Braves MVP

[Big Mike]

Up till now......who would be your pick as the MVP for the Braves? I've thought long and hard and Will Franklin keeps coming to mind! He shows up to play every game......home or away and gets it done on both sides of the ball! Kudos to the coaching staff for bringing WF here.....for he was not our 1st choice yet he has turned out to be one of the most consistent players game in and game out! The staff should also get credit for upgrading WF's game to the new level of play ....So Will Franklin is my choice........who is yours?

[BU Bill]

There are several key guys. And Jeremy was clutch before the injury. But now it has to be Will.

[Grassman]

Re: Braves MVP

Up till now......who would be your pick as the MVP for the Braves? I've thought long and hard and Will Franklin keeps coming to mind! He shows up to play every game......home or away and gets it done on both sides of the ball! Kudos to the coaching staff for bringing WF here.....for he was not our 1st choice yet he has turned out to be one of the most consistent players game in and game out! The staff should also get credit for upgrading WF's game to the new level of play ....So Will Franklin is my choice........who is yours?

I am extremely pleased that those other 2 guards DID NOT come to BU!

[Big Mike]

I'm trying to recall the kid that went to CU over the Braves that we really wanted and he was here on the same week-end visit as WF.........and this kid has already left the CU team!

JL said that he and the staff learned a big lesson that week-end and from now on will only stay on kids who want to be a Brave as to try and make someone come that looks at the Braves as the back-up plan!

[Da Coach]

From what I have heard and read, these are the 2 guards that were recruited as a backup point guard ahead of Will Franklin. Recall that Daniel Ruffin played over 34 minutes a game his freshman season (2004-2005) and the staff felt they needed a quality, experienced, juco backup for the 2005-2006 season.

The top choice was 5'10" Keoni Watson. He actually visited Bradley at the same time as Will Franklin. Here is a thread about both of them from 4/15/05--

http://www.bradleyfans.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?p=3850#3850

Will went home and Watson received Bradley's scholarship offer.
But for whatever reason, Watson chose to go to Idaho.
In 2005-2006, Idaho had one of the worst record in America, 4-25. Watson was 2nd on the team in scoring at 10.4 ppg. He only averaged 2.9 assists per game and had a lot more turnovers than assists.

http://www.uiathletics.com/pages/sport.asp?Action=DrawStats&SportID=2&StatsID=81&PageID=45

This year (2006-2007) he is leading Idaho in scoring at 16.7 ppg. He has very poor assist totals, and almost twice as many turnovers as assists. Again, Idaho has an awful team. They are 2-12.--

http://www.uiathletics.com/pages/sport.asp?Action=DrawStats&SportID=2&StatsID=93&PageID=45

Bradley then offered the scholarship to Dominic Bishop. He was a 6' point guard from Division II Brown Mackie CC in Kansas. He apparently made an oral committment to Bradley, but then changed his mind when Dana Altman called and offered a scholarship to Creighton. Check out this old thread detailing his change of mind--

http://www.bradleyfans.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=751

http://www.bradleyfans.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=3178

Bishop played very little for Creighton his first season there, and quit the team after his junior year. He is now at Francis Marion University, a Division II school. Here are some recent articles mentioning Bishop--

http://www.fmarion.edu/sports/article22428c413776.htm

http://www.fmarion.edu/sports/roster1

http://www.fmarion.edu/sports/basketball

By the time Bradley was rejected by Bishop, it was late May, 2005, and there were no quality point guards left. Except Will Franklin was still available. Bradley offered him a full ride, and the rest is Sweet 16 history. Thanks Will for waiting on Bradley!

[Big Mike]

yes........Bishop was the name I couldn't remember......thanks DC!

[Naptown24]

Braves MVP

WF has really been stepping his game up. We need more of the guys to pitch in. BU has got to step their game up this weekend against ISU

[Big Mike]

Welcome naptown!

[real fan]

The thing I have noticed most about Jim Les coached teams as his players get better ; Will is a perfect example as is the rest of this team; I did not have this opinion about the previous staff with the only exception being Jerome Robinson.

[dogsrus]

I'd say make will capt. since he scores alot......

[Long-Hair's Lunatics]

Will would be my pick right now for MVP (especially after the SIU game). My pick for most Improved player or the player who has steped up the most this season would be Danny Adams.

[houstonbrave]

I can see Will as the MVP thusfar-especially since he has really picked us up first when DR was hurt and now with JC down.
However, I have to disagree on DA being most improved. I agree he has played well and I love his enthusiasm as he enters the game. However, I think JC has to be the most improved player on this team. He has gone from rarely getting in the game in the second half of last season to being one of the conference leaders in scoring and steals this year. You just cannot forget how much he has improved.

[Big Mike]

That's a valid point on JC........he has really worked hard to get where he is.........now to get healthy and get the form back from the arc!