MahxFahn
Gator Fan
The Associated Press
Matt Bonner, right, has started 34 of 48 games for the San Antonio Spurs this season.
By Ray FitzGerald
Pro Gators beat writer
Published: Wednesday, February 11, 2009 at 1:58 p.m.
Last Modified: Wednesday, February 11, 2009 at 1:58 p.m.
Former Gator Matt Bonner had 23 points — the second highest total in his career — including 3-of-6 from 3-point range and the Spurs won for the ninth time in 11 games, defeating defending champs Boston 105-99 in Boston.
Bonner, a former Academic All-American, spent much of his childhood in the old Boston Garden as a youth from New Hampshire. This trip back near his hometown was a little sweeter.
"It meant a lot," Bonner said. "At the end of the game when we had kind of wrapped it up, I was on the bench and I was starting to get goose bumps.
"It was such a great feeling because I didn't get to play the last two times we were here. To be able to go out and play minutes and knock down shots and help our team win a big game means all the world."
Two busloads of Bonner's family and childhood friends made the 75-minute trip to watch Bonner log minutes against the team he once rooted for when his father could get tickets.
"One of my dad's friends had season tickets and he would give them to us once a year, so I got to see Larry Bird and those guys play," Bonner said.
