The MVC Preseason Poll was released last Wednesday and six players were selected to the MVC First-Team. Junior Rienk Mast was the lone Brave to make the list, but which teammate has the best chance to join Mast at the top?
Forward Ja’shon Henry will be on the MVC First Team
By Jacob Hypke
This year is Ja’Shon Henry’s last ride with the Bradley men’s basketball team, and the forward is back to being healthy and ready to help this team win at all costs. An MVC First Team award is quite clearly in sight.
Last year’s injury against Saint Joseph’s on Dec. 18 killed what was a great season for Henry and took away a huge contribution from the Braves.
If not for the crucial injury last year, Henry would have likely stayed on track to finish towards the top of the conference and end as a first-teamer. Outside of the two-point outliers against Brown and Illinois State last year, he averaged 12.2 points per game.
This year, staying healthy for a retirement tour of sorts, Henry is going to have to bring his leadership for the team to succeed. His stats should increase from last year and will force the MVC to include him for the first team.
“He works extremely hard, he has a great attitude, he’s a good teammate and he comes in and he’s just him,” head coach Brain Wardle said about Henry before last season.
Clearly, Wardle loves the progression Henry has made during his recovery going into his last, and hopefully, his best season. As long as Henry stays on the hardwood, the team will succeed and a first-team award will fall into his lap.
The 2023 MVC First-Team will have Malevy Leons
By Luke Kotcher
Malevy Leons has a good shot to join the 2023 MVC First-Team. The senior had an impressive first season with the Braves last year but did not make the cut on a preseason conference squad this season.
Leons averaged 9.9 points in the 2021-2022 season, just behind now-departed guard Terry Roberts and junior forward Rienk Mast. In three-point tries, Leons led the way with an impressive 38% mark from beyond the arc. He also shot for an even 50% from the field in 914 minutes played, the most on the team.
In addition, Leons led Bradley with 1.1 blocks per game, the second-highest mark in the Valley. He also recorded two double-doubles, both against Indiana State. The senior is bound to post great numbers for the Braves in his second season on the Hilltop.
While there are other candidates like Ja’Shon Henry and Connor Hickman, Leons had the most impressive and consistent stats on the court last season. Henry is next in line to make the All-Conference Team but Leons has a better shot because of his overall skill set and track record.
It is very hard to say how Henry will perform this year with limited numbers due to injury last season. Additionally, Hickman is coming off a phenomenal freshman season and should produce an even better second season. However, the numbers and experience from Leons frankly beat out any other candidates to make it on the MVC First Team.
Leons and Ville Tahvanainen are the lone seniors on the team along with Henry as a graduate student. Bradley was picked to finish number two in the MVC preseason poll and Leons will have a big role on the team.
There are certainly cases for other picks to make the MVC team by next March, but Leons has the best chance to make it.
