After a Postseason Lost... THEY’RE ACK
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After a postseason lost... THEY’RE ACK Back to work: Bradley women’s basketball The more things change, the more they stay the same for excited for season ahead Bradley men’s basketball BY JOEY WRIGHT Petree and Haack are compli- BY LARRY LARSON season. return from back-to-back title Assistant Sports Editor mented nicely by the return of Sport Editor East, who received a waiver for squads. fellow starters Nyjah White and On Jan. 25, Bradley men’s basket- immediate eligibility, is a candidate Despite the graduation of starting For Bradley women’s basket- Tatum Koenig. White provides a ball had just seven players available to replace Brown as point guard. As center Koch Bar, the confidence is ball, there are a wealth of reasons balanced attack that features scor- for its road game against Indiana a freshman, the 6-foot-3-inch East high among the group. to believe that the best stretch in ing and rebounding, while Koenig is State. With just six scholarship play- led Massachusetts with 4.9 assists “I don’t think we’re going to program history will continue this a floor general that gives the Braves ers in the rotation, the Braves fell by per game to go along with 9.3 points. struggle rebounding,” Childs, last season. a strong presence at the point. eight points. In comparison, Brown averaged 4.7 season’s leading rebounder, said. On the heels of a 2019-2020 “I mean, it’s hard not to have Head coach Brian Wardle doesn’t assists per contest last season. “Reink Mast can space the floor. All campaign that saw the Braves your top defender not guarding anticipate running into that situation Sophomore guards Ville Tah- we need Ari to do is catch, turn and finish 22-7 and 13-5 in the Missouri Nyjah,” Gorski said. “And like I said, again this season. As Bradley begins vanainen and Antonio Thomas dunk, rebound, block shots … I think Valley Conference, the Braves Tatum’s come along so well.” its quest for its third straight Missou- could also receive big minutes after this frontcourt is probably going to enter the upcoming season with Mahri Petree is also expected to ri Valley Conference tournament title playing roles off the bench last year. be the best frontcourt in the MVC.” higher expectations than ever be- have a big sophomore season. Last and first regular season champion- Tahvanainen was second to Kennell With innumerous talent amongst fore. Bradley was chosen to finish season, Petree was a member of ship since 1996, depth may be the in 3-point percentage and averaged the group, team cohesiveness second in the conference behind the MVC’s all-freshman team and team’s biggest strength. over six points per game. Thomas remains paramount, especially in Missouri State in the preseason emerged as a regular threat from “Anybody can start, any given started seven games and stepped up 2020,which saw limited summer poll that was released on Oct. 13. behind the arc in 29 appearances off night,” senior forward Elijah Childs during Brown’s midseason injury. practices and off-court bonding But why all the hype for these the bench. said. “We could have guys that can Add in Kingsby, who averaged experiences. Braves, who are slated to begin “She’s so versatile,” Gorski said. play multiple positions. We have nearly eight points per game last “Chemistry is gonna be big,” MVC play on Dec. 31 versus “This year, it’s gonna be hard not to guys coming off the bench that can season, and Wardle has no shortage Wardle said. ”Our basketball IQ, how Drake? have her on the floor. She’s just im- start, play multiple positions and of options at the one and two guard smart this team is in picking up the For starters, Bradley returns four proved in so many areas defensive- finish games for us.” positions. offense and the schemes, is going mainstays from last season’s start- ly, especially. She’s always one of While the Braves return two “[McAdoo and Nolan] have a to be very important. Just getting ing lineup, including preseason our best rebounders … I have seen a starters, including Childs and fellow great feel for our system, our cul- the newcomers to understand what Missouri Valley Conference player lot of progress with her.” senior Danya Kingsby, much of ture,” Wardle said. “Very talented; we stand for in our program. That’s of the year Lasha Petree and fellow Though four of Bradley’s five the squad’s depth will come from a quick, fast, they can playmake, they the unselfish play, we protect each first-team honoree Gabi Haack. starters will return and continue sizable class of newcomers – three can guard … I like our guard play, it’s other and we play for each other … Petree and Haack are staying playing at a high level, there is one transfers and five freshmen. very deep.” so far, it’s been really good. All our focused on the end goal despite the major area that Bradley will have to Those three transfers – junior guards Much of the team’s newfound transfers and newcomers have really accolades. address: the loss of Chelsea Brack- Terry Nolan and Kevin McAdoo depth is in the frontcourt, a spot bought in to the system and to the “Those are just preseason mann due to graduation. and sophomore guard Sean East II where Bradley was particularly thin culture of the program.” awards,” Petree said. “It’s a great Brackmann departed as Brad- – all enter with previous Division-I last season. All five of the team’s That culture, established by now- honor to be recognized in that ley’s all-time leading rebounder and experience and figure to make an freshmen can play forward, after tried-and-true mantras such as “be way. But personally, it doesn’t averaged 9.5 points per game in her immediate impact in the backcourt only featuring five total forwards last a star in your role” and “compete, change how we look at the season 117 career games. following the graduation of Darrell season. defend, rebound,” is what Childs and and how we’re going to go about Options exist for filling the role Brown and Nate Kennell. Of those five freshmen, Rienk others point to as a difference-maker things.” vacated by Brackmann. Return- “With Nate and DB, we lost Mast is the most experienced, having across the last two seasons. Though attention is rightfully ing senior forward Emily Marsh scoring,” Nolan, who redshirted last played for Donar of the Dutch Bas- This season, that culture has taken directed toward Petree and Haack, headlines the cast of post players season in Peoria, said. “I kind of got ketball League. After tearing his ACL another step forward according to Bradley boasts a deep team that available at Andrea Gorski’s dispos- to pick up that role a little bit with during the summer of 2019 playing those in the locker room. will require a careful look at the al, and could play a big role in the the scoring aspect, leading, 3-point in the Netherlands, Mast spent his “We have a very vocally led team entire roster. conference portion of the season shooting and definitely defense also.” first season with the team rehabbing. this year, it seems like, more than the “Yes, everyone’s gonna be fo- after recovering from hip surgery. Nolan has shown off his scoring The 6 foot-9 inch, 240-pound Dutch- past years that I’ve been here,” Henry cused on them,” head coach Andrea Six-foot-2-inch forward Veronika and passing ability before in two man has impressed those inside the said. “A player-led team is what the Gorski said. “And they’re gonna Roberts should also be in store for a seasons at George Washington, program with his versatility. coaches always kind of preach and be probably one and two on the averaging 9.8 points and two assists In addition to Childs – the team’s scouting report. But you can’t real- per game. McAdoo has also scored leading returning scorer and lone see MEN’S PREVIEW ly spend all your time focusing on see WOMEN’S PREVIEW at a similar rate, averaging 8.6 points All-Conference preseason first-team those two, because there’s a lot of on page A3 on page A3 per game in two seasons at Eastern selection – junior forward Ja’Shon weapons ready to go on our team.” Michigan before his transfer redshirt Henry and junior center Ari Boya, A2 THE SCOUT November 13, 2020 ONE-ON-ONE Who has the best uniforms in the MVC? Indiana State vs. Valparaiso It’s not the blue that Larry Bird Out of all the threads worn by wore, but it’s better. the Missouri Valley Conference Indiana State has always raised basketball squads, Valparaiso’s dark the jersey game in the Missouri yellow road uniforms should be Valley Conference, and these royal considered the best. blue jerseys with white and black Being a traditionally bright accents bring a lot to the table. color, it’s well-known that yellow The jersey uses the classic is difficult to deal with when Indiana State lettering, with the first considering the visual appeal of a “I” being the state outline. The letters sports uniform. You could go with are white with a black outline, and the University of Oregon approach, in between the two words is the where your eyes may hurt while players’ number in black, outlined looking at a brightly-colored jersey in white.