Jan. 12, 2006

As part of the new and improved gobonnies.com, the Student-Athlete of the Week profiles a different St. Bonaventure student-athlete each week. This feature will allow Bonnies supporters to learn more about the outstanding student athletes that represent St. Bonaventure University.

Junior Terron Diggs, a 6-foot guard on the Bonnies basketball team from Fairfax, Va., talks about his young career, his life before St. Bonaventure and the future.

At what point in your life did you take basketball more seriously and think that you might be able to play in college?
TD: My first year of high school. I had a chance to play football or basketball, and I chose basketball.

What do you like the most about playing point guard?
TD: Running the floor, running the team, bringing the ball up the court. It's a lot of pressure.

What were your college options as you progressed in high school? How did you end up at Tallahassee Community College?
TD: I really didn't have the (major college) looks, plus I needed to improve my grades, so I went to junior college. The Panhandle Conference is one of the top conferences in JUCO ball, so that was a main reason I went there.

How well did Tallahassee prepare you for Division I? Was it the experience you hoped it would be?
TD: Down there, I had a chance to play against a lot of Florida State players (in pick-up games), so that helped me a lot. Just knowing the game better and being (at Tallahasee) was another step in preparing for big-time D-I. I got a good feel for what to expect. The competition was everything I thought it was going to be.

How did you ultimately make the decision to come to St. Bonaventure? Did fellow Washington, D.C.-area natives Ahmad Smith and Wade Dunston have anything to do with it?
TD: It's in a big-time conference. On my visit, I just felt real comfortable. I liked the campus ... it's not too big and I felt comfortable here. Ahmad definitely had a lot to do with it because he was my host. Other schools, I really didn't feel like they wanted me as much as here.

What are the primary differences between Division I basketball at St. Bonaventure and the junior college level?
TD: It's more intense here. The practices are intense every day and the games are definitely more intense. Every possession counts. In junior college, you can come back from a few turnovers. But here, you have to take care of the ball.

Talk about the first months of your career ... how do you feel things have gone, especially with all of the responsibilities you handle?
TD: At first it was hard, but I just keep working at it every day, going over things with the coaches in practice.

What are your expectations and the expectations of your coaches for you? What are your strengths?
TD: Taking care of the ball, finding the open man and pushing the ball up the court, and playing defense ... just making everybody around me better. I'll take the open shot if I have it, but I'm not looking to score too much.

It must be a luxury to play with guys like Ahmad Smith, and also a little bit of pressure since he's an established player in the Atlantic 10.
TD: I don't feel pressure because I know that when I get (Ahmad) the ball, he's going to make something happen. Same goes for Patrick (Lottin), Mike (Lee), Paul (Williams), everybody.

Who are your favorite pro sports teams?
TD: I like Washington's teams, the Wizards and Redskins.