Davenport inks NLI to join Bonnies :: Brown and White land Greater Catholic League Defensive Player of the Year

May 8, 2008

ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. - The St. Bonaventure men's basketball team continued to bolster its backcourt and wing position with the signing of Michael Davenport to a National Letter of Intent on Thursday, announced by head coach Mark Schmidt.

Davenport hails from the national-renowned Archbishop Moeller in Cincinnati, Ohio. He joins junior college transfers Ray Blackburn and Lewis Leonard as spring signings for the Bonnies and gives the team a total of eight new faces heading into 2008-09.

"Michael is a high-major athlete that is only going to get better and better," said Schmidt. "He's an extremely athletic kid that will be a great player in the Atlantic 10 once his skill set catches up to his athleticism. Michael was well coached by Carl Kremer at Moeller and was apart of a winning program that plays a similar system to us. We are really excited to have him join our family."

A rangy 6-foot-3 guard who can play multiple positions, Davenport earned All-Ohio Division 1 second team honors, Greater Catholic League (GLC) first team accolades and first team All-City honors after a breakout senior season. Davenport averaged 11 points and five rebounds while shooting 49 percent (98-201) on a defensive-minded Moeller club that went 21-2 on the season, including a perfect 14-0 in the GLC. Under the guidance of head coach Carl Kremer, Davenport excelled on both ends of the floor, earning GLC Defensive Player of the Year honors thanks to a team-best 40 steals while helping the Crusaders hold their opponents to a meager 41.1 points per game.

Photo taken by Chris Zaphiris

After a successful high school season, Davenport enjoyed a busy spring playing in the annual Kentucky vs. Ohio All-Star Game and the Ohio High School Basketball Coaches Association (OHSBCA) North-South All-Star Game in Columbus. Davenport's explosiveness was on full display the eve of the Kentucky vs. Ohio All-Star Game as he claimed the Slum Dunk title.

As a junior in 2006-07, Davenport was apart of a Moeller squad that claimed the Division 1 Ohio State Championship going 25-2. Davenport averaged seven points and three rebounds while playing nearly 20 minutes per game on a team that featured several eventual Division 1 athletes.

"Michael is a late-bloomer who in a couple years from now will have other coaches kicking themselves that they missed out on him," said Kremer. "He had a tremendous senior season and I couldn't be happier that he's going to play at St. Bonaventure."