What are Bradley's other 2022 recruiting needs?

[KillerB]

Very interesting. Thanks Da Coach

[Da Coach]

Some interesting stats on 3-point shooting-
Everyone wants to have shooters that can make 40% or better from three. But, how many players in the MVC shot 40% or better last season?
It was probably fewer than most of us think. Here is the list, and there were only 6-
https://www.espn.com/mens-college-ba...alPct/dir/desc

And of the top 16 three-point shooters on that list, all but 5 or 6 will not be returning in 2022-23- Norris will be gone to the A-10, Coupet, Minnett, Schwieger, Hall, Williamson, and Berhow were all 5th year guys who used up their college eligibility, and Antonio Reeves, Ja'Monta Black, and Kevion Taylor are all in the transfer portal.

Getting reliable "pure shooters" who can shoot 38-40% from the arc and play D1 at this level is just not as easy as we think. Guys like Nate Kennell, Jeremy Crouch, Will Franklin, Andrew Warren, Anthony Parker, Aaron Zobrist, etc. are pretty rare. Bradley is fortunate to have had so many great shooters in the past.
Here are the top career 3-point percentage shooters in Bradley history-
1. 42.0% - Will Franklin (105-250) 2005-2007
2. 41.5% - Trevor Trimpe (78-188 ) 1984-1988 (only 2 seasons played with 3-point line)
3. 41.2% - Nate Kennell (253-614) 2016-2020
4. 40.9% - Gavin Schairer (96-235) 1995-1999
5. 40.6% - Aaron Zobrist (233-549) 1993-1997
6. 40.5% - Anthony Manuel (152-375) 1985-1989 (only 3 seasons with 3-point line)
7. 40.4% - Jeremy Crouch (262-649) 2004-2008
8. 40.2% - Andrew Warren (225-560) 2006-2011
9. 37.9% - Anthony Parker (195-515) 1993-1997
10.37.5% - Paul Wilson (131-349) 1986-1989

Only 8 players in Bradley history have averaged 40% or better (minimum 50 made shots).
Even the great Hersey Hawkins was a 36.2% career three point shooter (played 2 seasons with the 3-point line). Though he did shoot 39.4% his senior season.

And Note that the 3-point line has been 3 different distances over the time it has been used by the NCAA
From the 1986-87, when it was first used, through the 2007-08 season, it was 19 feet 9 inches.
From the 2008-09 season through the 2018-19 season, it was 20 feet 9 inches.
Then since the 2019-20 season it has been 22 feet 1 3/4 inches (equal to the FIBA distance)

The only player on the list to play with the extended FIBA length of 22 feet 1 3/4 inches was Nate Kennell
Nate played only his senior season (2019-20) with the 22 feet 1 3/4 inch line, yet ironically, that was Nate's best year, shooting 44.7% from three. That ranked 5th best in the country in 2019-20. Jeremy Crouch lead the country with his 50.0% three point shooting in 2006-07.

In the 2 seasons since Nate graduated in 2020- here are Bradley's top 3-point shooters:
2020-21- Rienk Mast 35.9%, Elijah Childs 35.5%, Sean Est 34.9%, Terry Nolan 34.3%, Ville Tahvanainen 33.8%
2021-22- Malevy Leons 38.1%, Connor Hickman 37.4%, Zek Montgomery 37.1%, Ville Tahvanainen 36.2% (shot 38.6% in MVC games)

[BUfan14]

I'm sure it's difficult to find because everyone needs/wants them, I don't debate that, but it is also noteworthy that every 20 win Bradley team since Hersey Hawkins has had one or more of those top ten guys on it. Of Warren, Franklin, Crouch, Kennell, Zobrist, Parker at least one, if not more, played a significant role on all 20 win teams since Hawk except the slightly above average 08-09 team that finished 21-15 after postseason play and that year Sam Maniscalco average 2.0 threes a game.

It sure seems like there is a strong correlation between having a knockdown shooter and success at Bradley. UNI seems to take some chances on guys that aren't as athletic but can shoot, and I just wish we would do the same a little more. Obviously not a whole roster full of chances, but at least go after a few more guys that can potentially be shooters. It seems we take more chances on athleticism.

I do think we have an advantage with posts that can shoot decently already in place, but I still would feel much more comfortable with a guard who can nail one in a big moment. I'm not sure we have that right now.

[bradleyfan124]

I'm sure it's difficult to find because everyone needs/wants them, I don't debate that, but it is also noteworthy that every 20 win Bradley team since Hersey Hawkins has had one or more of those top ten guys on it. Of Warren, Franklin, Crouch, Kennell, Zobrist, Parker at least one, if not more, played a significant role on all 20 win teams since Hawk except the slightly above average 08-09 team that finished 21-15 after postseason play and that year Sam Maniscalco average 2.0 threes a game.

It sure seems like there is a strong correlation between having a knockdown shooter and success at Bradley. UNI seems to take some chances on guys that aren't as athletic but can shoot, and I just wish we would do the same a little more. Obviously not a whole roster full of chances, but at least go after a few more guys that can potentially be shooters. It seems we take more chances on athleticism.

I do think we have an advantage with posts that can shoot decently already in place, but I still would feel much more comfortable with a guard who can nail one in a big moment. I'm not sure we have that right now.

I think Ville will be better next year. He shot 36% and I think will better that percentage this coming year along with all the others

[Da Coach]

I think Ville will be better next year. He shot 36% and I think will better that percentage this coming year along with all the others

I agree. As I posted above, Ville's three point percentage improved to 38.6% in the MVC-only stats. That was the best 3-point percentage on the team in MVC games among the regular rotation players. That could suggest that his early-season shooting might have been affected by the foot injury.
Let's hope Ville stays healthy in 2022-23, and returns to being a deadly three point threat.

Another guard who I believe will improve his shooting percentage in 2022-23 is Connor Hickman, He shot 37.4% from three, which is very good and quite impressive for a freshman, especially coming off a full year layoff and surgical repair on his shooting shoulder. But I am optimistic that a full year of D1 conditioning along with a better penetrating and better passing point guard in James Weathers, Connor will get more open looks and boost his efficiency.

[BUfan14]

Another guard who I believe will improve his shooting percentage in 2022-23 is Connor Hickman, He shot 37.4% from three, which is very good and quite impressive for a freshman, especially coming off a full year layoff and surgical repair on his shooting shoulder. But I am optimistic that a full year of D1 conditioning along with a better penetrating and better passing point guard in James Weathers, Connor will get more open looks and boost his efficiency.

I hope so on Ville, but I'm skeptical more because of his sophomore season than last season. Injuries won't help his foot speed either, and creating space to get a shot off is a big part of being a knockdown shooter, not to mention the defense. I really hope I'm wrong, because he seems like a great kid and it'd help the team a ton. He has proven he can be a piece for sure, I just don't know about the main shooting threat.

Hickman I completely agree on, if you take away a portion of the conference season where he understandably appeared to hit the wall a little, his shooting was great. The shot he nailed against, I believe it was SIU, to get us back in the game showed confidence and that he could hit one without being wide open or just in the corner. I think he's got a bright future ahead because he can also handle the ball a little and move well enough to get space. I still don't want to count 100% on Hickman being our main shooter, I obviously want another, but him and Zek both have potential to be nice shooters if they grow to have consistency. I'm hoping we get to see them both grow for four years. That is obviously far from guaranteed any more.

[bradleyfan124]

I agree. As I posted above, Ville's three point percentage improved to 38.6% in the MVC-only stats. That was the best 3-point percentage on the team in MVC games among the regular rotation players. That could suggest that his early-season shooting might have been affected by the foot injury.
Let's hope Ville stays healthy in 2022-23, and returns to being a deadly three point threat.

Another guard who I believe will improve his shooting percentage in 2022-23 is Connor Hickman, He shot 37.4% from three, which is very good and quite impressive for a freshman, especially coming off a full year layoff and surgical repair on his shooting shoulder. But I am optimistic that a full year of D1 conditioning along with a better penetrating and better passing point guard in James Weathers, Connor will get more open looks and boost his efficiency.

I agree with you about Connor Hickman. He was one of my favorites this year. I did not like seeing Terry go but they would have had to put me on suicide watch if Connor had transferred. His upside is tremendous. I think in another year he may be better than what Terry Roberts was this year. His court savvy, ability to drive, ballhandling, and shooting are out of this world for a Freshman

[Tommy]

I hope so on Ville, but I'm skeptical more because of his sophomore season than last season. Injuries won't help his foot speed either, and creating space to get a shot off is a big part of being a knockdown shooter, not to mention the defense. I really hope I'm wrong, because he seems like a great kid and it'd help the team a ton. He has proven he can be a piece for sure, I just don't know about the main shooting threat.

I hear ya, BUF14, though I don't have as much concern. Ville is probably the most vocal and energetic guys on the team, and he did struggle, but much of the time he draws the other teams best defender or a double, and we didn't exactly have a lot of scoring threats last year. Ville is such a streak shooter and I thought we did a poor job of hitting him over and over again once he'd made a 3. If he gets in a rhythm, he can really light it up, but if he is cold, he can REALLY be cold. As Coach said earlier, though, that foot injury most probably had an effect. I just really love this guy for his all out effort whenever he's in the game.