With the men’s basketball team’s first exhibition game less than a week away, head coach Brian Wardle has officially entered game week.
As gameday approaches for the team’s season-opening tilt with Edgewood College Nov. 4, Bradley basketball has made a few headlines.
Shaw calls it a career
Bradley senior center Mike Shaw announced in a press release Monday that he will not play during the upcoming season. Shaw, who transferred from the University of Illinois, was one of only three remaining players from last season and leaves the team with only two returning players.
“I’m blessed with every opportunity that I’ve been given and basketball has opened so many doors for me, including the opportunity to receive my degree from such a prestigious university,” Shaw said in the release. “I came here to help Bradley win and I’m going to leave fighting for Bradley.”
Shaw will remain with the team to mentor the 10 freshmen which make up most of the team.
“I can help the young guys on and off the court,” Shaw said in the release. “I’m a big part of this program and I want this program and this university to be successful, and I’m going to do whatever I can to help, even though I can’t play anymore.”
Shaw averaged 1.9 points and 3.4 rebounds in 2014-2015, his only active season at Bradley.
Wardle adds a walk-on
In the same release, Wardle announced the addition of guard D’Angelo McBride as a walk-on to the team.
McBride, who is in his sophomore year at Bradley, will have a full four years of NCAA eligibilty and qualifies as a freshman under those NCAA rules.
As a three-sport athlete at James B. Conant High School, the Hoffman Estates, Illinois native earned all-conference honors in basketball, baseball and volleyball.
McBride’s addition also means he the becomes tenth freshman on the Braves 14-man roster, leaving sophomore Donte Thomas and senior Ka’Darryl Bell as the only players with college playing experience.
Alex Foster, who is a transfer from Texas Tech University, is listed on the roster, but will sit out this season to abide by NCAA rules.
Final preseason events before the start of the season
With the team’s first exhibition game less than a week away, Wardle showcased the team at an open practice on Wednesday.
The Braves practiced from 4 p.m until 6 p.m., which was the first of their two public performances this week.
Wardle’s squad will make their second public court appearance tomorrow morning at 10 a.m. in an intra-squad scrimmage, aptly named “Hoopin’ on the Hilltop.”
The event is free to the public and will be held at Renaissance Coliseum.
