There is a contrarian streak that runs through John Bonner, a streak that takes the improbable and bends it to the possible — before bringing it to reality. A contrarian streak where the beauty is in the versatility, because in Bonner’s Contraryland, it’s applicable on — and off — the court.
You can see it on the court, where the first-year Cal State Fullerton women’s basketball head coach winds up and turns his team loose in a full-court, frenetic style rarely seen in today’s half-court, bombs-away-from-beyond-the-arc era.
Call it Bonnerball. And call it successful.
Bonnerball has CSUF leading the nation in turnovers created per game, an incendiary 28.2. The Titans rank second nationally in steals per game (16.8), a full steal ahead of a program you’re probably a bit more familiar with occupying that Olympian real estate, UConn.
And you can see it off the court, where Bonner is in the early stages of building a program that goes beyond Xs and Os and firewagon basketball. He has this rather novel concept that nurturing positive relationships and building a family atmosphere with a perpetual open door could pay dividends across the board.
There are his “Weekly 10s,” regular sit-downs with his players where they talk about everything from goals and stress factors to Marvel movies. Any topic is on the table — as long as it’s not basketball. Bonner says his Weekly 10s usually stretch to 20 or 30 minutes, and his players get angry if he must cancel a Weekly 10 for whatever reason.
“I hear people say it doesn’t work at this level. Well, Tennessee does it,” he said about the full-court, feral, pressing style. “I wanted to see if it would work at this level, and I wanted to see if we could win with that style and with relationships and chemistry. I’ve spent a lot of time trying to foster relationships with the players, making sure they were focused on building relationships with their teammates, where they could teach and learn from each other.
“I wanted to build an environment that is family-based. That is transformational instead of transactional.”
Transformational instead of transactional? In this environment? Is Bonner a contrarian — or a comedian?
Can you be transformational in the transactional Age of What Can You Offer Me That’s More Than What Three Other Schools Are Offering Me? Maybe that works at a Division II program like Cal State Dominguez Hills, where Bonner spent the previous nine seasons turning the Toros into a national power that went to two NCAA Division II Elite Eights in three years. That was highlighted last year, when CSUDH lost to Grand Valley State, 70-58, in the national championship game.
But at CSUF? A place that has been a graveyard for women’s basketball coaches for much of this century? After racking up a 127-82 record, four regular-season or conference-tournament titles, five postseason berths and two trips to the NCAA Division II tournament, Bonner’s answer is an unequivocal yes. He was ready for this. To him, this was the right time for a change, and the opportunities at Fullerton gave him what he was looking for.
“A missed opportunity,” as he called it, noting the plethora of alumni who graduate, leave and come back to work. This meshed neatly with the atmosphere he wanted to create.
“I told the administration at my interview that creating relationships was going to be the base that we want to do here,” he said. “I believe if you invest in a player and let them know you care about them as more than a player, you can coach them harder. Between the lines is just between the lines. They know that’s basketball.
“But as soon as practice is over, whatever they’re stressing about, I’m checking in about those things because I care about them as much as a student and a human being as much as what they can get done on the basketball court.”
Bonnerball is getting plenty done on the basketball court. Through last weekend, after CSUF dispatched UC Riverside, 83-71, via an uncharacteristic (we did mention Bonner is flexible in his contrariness) shoot-the-lights-out afternoon from behind the arc, the Titans are 9-9 and 5-3 in the Big West. They’ve already surpassed their win total from last season.
Included in those five conference wins are victories over two of the Big West’s traditional bullies: Hawaii (82-80) and UC Santa Barbara (62-61).
The Titans ended a 12-game losing streak against Hawaii despite making only two 3-pointers and shooting 41.3% from the floor. But CSUF forced 27 turnovers, turning those into 31 points. Bonnerball is the new normal. Twenty-five days later, the Titans welcomed 2026 with a New Year’s Day thriller over UCSB, courtesy of a buzzer-beating putback by sophomore forward Cristina Jones, one of two players — along with graduate student guard Kya Pearson — who followed Bonner from CSUDH.
Jones leads the Titans in scoring (16.4), rebounding (8.5), steals (68) and minutes per game (29.8). After her 25-point, eight-rebound outing against La Sierra University in December, Jones became the first CSUF Big West Player of the Week in two years. This, from a player who averaged 9.3 points and 6.1 rebounds as a freshman at CSUDH. And from a player who has yet to take a 3-point shot.
About the 3-pointer. The Titans are last in the Big West in every 3-point shooting category: shooting percentage, 3-pointers made and opponent 3-point percentage. That’s what made their 10-for-18 afternoon bombing UCR out of Titan Gym somewhat of an outlier. But rest assured, there was plenty of Bonnerball as well; CSUF forced 27 turnovers and had 16 steals, turning those into 27 points.
Jones is one of seven players averaging more than 20 minutes a game, which defines Bonnerball. Use the entire court as a canvas and “Weaponize conditioning,” as he’s fond of
. Run opposing guards into the ground, step on the gas harder, and force your opponents into spending catch-your-breath time-outs.
This was brought to 3D living color Jan. 10, when CSUF forced Cal State Northridge into 43 turnovers, the third most turnovers committed by a Division I team this season. The Titans shook off the fact that they shot 34.3% from the field, rolling up 25 steals and scoring 36 of their 73 points off turnovers in the 73-58 win.
That Bonnerball worked so quickly is remarkable when you consider he was hired on May 9 and found only three returning players: sophomore guards Maddy Tauro, Jana Falsdottir and Madelynn Muniz. All three average more than 20 minutes a game. The Titans are one of the youngest teams in the Big West, with six freshmen and five sophomores. Pearson and junior forward Talia Maxwell are the only upperclassmen.
“It’s a pleasant surprise how well our playing style works,” Bonner said. “I’m surprised how well it works at this level, and I’m very surprised how quickly we came together. But the work ethic and the buy-in we have every day is leading to these opportunities.”
There will be more opportunities to spread the contrarian gospel of Bonnerball, with its weaponizing conditioning, conga line of steals and creating more turnovers than Porto’s Bakery. And not just because Bonner arrived on campus after the spring portal had closed, limiting his options.
No. Because one of the essential truths — perhaps the essential truth that Bonner and all of his contrariness wants you to know—is Bonnerball is more than basketball.