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These former Bradley basketball players are still in the game. Here's how they're doing

dave eminian, peoria journal star
·6 min read
Bradley head coach Brian Wardle hugs a trio of his players as they celebrate their 73-61 victory over Drake to claim the Missouri Valley Conference title Sunday, Feb. 26, 2023 at Carver Arena.
Bradley head coach Brian Wardle hugs a trio of his players as they celebrate their 73-61 victory over Drake to claim the Missouri Valley Conference title Sunday, Feb. 26, 2023 at Carver Arena.

PEORIA — The Bradley Braves are looking forward to their task in the 2024 Missouri Valley Conference tournament in St. Louis, where they open as the No. 3 seed on Friday night.

While anticipation builds toward this weekend, a look back affords a moment to catch up to some of the former Braves coaches and players, where they were and what they were doing in the 2023-24 season:

MVC basketball tournament: 2024 Arch Madness bracket, schedule, game times, TV

Mar 3, 2024; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers forward Rienk Mast (51) shoots the ball against Rutgers Scarlet Knights center Clifford Omoruyi (11) during the first half at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 3, 2024; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers forward Rienk Mast (51) shoots the ball against Rutgers Scarlet Knights center Clifford Omoruyi (11) during the first half at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports

Rienk Mast

  • With Bradley: 6-foot-10 center from 2020-21 through 2022-23.

  • This season: Bradley's decorated center transferred to Nebraska of the Big Ten Conference for his fifth season, and has averaged 12.5 points per game and 30.5 minutes in 28 starts. He is shooting 43.7% from the field and 34.6% from 3, plus 7.86 rebounds.

Pop Weathers

  • With Bradley: 6-foot guard in 2022-23.

  • This season: The former BU guard played off the bench at Texas A&M University-Commerce, where he averaged 2.1 points per game in 15 minutes and shot 23.8%.

Zek Montgomery

  • With Bradley: 6-foot-6 wing from 2021-22 through 2022-23.

  • This season: The former Bradley wing transferred to Rhode Island, where he has averaged 9.2 points per game, started 13 of 26 contests, added 4.2 rebounds and shot 42.5% from the field in 25.6 minutes.

Jayson Kent

Bradley's Duke Deen (21) pressures Indiana State's Jayson Kent in the second half of the Braves' MVC basketball home opener Saturday, Dec. 2, 2023 at Carver Arena in Peoria. The Braves fell to the Sycamores 85-77.
Bradley's Duke Deen (21) pressures Indiana State's Jayson Kent in the second half of the Braves' MVC basketball home opener Saturday, Dec. 2, 2023 at Carver Arena in Peoria. The Braves fell to the Sycamores 85-77.

  • With Bradley: 6-foot-7 wing from 2020-21 through 2021-22.

  • This season: The wing transferred to Indiana State for the 2022-23 season and this season is a key part of the Sycamores MVC regular-season champions. He had a 20-rebound game against Drake on Feb. 3.

Sean East II

  • With Bradley: 6-foot-3 guard in 2020-21.

  • This season: A former BU guard who just wrapped up his second season with University of Missouri, during which he started 28 games. East II averaged 33 minutes in 2023-24, with 17.8 points per game on 54.2% shooting from the field.

Antonio Thomas

  • With Bradley: 6-foot-2 guard from 2019-20 through 2020-21.

  • This season: Guard went from Bradley to Kentucky Wesleyan to a fifth-year transfer to Evansville this season. He's started 23 games, averaged 25.6 minutes, 7.7 points, 1.5 assists and shot 43.9% from the field.

Ville Tahvanainen

  • With Bradley: 6-foot-4 guard from 2019-20 through 2022-23.

  • This season: The sharp-shooting former BU guard turned pro in the Iceland-Subway League, where he has split 16 games with Haukar and Alftanes in the 2023-24 season. He is averaging 14.6 points, 53.3% from the field and 45.8% on 3-pointers in 33 minutes per game for Alftanes.

Bradley's Terry Roberts moves the ball through the Evansville defense in the second half Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2022 at Carver Arena. The Braves defeated the Purple Aces 79-47.
Bradley's Terry Roberts moves the ball through the Evansville defense in the second half Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2022 at Carver Arena. The Braves defeated the Purple Aces 79-47.

Terry Roberts

  • With Bradley: 6-foot-3 guard in 2021-22.

  • This season: The uber-talented ex-BU guard is playing for the Long Island Nets in the NBA G League and is now recovering from a gunshot wound. Roberts continues to heal from his gunshot chest wound, and his mother, Allison, has launched a GoFundMe page to help with medical equipment needed for his recovery. As of Tuesday, the fund had already surpassed its initial goal of $10,000.

Former Bradley Braves Dwayne Lautier-Ogunleye and Ville Tahvanainen played against each other this season as professional players in Iceland.
Former Bradley Braves Dwayne Lautier-Ogunleye and Ville Tahvanainen played against each other this season as professional players in Iceland.

Dwayne Lautier-Ogunleye

  • With Bradley: 6-foot-4 guard from 2015-16 through 2018-19.

  • This season: He now plays for Njarðvík in Iceland. He averaged 17.5 points per game in 26.7 minutes, with 52.5% shooting from the field and 43.5% from 3-point range. Since leaving Bradley, he has played pro ball in Austria, Netherlands, Italy and France. He also played for France in the FIBA World Cup qualifiers in 2023.

Danya Kingsby

  • With Bradley: 6-foot-1 guard from 2019-20 through 2020-21.

  • This season: The former BU guard has played 12 games this season as a pro for Kyiv Basket in the Ukraine Superleague.

Terry Nolan Jr.

Terry Nolan Jr., was a Bradley guard who went on to play some pro games in Europe and now is a high school basketball coach in Baltimore.
Terry Nolan Jr., was a Bradley guard who went on to play some pro games in Europe and now is a high school basketball coach in Baltimore.

  • With Bradley: 6-foot-4 guard in 2020-21.

  • This season: Slick ex-BU guard played for Immortal Luzigas in Portugal's pro league in 2022-23, and briefly this season with Focsani in Romania. He's also founded his own media company, and now is an assistant coach for Overlea High School's boys team in Baltimore.

Elijah Childs

Elijah Childs has played for multiple teams in Europe since turning pro after his Bradley University career.
Elijah Childs has played for multiple teams in Europe since turning pro after his Bradley University career.

  • With Bradley: 6-foot-8 forward from 2017-18 through 2020-21.

  • This season: The elite former Bradley big man turned pro with Pallacanestro Trapani in Italy in 2021-22. He spent 2022-23 with the Bakken Bears in Denmark's Basketligaen. In 2023-24 he started with MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg in Germany's Basketball Bundesliga. He now plays in Germany for MLP Academics Heidelberg. With the latter this season, he has averaged 16.8 points, 8.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists and shot 52.1% in 30 minutes per game.

Ari Boya

Bradley's Ari Boya (1) celebrates his slam-dunk off an alley-oop from Connor Hickman in the second half against Southern Illinois on Saturday, Jan. 22, 2022 at Carver Arena. The Braves defeated the Salukis 70-62.
Bradley's Ari Boya (1) celebrates his slam-dunk off an alley-oop from Connor Hickman in the second half against Southern Illinois on Saturday, Jan. 22, 2022 at Carver Arena. The Braves defeated the Salukis 70-62.

  • With Bradley: 7-foot-1 center from 2018-19 through 2021-22.

  • This season: The 7-foot former Bradley big man played pro ball in 2022-23 for Arkadia and BBC Nord Dragonz in Austria. He averaged 13.4 points and 10.7 rebounds per game. It does not appear he played this season.

Koch Bar

  • With Bradley: 6-foot-11 center from 2016-17 through 2019-20.

  • This season: The 6-foot-11 center played three seasons in Denmark's pro league, and in 2023-24 played briefly for Tsmoki-Minsk in Russia's VTB United League. In Denmark in 2021, he had a 29-point game and an 18-rebound game.

Ja'Shon Henry

Bradley senior forward Ja'Shon Henry rips away a rebound during a MVC tournament championship game loss to Drake at Enterprise Center in St. Louis on Sunday, March 5, 2023.
Bradley senior forward Ja'Shon Henry rips away a rebound during a MVC tournament championship game loss to Drake at Enterprise Center in St. Louis on Sunday, March 5, 2023.

  • With Bradley: 6-foot-6 forward from 2018-19 through 2022-23.

  • This season: The former Bradley captain and MVC's best Sixth Man launched a coaching career. He was signed as an assistant coach by Canada Topflight Academy West, the elite high school-aged basketball training program in western Canada.

Drew Adams

  • With Bradley: An assistant coach from 2015-2022.

  • This season: The former Bradley assistant coach moved on in 2022 to become assistant coach/recruiting director at Cincinnati, where he is also associate athletic director for men's basketball.

Darrell Brown

Former Bradley star point guard Darrell Brown sets an example for the Braves as he works out with the team in practice Monday, Oct. 2, 2023 at Renaissance Coliseum in Peoria.
Former Bradley star point guard Darrell Brown sets an example for the Braves as he works out with the team in practice Monday, Oct. 2, 2023 at Renaissance Coliseum in Peoria.

  • With Bradley: 5-foot-10 guard from 2016-17 through 2019-20.

  • This season: The former Bradley star guard joined the team staff this season as director of player development. He has helped the coaching staff develop freshman guard Demarion Burch and helped improve solid veterans like Connor Hickman and Duke Deen.

Mikey Howell

  • With Bradley: 6-foot-3 guard in 2021-22.

  • This season: The guard spent his fifth year of eligibility as a transfer with Bradley, then went on serve as director of basketball operations for UC San Diego. This season, he was promoted to full assistant coach status.

A word from the women

Former Bradley University star guard Gabi Haack (back row, right end) made her pro debut in Europe in 2023-24 with Franconville in a France pro circuit.
Former Bradley University star guard Gabi Haack (back row, right end) made her pro debut in Europe in 2023-24 with Franconville in a France pro circuit.

  • Longtime Bradley women's basketball coach Andrea Gorski, who retired in 2022, has settled near family in Florida and is working part-time as committees coordinator for the Geoprofessional Business Association.

  • Bradley women's star guard Gabi Haack launched a pro career in August, signing with Franconville in France for the 2023-24 season. She had a 10-point game early in her season in late September.

  • Former Bradley guard Mahri Petree averaged 8.4 points and 1.6 assists on 27.8 minutes over 28 games this season for UTEP.

  • Her sister and former Bradley teammate, Lasha Petree, played pro ball in two leagues in the 2023-24 season. She signed with Abejas, in Mexico's top pro league, and played 17 games during the summer, averaging 6.8 points. She moved on in the fall to Europe and played for Vimpelin Veto in Finland. She averaged 20.1 points and 36 minutes over 11 games.

Dave Eminian is the Journal Star sports columnist, and covers Bradley men's basketball, the Rivermen and Chiefs. He writes the Cleve In The Eve sports column for pjstar.com. He can be reached at 686-3206 or deminian@pjstar.com. Follow him on X.com @icetimecleve.

This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Former Bradley basketball players in Big Ten, MVC, pros, Europe