exhibition game against Edinboro, playing 35 minutes, scoring 12 points, coming off four threes at 50% shooting.

Reporter Justin Myers sat down with Migliore to discuss her relationship with the team, who she models her game after and her personal goals for this season.

What are some things you improved on during the off-season?

Migliore: I really tried to improve all aspects of my game from confidence, to mental game, defense, just getting in the gym a lot and shooting extra really helped me.

The most important thing you learned from freshman year?

Migliore: My mental game was most important. In high school I was able to get mad and not care. But here, it’s different. If you get mad it affects your next play, rather in high school it didn’t.

What goals do you have for yourself this season?

Migliore: Personally, just to make an impact for the team, be more of a leader, and to set myself up for success.

How is this year’s team different from last year?

Migliore: I think we gel better as a group this year. A few of us are more experienced like me, Jalisha Terry and Rhianna Council. We had a learning year, which helped a lot. This preseason getting to be together all the time helped our team.

Are there any players you try to patent your game after?

Migliore: Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry and Minnesota Lynx forward Maya Moore.

Five takeaways from St. Bonaventure University vs. Edinboro University

By Isaiah Blakely

Editor’s Note: Information about Abigail Johnson was added to the story in order to address a big event during the game and to provide transparency to our loyal readers.

In a gritty and razor-thin contest, the St. Bonaventure women’s basketball team was upset by the Edinboro Fighting Scots, 67-64 at the Reilly Center. While it may have only been an exhibition, a few things from the game stood out.

Here are five takeaways from the scrimmage.

1. Chemistry

With four new players it was clear it’ll take some time for this team to gel. Several offensive sets were clunky, and the team had 25 turnovers. Many of the turnovers came off miscommunication errors and players not being on the same page. You could chalk it up to preseason jitters, but the Bonnies will have to improve communication if they want to succeed this season.

2. Three point shooting

There are definitely more shooters on the floor at all times. Sophomore Danielle Migliore especially impressed, shooting 4-8 from behind the arc. Overall, the team shot 35% from three.

3. Mariah Ruff doesn’t have to carry the scoring load

Last year’s leading scorer by far, Ruff got some help as Migliore and freshman Emily Calabrese each put up double figures, while sophomore Jalisha Terry led with an 18 point effort off the bench. Ruff still scored 12 points, but struggled from the field going 3-10. Ruff should improve on those numbers as the season goes on and if the Bonnies can get more players in double figures the team could improve on their showing from last season.

4. Defensive Rebounding

Edinboro had 18 offensive rebounds, a startling stat that heavily contributed to their win. The Bonnies forwards have to do a better job of boxing out and hanging on to loose rebounds. That could depend on 6-2 forward Abigail Johnson’s health as she “appeared to faint during a stoppage of play” and hit her head on the court during the game. Johnson was transported to a regional medical facility for evaluation in a scary moment at the Reilly Center. With Johnson’s health in question, and frankly a more important issue than her basketball status, the Bonnies will need better technique from their remaining bigs if they want to win the rebound battle this season.

5. Rim Protection Edinboro had success in the paint even though they were the smaller team out-muscling the Bonnies with 14 second-chance points. The Bonnies had 3 blocks in the game, but two of them came from the guards. The bigs only mustered one block and will need to protect the paint better to improve their defense.

The Bonnies open the season with a Friday home stand vs. Niagara University at 5:30 p.m. at the Reilly Center.