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| Megan Bowman was all smiles
after Sage's Skyline Conference tournament win, but it hasn't
always been that way for her on the court. Photo for Sage athletics by Matt Milless |
By Rob Knox
D3sports.com
Here’s all you need to know about Sage’s 5-4 junior point guard Megan Bowman. During a game in her freshman year, Bowman suffered a seizure while on the court during a game against RPI. A few minutes later once it was under control, Bowman wanted to go back into the game.
It wasn’t the first time Bowman had a seizure nor was it the last. Bowman had been dealing with occasional seizures since 10th grade. They happened whenever her blood pressure dropped. The seizures almost forced Bowman to the sidelines, a thought as unthinkable as Linus without his blanket.
“I wasn’t that worried about them at first,” Bowman said. “I didn’t become scared until I came to college and started having seizures without my parents around. I called my parents and told them I was ready to leave and come back home. They wouldn’t let me and thank God I didn’t call it quits. It’s under control now and I am blessed to have it figured out.”
The seizures and blood pressure are under control and no longer a hindrance to the affable Bowman. In addition to the gift of being able to play basketball, Bowman has had a lot of reasons to celebrate lately. First there was getting her drivers’ license and then there was leading Sage to into the Division III NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history.
The Gators (17-8) earned their ticket to the tournament by winning the Skyline Conference tournament last week. The 17 wins are also a program record for most in a single season. Bowman was named the most outstanding player of the conference tournament as she averaged 23.5 points in the semifinals and championship games against Purchase and Mount St. Vincent.
Sage will travel a couple hours west to meet Ithaca Friday night in an opening round game. Ithaca received 51 points in this week’s D3hoops.com Top 25 poll, the 26th-most votes. The other game at the Ithaca Regional will feature Haverford (23-3) and Rhode Island College (20-8) at 6 p.m. on Friday night. The two winners will meet on Saturday at 7 p.m. This will be the first time since 2005 that somebody other than Mount St. Mary or Farmingdale State will represent the Skyline Conference in the NCAA tournament.
In addition to Bowman’s team-leading 12.8 point per game average, the Gators also feature 5-6 freshman guard Frankie Pearson and 5-8 sophomore forward Sara Tironi, both of whom average nine points each. Amie Jefferson, a 5-9 junior forward, averages 7.1 rebounds per contest.
“This is the best feeling so far and I can’t even put it into words,” Bowman said. “We are thrilled and humbled for the challenge of playing in the tournament. We’re not concerned with who we’re playing because in the NCAA Tournament everybody is a good team.”
Bowman has always been a good player ever since she fell in love with the sport at a young age. She comes from a family full of ballers. Her father got her into the game and her older sister would teach the fiery Bowman lessons when they were younger. Those battles steeled her resolve and deepened her passion for the game. Bowman also had an opportunity to play AAU ball with the Lake Champlain Lakers.
Bowman grew up in Chateaugay, a town in the Northeast corner of New York State and near the tip of the Canadian border. The northern town line is the international border with Quebec. Bowman receives a text message on her phone anytime she is home, letting her know that she will be charged extra for Canadian phone charges. Basically, it’s as far North you can go in the United States without actually being in Canada.
Despite being 3.5 hours away from the scenic Sage campus, head women’s basketball coach Jackie Craft made the drive way up there to see her and it was love at first sight. The gas money was definitely worth it because Craft left the gym in awe.
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| Photo for Sage athletics by Matt Milless |
“One of my assistant coaches had seen her play before and told me that I was on going to love her,” Craft said. “I walk in the gym and I see this little point guard running around, the fastest I ever seen. She was emotional, fiery and doing anything it took to win a game. I texted him and said we have to get this kid.”
Not only did they get Bowman, who was attracted to Sage because of Craft’s vision for the program, they handed her the keys to the program. Craft changed her coaching philosophy for Bowman. Before her arrival, the Gators were a 3-point shooting team where players would run off screens. When Bowman hit the hardwood for Sage, the offense was structured around her talents of relentlessly attacking the basket, finding open teammates and playing hard-nosed defense.
Imagine buying a brand new Bentley and allowing a teenager to take it for ride on the highway without a license. Bowman didn’t crash it, but there were many fender benders. That’s what it was like when Craft handed the ball to Bowman as a freshman and told her it was her team.
“I told her it was going to be up to her, how good she was going to be,” Craft said. “I was nervous. She was a little out of control at times and had a few growing pains. Now she has grown into a talented go-to-play for us and she’s a leader on and off the floor for us.”
Bowman has rewarded Craft’s faith in her.
Named a first-team all-Skyline Conference selection, Bowman has been a beast this season for the Gators. She can get to the basket in both transition and break down defenses in the half-court set. She has scored in double figures 20 times and scored a season-high 25 points in a loss at Union. While she enjoys scoring, Bowman loves dropping dimes.
Bowman already holds the school record for assists in a single-game with 13, set as a sophomore against Purchase. This season, she has handed out 12 assists twice. She has already set the single-season school record for assists in a season with 140, shattering Karen Harris’ mark of 122 that was established in 1993. She is second all-time in program history with 317 assists and tied for sixth with 181 steals.
Bowman was slightly surprised by the reaction of the older players on the team when she was handed the keys to the program. They weren’t jealous. Instead they challenged Bowman in practice on a daily basis by bumping her around, testing her mettle and making sure she was the right player to lead them. Bowman aced the daily exams and earned the respect of her teammates. It also helped that Craft allowed Bowman to play through her mistakes and had her back.
“They were great about everything,” Bowman said. “The older players helped me a lot during my freshman year get comfortable. I thought about leading us to championships when I first came here, but after my first two years that hope kind of faded. We knew coming into this season that we would have a good team. This year everything fell into place for us.”
While Bowman is ready to showcase her talent on the big stage this weekend, she has a bright future. She’s a law society major at Sage and wants to be a state trooper when she retires the high tops. Here’s a piece of advice, the fastest way to avoid a speeding ticket if you’re stopped by Bowman is to talk Duke men’s basketball. She’s a huge Duke fan and knows her Blue Devil history like the back of her hand. Her favorite NBA team is the Brooklyn Nets, which happened to be coached by her favorite player Jason Kidd.
Kidd would appreciate the way Bowman resembled him during his playing days. Setting teammates up and then delivering baskets in the biggest of moments when the team needs them. Bowman is having a blast balling for Sage and sharing this experience with her teammates.
“I always remember the biggest thing my dad said to me when I started playing basketball,” Bowman said. “He said that no matters what happens on the court, whether you win or lose, always thank God that you had a chance to play. I never take for granted how blessed I am to wake up everyday, be able to walk, attend a great school and play basketball.”