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Bradley Basketball: 2021-22 season preview and outlook for Braves

By Harry Schroeder

Dec 22, 2020; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Bradley Braves head coach Brian Wardle talks to forward Rienk Mast (51) during the first half against the Missouri Tigers at Mizzou Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 22, 2020; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Bradley Braves head coach Brian Wardle talks to forward Rienk Mast (51) during the first half against the Missouri Tigers at Mizzou Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports /
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Bradley Basketball
Ja’Shon Henry and Bradley basketball looking to get back to a season of celebration. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) /

There is a clean slate for the Bradley basketball team this season. Last year was filled with one frustration after another and Brian Wardle’s team has had a productive offseason and is prepared to climb back near the top of the Missouri Valley Conference.

Wardle’s teams won back-to-back MVC Tournament titles (2019 & 2020), but last year slumped to a covid-interrupted, 12-win season and struggled to a 6 and 12 league mark. There were suspensions, interruptions, and extremely close losses.

Center Ari Boya participated in the team’s first nine games. While the 7’1 big man played the Braves won six of those first nine including wins over Miami and a 21-win team in Toledo. Bradley dropped one-point decisions at Xavier and at Missouri.

Star forward Elijah Childs was averaging over 14 points and eight rebounds per game when his season ended with an arrest and alleged domestic dispute and what turned into a season-ending suspension. The Braves split their first 22 games to that point and finished the season by losing five of their final six contests.

Childs is has left the program along with two of the other top three scorers from last year’s team. Terry Nolan Junior (11.2 ppg) and Sean East II (9.0).

Boya is back and Wardle has added some talented players to help his team with that clean slate and fresh start. Forwards Ja’Shon Henry and Rienk Mast and wing Ville Tahvanainen headline the returners, while three transfers expect to contribute heavily to the Braves’ clean slate and return to MVC prominence.