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

Projected starting lineup

Ja’Shon Henry – Forward

The 6’6 Henry is the leader of the Bradley basketball pack. He is a leaper, a prolific dunker, and has been the Braves’ best bench player for the past two years. While he started four games, he was named to the Valley’s all-bench team for averaging 10.9 points and 4.6 rebounds per game. He has played a power forward role, but the senior will spend some time on the wing this season.

While not known for his three-point shooting, Henry will be a capable slasher and Wardle says his outside game and ballhandling have improved during the offseason. The Canadian-born Henry is one of six foreign-born Bradley players.

Rienk Mast – Center

Rienk Mast was named to last year’s all-freshman team and at times was tasked with carrying his team. Bradley was routinely down two or three of its best players and Mast took over the post after Boya’s injury. He averaged 8.6 points and 5.8 rebounds.

At 6’9 he can pull the opposing center away from the paint since he made 33 three-point-baskets. Mast represented the Netherlands during international play this summer and rejoined his Bradley teammates for workouts in late July. The muscular (240 pounds) forward is strong enough to hold his own against the big and talented Missouri Valley post players.

Mikey Howell – Point Guard

Transfer number one is Mikey Howell. The graduate student comes to Bradley from UC San Diego where his 502 career assists are a program record. Henry calls Howell the best pure passer he has ever played with. He averaged 6.9 points per game, and at 6’3 is one of the tallest ball-handlers at Bradley during the Wardle era.

Terry Roberts – Guard

Roberts comes from Florida Southwestern State where he is the all-time steals leader and third all-time in assists and eighth in scoring. FSS is the same junior college where Drake stars Tremelle and Anthony Murphy and D.J. Wilkins played. Roberts is a 6’3 guard that is an elite defender and has a complete overall game.

Melevy Leons – Wing

Leons is another player from the Netherlands and was last year’s national junior college player of the year. During his two seasons at Mineral Area Junior College his team went 54-3 and last year he averaged 18.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game.

The 6’9 junior has represented his country twice in national competition. Wardle calls him a ‘slithery kind of four-man who can get to the rim and shoot the three.’