Recongizing BRADLEY's 79-80 Team from "WORST to FIRST"

[Go_Braves]

Has anyone thought about bringing the Bradley 79-80 team to a home basketball game to be recognized by all the home court fans?
It has been 40 years and many of these players are likely today in their early 60's.

Just a little history.

The previous season - Bradley finished last in the MVC. And this season they finished first. Has any other MVC team ever made that huge of a change in just one season ? This is the MVC team that followed Larry Bird and their Indiana State run in the NCAA Tournament and Dick Versace's second season.

This Bradley team started off really poorly .... They were 3 - 6 after loosing to #4 DePaul up in Chicago. But it was at this DePaul game that Versace found his starting team. Bradley gave #4 DePaul all that they could handle - I know I was there at the Rosemont Horizon stadium.

From that game on Bradley went on to a 15 - 3 record for the rest of the season. Loosing by " 1 " at West Texas A&M, Loosing by " 2 " at Tulsa, Loosing by " 1 " at New Mexico State. - Bradley won the MVC Conference.

Next the MVC Tournament - all games played at Robertson Memorial Field House. My wife and I drove to Peoria and spent the night of February 28th at Jumors and that Saturday morning I was at Robertson Memorial Filed House at 3 am to buy 2 tickets to the 1980 MVC Tournament Championship game that afternoon. IT WAS AWESOME .

Bradley won and made it to the 1980 NCAA Tournament. Bradley's first appearance in the NCAA Tournament since 1955 (25 years later). Bradley lost by only " 2 " to Texas A&M and finished the year 21 - 10. An incredible accomplishment.

Living in Colorado I would not be able to attend. But does Bradley still bring in "Teams of the Past" to honor them at halftime ?

This is certainly one team that (in my view) should be re-recognized and honored. I am sure the players and coaches on that team would appreciate it. I'll bet even the Bradley fans at Carver Arena would appreciate it.

Is it as simple as checking in with the Bradley "Media" group to find out if such an event has been considered before this season ends? Thank you.

[bradleyfan124]

If my memory serves me right, I think that first season Bradley lost a total of 10 games by 3 points or less

[Go_Braves]

If my memory serves me right, I think that first season Bradley lost a total of 10 games by 3 points or less

Pretty good memory Bradleyfan124. Of the 10 games that Bradley lost that season Bradley lost only " 3 " games by more than 3 points. They started the season against at # 2 Kentucky and lost 79 - 58, then came at Loyola (Chicago) 84 - 76, and finally at # 4 DePaul 68 - 61.

My memory is not that good - I had to cheat... Refer to the provided web link. https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb...-schedule.html

[BRAVE82]

This was my era. I was a freshmen in the fall of 1978, Dick Versace's first year. Was at all the home games for four years. Roger Phegley had graduated the prior year (averaged 27 ppg). Coach had little to work with but the Braves won their share of home games (thanks to the intimidating home crowds). We packed them into the fieldhouse despite the losing record. Versace inherited Carl Maniscalco (who sported an afro), Harold McMath, and Rick Malnati. The fans loved Rick because of his energy and harassment of opposing guards. His big accomplishment that year was bringing in freshmen Mitchel Anderson (arguably the top recruit in Chicago). The reason why the Braves improved so much was adding the recruiting class of Barney Mines, Donald Reese, David Thirdkill, Bobby Ford, Eric Duhart, and Hasan Houston (a transfer from Kansas) the following year. Houston had to sit out the prior season. Versace was an incredible recruiter to say the least. Willie Scott came in 80-81 (to replace the graduated Maniscalco) so the pieces were in place for the next two years.

[Bradley3342]

If memory serves me correct. Mitchell Anderson led the nation in scoring his senior year at Metro high school in Chicago averaging over 42 points per game and Voise Winters who was a freshman when Anderson was a senior averaged over 46.5 points a game at Gage Park high school in Chicago. I think both of those totals led the nation in scoring their senior years. Versace pretty much owned Chicago in recruiting during his years at Bradley.

[Da Coach]

Here is a page from the IHSA record book. You were right on, but the averages were even a slight bit higher for both.
The top two season scoring averages in Illinois high school history belong to Voise Winters and Mitchell Anderson-
And I believe you are right that both lead the nation in scoring their senior years.

https://www.ihsa.org/data/bkb/records/aindiv.htm#0X200

Anderson is the only player in Bradley history from Metro HS, which closed in 1991 after only 20 years in existence. It was located on Chicago's near-west side at 160 West Wendell St.
Winters is the only player in Bradley history from Gage Park HS. Gage Park HS still exists on Chicago's southwest side (5630 S. Rockwell Street). It is a small school (only about 340 students), and they have had very little success in athletics in the Chicago Public League for many decades.

[Bradley3342]

Man those were some fun years! I have faith in this coaching staff that if we continue to improve we can get back to that same success.We have been getting better every year and there is no reason we can’t take it to the next level. Winning will hopefully bring back a lot of fans that have deserted our program.

[Tommy]

Could not agree more, Bradley3342! Most encouraging to me is that the recruiting seems to improve every year.
No telling how good we can get with Wardle running the show, but I think we’re the next Wichita St. of the valley!