And then your defensive rebounding has to win you games this time of year, and I thought we were able to do that. Bradley led Michigan State at half 35-34, dominating the boards in the first half. The Ramblers (22-7, 13-5) slipped from first to fourth after dropping their final game to Northern Iowa. "I remember the little details of things with him," the BU coach said. "We've been connected a long time, and he let me know there might be an opportunity for me at Bradley," Jones said. The Rock Island native played for Northern Iowa and, after graduation, played pro basketball in Australia and Portugal. FIGHTERS: Klein Oak in Regional Semis. "I know they are talented, but I'm even more impressed with the character of the kids here. Kind of reset a little bit in that timeout, and we did that. "I'm grateful to be the first. The announcement was made during the MVC Awards Banquet on March 1, in downtown St. Louis. Crouch played professional basketball in Germany's top division for one season, and he was the director of basketball operations at Bradley for two years under ex . G 6-3 Frisco, Texas (iSchool Entrepreneurial Academy), Malevy Leons, Bradley Sr. F 6-9 IJmuiden, Netherlands (Mineral Area College), *Ja'Shon Henry, Bradley Gr. "The competition, the fouling and physicality, was at an all-time high at the park, and that's where I learned you have to play every possession hard or you might be sitting on the sidelines," Wardle said. I got a lot of respect for (Drake coach) Darren (DeVries) and his program. He can be reached at 686-3206 or deminian@pjstar.com. We depend on your support to keep telling stories like this one. "He liked to golf. Visit ESPN for the box score of the Northern Iowa Panthers vs. Bradley Braves NCAAM basketball game on March 3, 2023 . His parents never had to tell him to go practice. Ferguson had suffered from dementia the last few . We were able to overcome it, but our defense our rebounding and I thought we had good shot selection, too. A lot of people don't know this, but three games ago, before we went over to Southern Illinois, I put '16-4' up in the locker room, and I put the 'MVC Champs 2023' up on the practice gym wall. And out of that timeout, I believe we went on a little bit of a run. "Jimmie and Mike know him well and that's important to me and I respect their input," Wardle said. "When we look at the record we have with Reink in the lineup with (Henry) and Zek (Montgomery). 309-677-2668. We've got to keep improving and playing with confidence and executing. After graduating from Marquette in 2001 with a bachelors degree in communication studies, Wardle played professionally for two seasons in the NBA Development League and Continental Basketball Association, before beginning his coaching career as Director of Operations at Marquette from 2003-05. Bradley basketball:Why Bradley's projected starting lineup might surprise you, plus MVC's great expectations The Brian Jones resume. "Then about a week ago, Brian Wardle called me. You could just see some of our veterans found their stride down the stretch here and Hick, I thought he was tremendous today. He writes the Cleve In The Eve sports column for pjstar.com. 1 seed and outright regular-season champion for the first time since 1996. "That was a scary game," Bradley head coach . Now, we'd like to get back and win some games. "I had stopped playing baseball, stopped playing football, was really focused on basketball. Beyond that connection is a basketball coach'slife story from a musical family led by a father who played in a traveling band, to a boy helping out in his father's signage business whileeating Italian beef lunches, to a young man riding his bike to area parks to play pickup basketball games. Very handsy team, and we knew that. "I don't know how they'll do with a basketball when they reach 66.". If you want to get me going, just say that. We did a good job of taking good shots all game.". I try to stay in the moment and zone everything out, to be honest. With their season-ending win over Valparaiso, the Braves finished with a 17-13 overall record and placed fifth in the Missouri Valley Conference at 11-7. You're playing a really, really good team. "I believe in this team, and I like this team against anybody. We traveled with one of the guys who sang that, and we backed him when he sang it. Smith . The Braves have had 14 coaches in their 118-season history. Chris Bradley joined Ensworth in 2009 as an Assistant Athletic Director and became the Head Wrestling Coach in 2011. Whitnall vs South Milwaukee Game Highlights - Jan. 31, 2023. G 6-3 Newton, Iowa (Newton), Tucker DeVries, Drake So. Because it is a numbers game.". He was an assistant under legendary coach Chuck Buescher during the Lions' back-to-back 2003 and 2004 Class AA state championships in boys basketball. G 5-11 Norwalk, Iowa (Norwalk High), Jace Carter, UIC So. He played basketball at the YMCA, where the young players wore color-coded wristbands so they knew who to guard on the other team. Provided. PEORIA The Bradley Braves opened the Missouri Valley Conference awards season with a couple of honors on Tuesday, then turned it into a trophy haul on Wednesday. And I think that was huge. Wardle left Hinsdale Central as the school's all-time leader in scoring and rebounding. On 1/4, the Bradley varsity basketball team won their home conference game against Lafayette County (Stamps, AR) by a score of 52-49. Dressed in his red blazer, Bradley coach Brian Wardle sat down in the Carver Arena press room on Sunday and basked in the glow of a Missouri Valley Conference championship victory . I do believe that, no doubt about it, but it's a matter of: Do our numbers add up? ", Valley champions: Bradley beats Drake to win the MVC men's basketball championship, Tucker DeVries, Drake So. That 15-0 stretch there that you went on really put the game into your grip. Bradley won 57-54. Brian Wardle: A look at the Bradley University basketball head coach. Bradley head coach Brian Wardle works the second half against Valpo during the Missouri Valley Conference championship game at Enterprise Center on Sunday, March 8, 2020. I mean, our league's really good. So. Follow him on Twitter @icetimecleve. But all we can do is win games.". The Braves have added the 2019 MVC Sixth Man of the Year and one All-Defensive Team recipient in Wardles seven seasons on campus. Please take a moment to donate now and fund the local news our community needs. "Yeah. A 6-foot guard from Chicago Marshall High School, Keifer Sykes was the two-time Horizon League Player of the Year and can be found all over the Green Bay record books, finishing second on the schools all-time scoring list with 2,096 career points and third with 526 assists. And he knew all about Murphy's Sign Studio because he worked in there as a boy. The school's boys basketball program has 14 . * Brian Wardle, Bradley $708,920; Dan Muller, Illinois State $564,000 . But a loss would just burn in me forever. In 2015, he left to take the coaching job at Bradley, which posted a 9-24 record the season before his arrival . Bradley Beal scored a season-high 37 points, 12 in the fourth quarter, to help the short-handed Washington Wizards overtake host Atlanta 119-116 and ruin the debut of new Hawks head coach Quin Snyder. Charles Warnell Bradley (born May 16, 1959) is an American former basketball player and coach. A native of Willowbrook, Illinois, Wardle was a two-time all-state selection at Hinsdale Central High School, where he ranks as the schools all-time leading scorer and rebounder. [1] As a senior, he averaged 18.8 points per game. (Manual High)/DePaul, Cameron Henry, IndSt. If you don't win this tournament? Bradley basketball fans hear Wardle often talk about wanting his teams to be tough and physical. Bill would be amazed. Execution's huge. The following is a list of Bradley Braves men's basketball head coaches. Wardle said Jones will be Bradley's defensive coordinator, but will certainly scout and also offer input on the Braves' offense. It was the first OCC title in program history and first league title in . I don't take long. I had never played golf before," Wardle said. We were executing, guys knew the gameplan and I just felt good after I woke up this morning around 7 a.m., and that's sleeping in for me, too. G 6-0 Calumet City, Ill. (Bishop Noll)/Siena, Ben Sheppard, Belmont Sr. G 6-6 Atlanta, Ga. (Greater Atlanta Christian), Bowen Born, UNI So. Wardle was in second grade when he made that as part of a homework assignment when students were asked to write down three words to describe themselves. "That's probably right," Jones said, chuckling. Twitter. (Photo by Matt Riley, UVA Athletics) September 15, 2019. "He looked at me and said, 'Listen, nobody in life is waiting for you. He is the only player in Horizon League history to accumulate 2,000 points, 500 assists and 400 rebounds (467) and would eventually play for the Indiana Pacers during his professional career. He played soccer first. "He was the only one on the team who knew all the plays, he'd tell players where to be and what to do. Smith after . Phone: (614) 921-7430 | Fax: (614) 921-7431. Bradley opened the 2018-19 season by defeating Penn State in the Cancun Challenge Championship as the Braves claimed their first regular-season tournament trophy since 1983. G/F 6-7 Waukee, Iowa (Waukee High), Marcus Domask, S. Illinois Sr. F 6-6 Waupun, Wis. (Waupun High), Ben Krikke, Valparaiso Sr. F 6-9 Edmonton, Alberta, Canada (Jasper Place), Rienk Mast, Bradley Jr. F 6-9 Groningen, Netherlands (Donar Groningen), Roman Penn, Drake Gr. "As a head coach in college basketball, you don't sleep great usually in January and February. Talk about that crowd today? He was hired in March 2015[2] to replace Geno Ford, who was fired after the 201415 season.[3]. The regular season's hard. (AP Photo/Michael Woods), Bradley coach Brian Wardle talks to his team during a time out against Arkansas during an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Dec. 17, 2022, in North Little Rock, Ark. Is your case there if you need it? "He was such a good man, he supported me a lot when I was younger. Feb 1, 2023 @ 7:07pm. Alabama men's basketball coach Nate Oats released a statement Tuesday night clarifying what he said at a news conference earlier about Brandon Miller's connection to the fatal shooting case . "I remember so many little things with him like that. And here you are today. The Braves have had four previous MVC Defensive Player of the Year winners, the most recent in 2013 when Dyricus Simms-Edwards won it. G 6-5 Indianapolis, Ind. You got a good healthy balance, can't be one-dimensional offensively. Jones was associate head coach at ISU the last three seasons . As for recruiting overseas, Drew's connections and relationships are my connections and relationships too. Coach Wardle reflects on the milestone and history-making game including his thoughts on. "I was not very good in basketball for a while, I got cut from teams in fifth grade and sixth grade," Wardle said. Last chance! During his thirteen seasons as Bradley's head coach he won 197 games. You know, I usually drive in with about an hour 15, hour 20 ahead of time and to see all the fans already there, walking in and celebrating and screaming and yelling outside. Analysis: Here are 3 reasons to be even more excited after Bradley's historic basketball victory. "Hasn't been done in a long time here. "In the summer, my dad would get me up in the morning and say, 'I need your help today. He can be reached at 686-3206 or deminian@pjstar.com. The announcement was made during the MVC Awards Banquet on March 1, in downtown St. Louis. Yeah, so, another box check. Follow him on Twitter @icetimecleve. "I always tell the team, 'No individual accomplishments happen without the team around you.' The couple has three children daughters Mya and Emery, and son, Davin. Latest Topics. Bradley head coach Brian Wardle, left, talks with Elijah Childs following an NCAA college basketball game against Northern Iowa in the championship of the Missouri Valley Conference tournament . Rienk Mast was named to the All-Missouri Valley Conference first team, while Leons earned second-team honors and also earned a spot on the Valley's All-Defensive Team. Braves head coach Brian Wardle also elevated longtime assistants Mike Bargen and Jimmie Foster to associate head coach positions. You know what Arch Madness is. We're gonna celebrate tonight and tomorrow we'll get back to work.". STA00221PO23 . Take us with you from breakfast or whatever through the day. Wardle was 6-foot as a freshman in high school at Hinsdale Central, a late-bloomer on the court. So last night I probably slept six straight hours. G 6-0 Greeneville, Tenn. (Greeneville High), Chance Moore, Missouri St. If we were healthy, I think we would have. 1 seed. Moline unleashed a high-powered offensive show to knock off Bradley-Bourbonnais 71-39 Friday in Illinois boys basketball action on Feb. 24. With my bad hip, I definitely don't sleep well, I'm tossing it turning and up a lot. Bradley's Brian Wardle Named 2023 MVC Men's Basketball Coach of the Year. And you got to be able to defend and rebound. Wardle is married to the former Lecia Schuetz, a soccer student-athlete during her collegiate career at Marquette. He was an assistant coach at Green Bay from 2005-10, before being named Phoenix head coach April 15, 2010. He is the seventh Bradley coach to win the honor. Pick your ball up and hurry up.' "Well, I think we're definitely good enough to go and win games. "He picked up the guitar a little bit. All the hugs on the court and everything like that, you thought about it but now that you've experienced it? Yes, we did. UNI claimed the top seed and will face either Illinois State or Indiana State in Fridays first game, with the winner advancing to face the Bradley-Loyola winner. Wardle is the first Bradley coach win league honors since Jim Molinari in 1996. I have the best staff, just love 'em and our players. Bradley has continued to thrive under Wardles leadership since the championship runs. I'll reflect on this award in April some time.". www.uscupstate.edu . Get the list of all Bradley Braves's Coaches and More About College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com. Adams was a terrific assistant coach, too, and was well-regarded for his contribution to Bradley's recruiting, in particular contacts overseas. You might not play for another 30 minutes.". : https:// bubrav.es/3IcpjtV Dick Versace, one of the most successful men's basketball coaches at Bradley University, died Friday at the age of 81. And his dad would play in a band at it. To see the players celebrate, they deserve it. Following the 2013-14 season, Wardle added Skip Prosser Man of the Year honors to his collection, recognizing the head coach for not only success on the basketball court but also for displaying moral integrity off it as well. Goal's to get back to that NCAA Tournament and hopefully put ourselves in a position to win some games it's one day at a time, one game at a time. Login Wardle believes deeply in his family, the one on the basketball court at Bradley, the one that raised him, and the one he's raising now. Prior to being at North Dakota's helm, Jones was an assistant coach under Steve Alford at Iowa. Photo by Christian Gooden, cgooden@post-dispatch.com, Bradley head coach Brian Wardle talks to his team during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Loyola on Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2016, in Chicago. He writes the Cleve In The Eve sports column for pjstar.com. Bradley Braves men's basketball head coaches, "Bradley names Brian Wardle as men's basketball coach", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_Bradley_Braves_men%27s_basketball_head_coaches&oldid=1141712736, Lists of college men's basketball head coaches in the United States, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 26 February 2023, at 12:04. Women's Basketball Hitting the Road for SIU and Missouri State - Bradley University Athletics. Did you automatically clinch a berth to the NIT with this win tonight? Arkansas, Eric Musselman (4th season). That was kind of our claim to fame. I was kind of obsessed with the competition part of things. Bradley University Men's Basketball Coach Brian Wardle about the team's Missouri Valley Conference title victory against Drake yesterday at Carver Arena. 20 UNLV in the first round of the NCAA Tournament before losing to eventual champion Louisville. Visit ESPN for the game videos of the Northern Iowa Panthers vs. Bradley Braves NCAAM basketball game on March 3, 2023 . "Brian was very, very competitive as a little kid," said Jim Wardle, 66. "But I thought transition D was a huge key for us, getting back matching up. Having reestablished Bradley mens basketball as a championship-level program, Brian Wardle is in his eighth year as head coach of the Braves. Working in the sign shop instilled in the coach a type of work ethic and attention to detail that remains today. High Point University has fired men's basketball coach G.G. Conference tournament champion. "We're happy for him. It's a long season. "So he'd get screwed up when he was learning to write. "We've known Brian Jones for a while," Wardle said. Oh, and it definitely helped my golf game. "That's something he'll always remember, it's a memory our team will remember. As I got older, I got better every year.". [3] Tenure. I had no problem being alone, basketball was my outlet for a lot of things.". No excuses': How Bradley basketball moves forward after a tough week. Biography. (Henry's) dunk, and Hickman's dunk just kind of sealing the game and getting the crowd nuts in the last two minutes. Photo by Robert Cohen, rcohen@post-dispatch.com, Bradley coach Brian Wardle yells at the referee on Sunday, March 10, 2019, during the championship game of the Missouri Valley Tournament that was won by Bradley over Northern Iowa 57-54. Everyone has a hand in it.". G 6-6 Louisville, Ky. (St. Louis Christian Academy), *denotes team "captain" as designated by the league's beat writers and media panel. Kenny Strawbridge, UE Sr. G 6-6 Rockford, Ill. (Rockford Lutheran)/Alabama St. Garrett Sturtz, Drake Gr. Conference regular season champion We just got to keep believing and keep getting better and staying humble and hungry one day at a time. He narrowly missed becoming the first player in Valley history to reach 50-50. Smart basketball is huge this time of year. Here's everything Wardle said in his news conference after Bradley's 73-61 victory over Drake in Peoria: Champions: Bradley beats Drake to win the MVC men's basketball championship. Adams previously has held both positions at Georgetown High School. In his second season at Bradley, Versace became the first coach in Valley history to win the conference title after finishing in last place the season before. Wardles recruiting efforts at Green Bay resulted in several players of note. Guard Duke Deen was named to the MVC All-Newcomer team. Was there any fight to get back because of the COVID year, where you guys made the tournament? Then they started to have kids, and it was time to settle down. Bradley will open play in the MVC Tournament against defending champion Loyola at 2:30 p.m. Friday. Patterson), Bradley coach Brian Wardle talks to his team as they play against Arkansas during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Dec. 17, 2022, in North Little Rock, Ark. He was right over there in Bloomington, and he fits our culture.". St. Louis, Mo. It's a heck of a journey from a team that was 2-7 at one point on the road. Bradley University head men's basketball coach Brian Wardle has been named the Missouri Valley Conference Coach of the Year during the MVC Awards Banquet on Wednesday, March 1, in downtown St. Louis. His Braves put together the nation's third-longest active home win streak at 17 games, and head into Arch Madness on a 10-game overall win streak and with the No. 52-49 (W) Bradley vs. Lafayette County. I would get passed over, they wouldn't allow me to play because it was all high school guys. I know it means a lot to the city, to the university, to the community. 0:49. PEORIA Bradley men's basketball has about 60 Bradley shield logo decals scattered on its practice floor, a sign of the COVID-19 era and social distancing. The Bradley Braves men's basketball team represents Bradley University, located in Peoria, Illinois, in NCAA Division I basketball competition.