Bradley Basketball: 5 Key Strategies Every Fan Needs to Know This Season
You know, I've been following Bradley Basketball for more years than I'd care to admit, and something feels different about this season. I was watching practice the other day, and Coach Fortune's words kept echoing in my mind: "And that speed, that power changes everything." He said that during a timeout in last week's exhibition game, and honestly, it's become the unofficial motto for this team's transformation. Let me tell you, as someone who's seen Bradley teams come and go since the early 2000s, this isn't just coach speak - this is a fundamental shift in how the Braves are approaching the game.
I remember watching games back in 2019 where we'd struggle to break 60 points against Missouri Valley Conference opponents. Fast forward to this season, and we're averaging nearly 78 points per game through the first eight contests. That's not just improvement - that's a revolution in how this team plays basketball. The tempo has increased by what feels like 40% compared to last season alone. When guard Terry Roberts brings the ball up the court, he's not just running plays - he's creating chaos for defenses that simply can't keep up with his acceleration. I was sitting courtside during the Northern Iowa game last Tuesday, and I could literally feel the wind change when he exploded past half-court. Defenders who thought they had positioning suddenly found themselves two steps behind, watching helplessly as he either finished at the rim or kicked out to open shooters.
The defensive intensity has been equally transformative. Last season, we ranked somewhere around 200th nationally in forced turnovers. This year? We're forcing about 15 per game, which puts us in the top 75 programs nationwide. What's fascinating is how this defensive pressure fuels our offensive explosion. When Rienk Mast gets a defensive rebound, he's not looking to slowly outlet the ball - he's immediately scanning for guards already leaking out. I've counted at least six fast break opportunities per game that start with defensive rebounds turning into immediate transition baskets within three seconds. That kind of instant offense demoralizes opponents in ways that methodical half-court sets simply can't match.
What really makes this team special, though, is their understanding of spacing and player movement. I was analyzing game film from the Drake matchup last weekend, and noticed something incredible - our players are rarely stationary for more than two seconds at a time. Constant cutting, screening, and relocation creates passing lanes that didn't exist moments before. Duke Deen, who's emerged as our most reliable three-point threat at 42% from beyond the arc, doesn't just camp out in the corner waiting for shots. He's constantly using off-ball screens and backdoor cuts that force defenders to make impossible choices. Do they stay attached to prevent the three, or do they help on driving lanes? More often than not, they choose wrong.
The bench production has been another revelation. Last season, our reserves contributed maybe 15 points per game on average. This year? They're putting up closer to 28 points, with players like Connor Hickman providing instant offense and energy that keeps the pressure on opponents even when starters need rest. I was particularly impressed during the Southern Illinois game when Hickman scored 11 points in just four minutes during the second half, completely shifting the momentum back in our favor after they'd cut our lead to single digits.
But here's what really separates this team from previous Bradley squads - their mental toughness in crunch time. We've already won three games decided by five points or less, compared to just four such victories in the entire previous season. When games get tight, they don't panic or resort to hero ball. They actually lean into their system even harder, trusting that their conditioning and speed will eventually wear opponents down. In the final four minutes of close games, we're shooting an impressive 52% from the field while holding opponents to just 38%. That's not luck - that's superior conditioning and strategic execution when it matters most.
Watching this team evolve has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my time covering Bradley Basketball. They've fully embraced Coach Fortune's philosophy that speed and power don't just enhance the game - they fundamentally transform what's possible on the court. As we head into the heart of conference play, I genuinely believe this approach gives us a legitimate shot at not just competing for the MVC title, but making some serious noise in March. The Braves aren't just playing basketball anymore - they're playing basketball at a pace and intensity that most teams simply can't sustain for forty minutes. And honestly? I wouldn't want it any other way.
We are shifting fundamentally from historically being a take, make and dispose organisation to an avoid, reduce, reuse, and recycle organisation whilst regenerating to reduce our environmental impact. We see significant potential in this space for our operations and for our industry, not only to reduce waste and improve resource use efficiency, but to transform our view of the finite resources in our care.
Looking to the Future
By 2022, we will establish a pilot for circularity at our Goonoo feedlot that builds on our current initiatives in water, manure and local sourcing. We will extend these initiatives to reach our full circularity potential at Goonoo feedlot and then draw on this pilot to light a pathway to integrating circularity across our supply chain.
The quality of our product and ongoing health of our business is intrinsically linked to healthy and functioning ecosystems. We recognise our potential to play our part in reversing the decline in biodiversity, building soil health and protecting key ecosystems in our care. This theme extends on the core initiatives and practices already embedded in our business including our sustainable stocking strategy and our long-standing best practice Rangelands Management program, to a more a holistic approach to our landscape.
We are the custodians of a significant natural asset that extends across 6.4 million hectares in some of the most remote parts of Australia. Building a strong foundation of condition assessment will be fundamental to mapping out a successful pathway to improving the health of the landscape and to drive growth in the value of our Natural Capital.
Our Commitment
We will work with Accounting for Nature to develop a scientifically robust and certifiable framework to measure and report on the condition of natural capital, including biodiversity, across AACo’s assets by 2023. We will apply that framework to baseline priority assets by 2024.
Looking to the Future
By 2030 we will improve landscape and soil health by increasing the percentage of our estate achieving greater than 50% persistent groundcover with regional targets of:
– Savannah and Tropics – 90% of land achieving >50% cover
– Sub-tropics – 80% of land achieving >50% perennial cover
– Grasslands – 80% of land achieving >50% cover
– Desert country – 60% of land achieving >50% cover
