Bona Basketball Players Open Gym,
Hearts to One of Their Biggest Fans

By Tom Donahue

The men’s basketball team at St. Bonaventure University lost its first-round game in the College Basketball Invitational tournament last week, but not before winning the heart of 91-year-old Olean resident Nora Chambers.

Not that any courting was necessary.

“Nora’s been faithfully attending games since the 1930s and has been a season ticket holder for as long as anyone can remember,” said her niece, Jean Abdo. “She’s missed only four or five games during that time and one absence was when her mother passed away.”

Abdo and her husband, Paul, regularly attend Bonnies home games with their aunt, and as this season drew to a close they thought it would be nice if she could meet some of the players she cheers on from the red seats in the Reilly Center Arena.

“Thanks to the kindness of Coach Mark Schmidt and his wife, Anita, Nora was invited to meet the team she so passionately follows,” said Abdo.

So on Monday, March 14, as the Bonnies were preparing for their first postseason tournament appearance since the 2001-02 season, the team opened their gym, and their hearts, to Nora.

“The members of the team were so kind to her,” said her niece. “They held her hand, gave her hugs, posed for pictures, listened to her stories of Bonaventure teams from the past, and even took her well-intentioned advice on what they needed to do to improve. She knew every single one of them, knew how each one played, and each and every member of that team went out of his way to spend some time with her, to make her feel special.”

It didn’t seem to matter that the visit took place as the team was preparing to practice for one of the program’s biggest games in nearly 10 years.

“They were getting ready for practice, but they took the time,” said Abdo. “And they made her day. It’s an experience that Nora will always remember.”

Abdo sent a note to Sr. Margaret Carney, O.S.F., university president, commending Coach Schmidt and his team for their kindness and generosity.

“I wanted to let you know what a wonderful group of young men are on that team,” Abdo wrote. “They could not have been better representatives of the university.”

The Bonnies lost their opening-round game at the University of Central Florida, ending their season.

“We may have lost the tournament game,” said Sr. Margaret, “but we ended with a winning record of kindness.”

Pictured, St. Bonaventure University basketball players Michael Davenport (left) and Andrew Nicholson with Olean’s Nora Chambers.
Photo courtesy of St. Bonaventure University

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