Post by FriendsofAN44 on Nov 2, 2005 15:58:22 GMT -5
11/02/2005
ST. BONAVENTURE — Just when things start looking up for the St. Bonaventure basketball team, the most decorated recruit in recent years goes down with an injury.
At this point you have to wonder if Tyler Relph will ever see the court in a Bonnies uniform. Whether it’s spats with the law or a serious injury, the highly-touted Relph has found himself in the middle of bad news.
The point guard was already going to miss the opener at the Reilly Center Nov. 18 against Robert Morris due a to suspension resulting from a drunken driving arrest last April that was ultimately lowered to a driving while ability impaired charge in August. Now it’s a question if whether Relph will play at all before the first of the year.
Last week the sophomore from Rochester had surgery in Coudersport to remove bone spurs from his left ankle. An MRI also revealed that Relph has a stress fracture in his left foot.
Nobody at Bona, coach Anthony Solomon, athletic trainers, even the always-plugged-in janitors knows when Relph will return. It could be a month, it could be the whole season for all anybody knows. Apparently nobody knows or at least they aren’t letting on.
Either way it’s bad news for the Bonnies, who went 2-26 last season and are 9-47 since the infamous Jamil Terrell-eligibility scandal jolted the program.
Relph’s signing following the 2003-04 season was called a ‘coup’ for Bona at the time.
He was the lead guard who drove a McQuaid Jesuit squad that was regarded as one of the nation’s best as a senior. He was named Mr. Basketball in New York state that year and was coveted by big-time schools, including West Virginia, where he eventually went.
Relph sat out last season per NCAA-transfer rules and was supposed to be a team leader on and off the floor this season. Relph was supposed to be the playmaking point guard the Bonnies so desperately missed last year.
Instead those duties will be handed to junior college transfer Terron Diggs and sophomore Isiah Carson.
Diggs capabilities at the Atlantic 10 level are unknown while the bulky Carson, who started 18 games as a freshman, would appear to be better suited to the off-guard position.
Based on Solomon’s comments, Diggs would seem to be the front-runner.
“I’m excited to see Terron Diggs play,” Solomon said. “He brings instant speed and quickness to this team on both sides of the floor.”
Relph is known as a scoring point guard while Diggs is the exact opposite. The skinny six-foot native of Fairfax, Va. averaged just seven points and four assists last season at Tallahasse Community College and dished out 10 assists in leading St. Paul VI to the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference championship as a high school senior.
The Bonnies don’t need Diggs to score that much anyway. Senior wings Ahmad Smith, Patrick Lottin and Wade Dunston all averaged over 10 points last season mostly having to create their own opportunities.
Indeed, Bona’s best offense was Smith and Dunston free-lancing in the open court and Lottin launching long 3-pointers.
Carson took decent care of the ball but often failed to put teammates in optimum scoring position. According to Solomon, Diggs’ abilities may be key to an increased offensive output this season.
“His speed and quickness to get the ball from one end of the floor to the other is as fast as any I’ve been around,” Solomon said.
“His court vision is exceptional. He can see a lot of things while pushing the ball at a high speed.”
And Carson, who mostly struggled as a freshman, should be improved.
“What he experienced last year should only make him better and more effective this year,” Solomon said. “That’s shown in practice so far.”
Still, Relph possesses superior talents to Diggs and Carson. Except, of course, he’s sitting on the bench in street clothes.
(Vinny Pezzimenti is a sports writer for The Times Herald)
