Utah's Bonam adjusting to life as a D-I athlete

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SALT LAKE CITY — When the Runnin' Utes were looking for their first conference win in Pac-12 play, Utah point guard Lorenzo Bonam didn't disappoint.

From a junior college to Division I, the jump might seem easy to some, but also challenging for others. This, however, isn't the case for Bonam. As the season has progressed, Bonam has found his spot on the team, and it hasn't been easy being in the shadow of the Runnin' Utes former point guard Delon Wright.

"He's really grown, and I've said it for years, not just because Lorenzo is at that point, but a lot of times you don't really have a junior college player until Christmas," Utah basketball coach Larry Krystkowiak said. "It's not unusual before it takes that period or their adjustment for him to understand how hard you have to play in the system that we have, but Lorenzo has jumped right in and has showed some improvement."

The difference in the outcome of last Friday's game was Bonam's aggressive play. He was playing with a chip on his shoulder. He and Jakob Poeltl were running the pick-and-roll efficiently, which allowed Bonam to drive to the basket and finish. Not only did Bonam have a team-high with 17 points, but he also made one of the biggest shots in his early career at Utah by knocking down a clutch game-winning shot to send the Runnin' Utes to a 56-54 victory over Colorado.

"For him to hit that shot when he did at that time and place was pretty neat," Krystkowiak said.

Look for Bonam to start to hit his stride as Utah goes further into conference play. He will have to keep up his aggressive play in order for Utah to be a serious contender in the Pac-12 this season. His ability to shoot and knock down big shots when needed is what makes him dangerous at any given point.

He is shooting over 52 percent from 3-point line, going 12 of 23 on the season. He needs to shoot more 3-pointers. Opposing defenses will have to change their game plan and will have to adjust to Bonam's ability to shoot the 3-point shot. Expect Utah to hand over the reigns to Bonam as he gets more comfortable with the system and the offense.

Bonam not only has stepped up and performed on the basketball court for the Runnin' Utes, but he also has had an impact on his teammates and coaches. You can tell that his teammates and coaches respect him as he hit the game-winning shot against Colorado.

"He's a joy to be around," Krystkowiak said. "For our players, he might be the most popular guy in the locker room. He's a good-hearted guy and he seems to be enjoying his college experience."

Whether hitting game-winning shots or being the most popular guy on the court for Utah, which Bonam will fans see down the stretch for the Runnin' Utes?