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When will the Braves sign a new player...
- Thread starter Big Mike
- Start date
Beyond other factors, I have to imagine the open Marquette coaching position isn’t helping our cause. Kids are aware that Wardle could potentially be considered by Marquette and be on the move and they will be hesitant to commit knowing the coaching staff they commit to could be gone soon.
The fact everyone else was cleared so far and not Childs leads me to believe that he is done. IMO I don't think we need another that bad. Mast, Boya, Henry, and Hannah should all be getting major minutes next year. Mast and Hannah are the big men I would like to build around for the next few years. We badly need some impact guards way more, I would feel much more comfortable if we could have kept East.
I like Hannah and Mast, but I don’t feel like we can rely on Boya from a health issue. He’s very good on d, but has missed large parts of 2 of 3 years.
You’re right we need impact guards more, but with 5 open scholarships we can add several of those then replace Childs’ spot with a contributor inside. Hopefully he comes back, he’s the most talented player in the Wardle era and a poy candidate.
You’re right we need impact guards more, but with 5 open scholarships we can add several of those then replace Childs’ spot with a contributor inside. Hopefully he comes back, he’s the most talented player in the Wardle era and a poy candidate.
Even if Eli returns next year, the Bradley coaches want to sign another "5" type of player to share time at that position with Ari Boya. All our other big men are more suited to play the "3" (Childs, Hannah, Hall) and "4" spot (Mast, Linke, Henry), though Rienk and Connor are capable at the 5.
There are 5 scholarships now- IMO, they will try to sign one "5" type, a true point guard, a big wing, and a couple good shooting guards. But that could change if they can get an immediately eligible impact kid. They are still looking at high school and junior college players, but focusing more now on the transfer market.
There are 5 scholarships now- IMO, they will try to sign one "5" type, a true point guard, a big wing, and a couple good shooting guards. But that could change if they can get an immediately eligible impact kid. They are still looking at high school and junior college players, but focusing more now on the transfer market.
Big Mike
Well-known member
I agree that we definitely need another 5......what if Boya's foot still hurts or limits him in sports....not worth the chance with 5 openings to fill. Yes I hope Childs would come back...who would want their senior season to end on a sour note. I do not have much faith that he will return though.... lets hope I'm wrong.
Thank you BUfan17 - I was curious what Child's current status is and your statement " everyone else was cleared so far and not Childs " says a lot and something that I did not know. I agree now - let's move on.
LongTimeFan
Active member
Big Mike, I'm with you. I am ready for some positiver news for a change.
I have this bad feeling, that with all of the transfers and no waiting period, Bradley is going to end up have to scrape the bottom of the barrel for transfers. For whatever reason, kids would rather sit the bench or be limited role players on a P5 than come to Peoria.
Tommy
Well-known member
I have the same feeling. I really don't understand why kids wouldn't want an opportunity to be a starter for a mid-major over a bench player at a P5, but that does seem to be the MO.
LittleBrave
Well-known member
???
Hopefully another month won't pass by without any good news.
For gosh sakes - right now, Ja'Shon Henry and Reink Mast will be taking the ball down the court to start our offense! (not far from the truth)
Hopefully another month won't pass by without any good news.
For gosh sakes - right now, Ja'Shon Henry and Reink Mast will be taking the ball down the court to start our offense! (not far from the truth)
There seems to be some Bradley fans who are on suicide watch by now because we haven't signed a boatload of impact transfers.
So are the other MVC teams leaving Bradley in the dust by stockpiling transfers and distancing themselves well ahead of BU with talent?
Actually, no....Most of the MVC teams have lost key talent from their teams, and in the last 3 months, not a single MVC team has landed a single commitment from an incoming D1 transfer. So it's still a long way to the "bottom of the barrel". Approximately 75% of the 1200+ transfers are still available, and I expect hundreds more names to be added to the list.
So move back from the ledge, Bradley fans. There is still plenty of time, and plenty of talent available.
There is also an unusually good quality juco class available, few of whom have committed anywhere yet because their season was delayed and recruiting restrictions have kept D1 coaches from seeing them play.
And there are still a lot of good high schoolers available, since many of them did not play or played limited seasons, and the NCAA's recruiting dead period, which has been in effect all season has kept coaches from being able to see and evaluate recruits in person.
LongTimeFan
Active member
I am out of the loop, but I thought Loyola, Drake, Missouri State, and SIU were retaining almost all of their best players. Also SIU is supposed to be getting one of their best players back from injury next year. I know Loyola's coach is leaving and that may affect the makeup of next year's team. I really don't know much about NIU, but Madsen had mentioned them among the most active schools recruiting him.
Those 4 teams have been hurt less by transfers than some other MVC teams. But all 4 have lost players to transfer.
Drake lost a couple players, including Joseph Yesufu, their best player down the stretch.
SIU has lost 2 players so far, a freshman guard (Eric Butler), and a grad-transfer (Jakolby Long), neither of whom ever played much. But they were a 9th place team in 2020-21.
Missouri State lost Jared Ridder, one of their starters who averaged 25+ minutes per game.
Loyola lost 3 players, but none were among their top scorers (backup center Franklin Agunanne, sophomore guard Cooper Kaifes, and freshman guard Baylor Hebb). But as you noted, the loss of their coach could have a significant effect.
The SIU player you are referring to is juco forward J.D. Muila, who missed the 2020-21 season with a knee injury and surgery. It's hard to know how much difference he would have made or will make next year after returning from major knee surgery. He was not highly recruited out of juco. In fact, despite not committing until very late (April, 2020) in the 2020 recruiting cycle, SIU was the only offer that he had. Muila's sophomore season at Indian Hills CC he started and played a lot, but only averaged 6.8 ppg. IMO, he will probably be a backup to Kyler Filewich, their starting center in 2020-21 who looked pretty good in his freshman year.