DLO's Thoughts

Tomorrow November 1st commences the 118th season of Bradley basketball. The start of the 2018-2019 see's us beginning the season in an exhibition game vs Carroll University who is fresh off an exhibition game vs Marquette last night. They are well coached, tough, up and down team which will definitely be the right match up for us to begin the season. It is the first time playing in Carver once again and it will be really exciting to see how everyone plays under the bright lights. This will also allow us to once again try different line ups, plays and actions against a new opponent so as a team we have a better under standing on what we will be doing before the start of our non-conference part of the season which begins next Saturday in a home 1pm matchup vs South-East Missouri State (SEMO). It's crazy to say tomorrow is my last first game in a Bradley Uniform. But it's the start of my Senior Season and I couldn't be happier! It's been 243 days since my last game...

Last Friday we travelled all the way to Indianapolis to play in a closed scrimmage vs last years Horizon league champions - Northern Kentucky. Even though we are not allowed to talk much about the details of what took place. It was actually cool to finally play against guys which aren't my team mates! It was play first time being in, let alone playing in an NBA arena in the Indiana Pacers' - Bakersfield house arena. The closed scrimmage that took place was definitely beneficial for us as a team, as we were able to try out new sets and see how they work against opposition, really challenge ourselves against new people and just try different line ups this year. As with two injuries in our front line in 7ft freshman Ari Boya and 6ft9 senior Luuk Van Bree, it looks like we will be playing a lot of "small ball" to start the year. We learnt and grew from the experience and we are actually 1 week and a day away from the first preseason game of the year. It takes place Nove...

Fall break ended today and although it meant a few days off class. (Which was most definitely needed) It didn't mean anytime off for the Bradley Basketball team.  (Well kinda). We got the weekend off, which was the first time and frankly the last time we will have two days offs in a row until Christmas. And man was it needed. It was the first time since practice's started in which, right when my body started to no longer feel sore I didn't have to go right to practice. But it also a chance for those on the team that lived in state or not too far to go home, spend time with family and recharge their batteries because now as the season approaches the opportunities for that are slim to none. The break was sweet but didn't last long, we resumed business as we have a lot of preparation as a team that needs to take place. We have our red and white scrimmage this Saturday @2pm in Renaissance Colosseum. We have a "not so secret" closed scrimmage vs Northern Kentucky...

One week in, I am still alive and I am still breathing! Yes I am over exaggerating a little bit, but I am young and an athlete. This is what I am supposed to do! The first week of practice was nothing less than what I expected! Long, scrappy, physically as well as mentally exhausting sessions in order to in instill that toughness, which will help us become a championship level program for this year as well as the future. Our identity in which we try to have is known as "CDR" this stands for Compete! Defend! And Rebound! This is something we will do all game, every game. As we understand it will be a major key to our success. Hence why we battle each and everyday so hard in practice, because we know that we work harder than not only most teams in our conference but most teams in the country. So if we can learn to sustain this high intensity of play and are able to translate it to games. It will be a nightmare for teams  that play against us as they would not be used to an...