PEORIA, Ill. -- The front-court combination of redshirt freshman Saihou Jassey (Banjul, Gambia/Rose Hill, Ky., Christian H.S.) and junior college transfer Matt Salley (Charlotte, N.C./North Mecklenburg H.S.) shared team-high scoring honors with 11 points, leading the Red squad to a 41-40 victory in Friday night's annual Bradley Basketball Red-White Scrimmage at Robertson Memorial Fieldhouse.
Playing in front of an estimated crowd of 2,700, Bradley's 12 healthy players split into two six-man squads for the 20-minute, game simulated scrimmage. Playing for the White squad, junior point guard Daniel Ruffin (Peoria, Ill./Central H.S.) led five Braves in double-figures with 14 points and he shared game-high honors with five assists. Sophomore guard Ray Brown (Richfield, Minn./Richfield H.S.) added 10 points for the White team, while senior center Zach Andrews (Rancho Cordova, Calif./Cordova H.S.) also chipped in 10 points for the White team and pulled down a game-high six rebounds.
Junior guard Jeremy Crouch (Pekin, Ill./Pekin H.S.) enjoyed the best all-around game, contributing seven points, four rebounds, five assists and no turnovers in the Red squad's winning effort. Crouch hit 3-of-4 field goal attempts, including his only try from beyond the 3-point line.
Ruffin, who last week was named a preseason candidate for the Bob Cousy Award presented by The Hartford, routinely split the Red team's trapping defense, setting himself up for drives into the lane and creating shots for both himself and his teammates. The team's top returning scorer (7.7 ppg) from the 2006 NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 squad, Ruffin made 5-of-9 field goal attempts, including 4-of-5 from inside the arc. Although 1-of-4 from beyond the arc, one of those attempts was a buzzer-beating attempt from 40 feet to end the scrimmage. Ruffin also made all three of his free throw attempts.
After the scrimmage, Jassey, Ruffin and senior guard J.J. Tauai (Verona, Mo./Verona H.S.) were selected by three youthful fans to join them in a shooting competition, which was followed by a slam-dunk contest. Andrews was the final dunker and provided the highlight attempt, beginning with the 80's dance move “The Worm” at the far end of the court, followed by a midcourt back handspring and ending with an alley-oop lob from Salley for a two-handed finish.
The Braves will have little time to prepare for the two exhibition games versus outside competition. Bradley will host NCAA Division II national champion Winona State in the second game of a Bradley men's and women's basketball doubleheader Wednesday at Robertson Fieldhouse, then will take on NCAA Division II preseason No. 7 Northwest Missouri State Nov. 4 at Carver Arena. The 2:05 p.m. exhibition Nov. 4 versus the Bearcats is the first-game in Bradley's 17-game season-ticket package. Season-ticket holders are reminded that the ticket for that game is located on the cover of their ticket booklets.
