Grading the Valley – Part One

(St. Louis, MO) – A season filled with the promise of senior dominated teams, became a struggle for Missouri Valley teams. Illinois State’s season was derailed with an offseason transfer. Early season injuries barred Wichita State from the anticipated ascendency we all expected, and incoming players at Drake didn’t pan out as hoped.

So how did Missouri Valley teams fare and what kind of grades do the respective programs deserve for the 2015-16 season. Over the next few articles we will examine and grade the teams of the MVC.

Bradley – B

First year head coach Brian Wardle inherited a team with virtually no upper classmen. The Braves were picked to finish last by the “Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook” and finished ninth. Wardle’s freshmen dominated lineup remained competitive, and improved throughout the season.

With the only upper classman, Ka’Darryl Bell limited to 22 games, the roster was reduced to sophomore Donte Thomas and 10 freshmen. Thomas was the second leading scorer (9.1) and the leading rebounder (6.2) for the 5-27 Braves.

The host of freshmen showed flashes of potential and moments of strength. Bradley finish the Valley season with two wins in their final seven regular season games. Four of the freshmen averaged averaged over eight points per game. Four of them grabbed more than four rebounds per contest.

Two baby Braves were named to the Valley’s all-freshmen team. Dwayne Lautier-Ogunley and Luuk van Bree earned those honors. Lautier-Ogunleye the 6-3 guard from (England) and van Bree the 6-9 from the Netherlands made their marks in opposite ways.

Lautier-Ogunleye led the team in scoring (9.8) and assists (2.9) while van Bree (8.4) led the team with 44 three-point shots, and was second to Thomas in rebounding (4.6) and in blocked shots.

Washington, Missouri’s Ronnie Suggs (8.5 ppg) led the Braves in scoring eight different games, including four straight games in mid-January.

Wardle’s team wasn’t good enough to compete in the MVC, but the young players developed all season and caused Valley coaches to realize the Braves will not be patsies again in 2016-17.

Drake – C-

The Bulldogs under performed and didn’t measure up. Picked to finish eighth with the potential to be even better, Drake finished last. Two Big 10 transfers, Kale Abrahamson and Graham Woodward were expected to be the jump-start that Ray Giacoletti’s building program in Des Moines. The two transfers did finish second and third in the Drake scoring charts, but Abrahamson barely played down the stretch and transferred after the season.

Drake finished last in the league with a 2 and 16 MVC mark (7-24 overall). An injury to multi-faceted C.J. Rivers hurt the team more than would be obvious to the casual observer. Rivers averaged almost four points, four rebounds, two assists and contributed solid perimeter defense.

Drake’s best player, sophomore Reed Timmer averaged 16.8 points, making over 81% of his free throws, continues to improve his game. The gritty guard was an honorable mention recipient in the Valley’s post season honors.

The late season emergence of freshman Dominik Olejniczak was a breath of fresh air. The 7-foot Polish native reached double figures in Drake’s last three games, and averaged over six rebounds over the team’s last five. Unfortunately, Olejniczak is leaving the Drake program.

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