PEORIA, Ill. -- Senior point guard Daniel Ruffin (Peoria, Ill./Central H.S.), a preseason candidate for the Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Award, scored a game-high 14 points during Bradley's 24-minute Red-White Scrimmage in front of 3,782 fans Friday night at Robertson Memorial Fieldhouse.
Sixth-year Bradley head coach Jim Les opened the men's portion of Friday's night's Red-White Scrimmage dressed as “SouljaBrave” and performed a brief dance with the Bradley cheerleaders. After his introduction of the 16 players, the scrimmage took on a much more intense tone as the team battled through two, 10-minute halves and a trio of end-of-game situations.
Ruffin and freshman point guard Sam Maniscalco (Chicago, Ill./St. Patrick's H.S.) were the only two Braves to play all 20 minutes of the traditional segment of the scrimmage. Although Ruffin hit 7-of-13 shots, dished out two assists and came away with a game-high three steals, Maniscalco's Red team won the 20-minute scrimmage, 29-25. The 6-foot freshman combo guard had four points, four assists, two rebounds and two steals in his 20 minutes. Teaming with Ruffin during the second situational scrimmage, Maniscalco added a “game-winning” corner 3-pointer with 11 seconds remaining for the White team to finish with seven points.
Junior center Sam Singh (Ozark, Mo./Ozark H.S.) was the game's second-leading scorer and rebounder, finishing with nine points and seven rebounds. His inside bucket with 27 seconds left had given the Red team a one-point lead in the second situational session, which began with the White team leading by one with 1:00 remaining. Junior center David Collins (Toronto, Ontario/Emery Collegiate Institute), a 7-foot center who transferred to Bradley from Missouri State-West Plains, led all players with nine rebounds. Senior guard Jeremy Crouch (Pekin, Ill./Pekin H.S.), senior forward Matt Salley (Charlotte, N.C./North Mecklenburg H.S.) and junior guard Brian Lavin (Peoria, Ill./Notre Dame H.S.) each scored six points. Salley, who is Bradley's top returning rebounder from last season, also pulled down six boards in split action between the two teams.
The Braves, who received seven points in the preseason ESPN/USA Today Coaches' Poll released earlier today, will face outside competition for the first time Thursday when they host NAIA St. Ambrose in a 7:05 p.m. exhibition at Robertson Memorial Fieldhouse. Thursday's preseason game is expected to be the final game the Bradley men will play in the historic arena. The Braves played their regular-season games at Robertson Fieldhouse from 1949 through 1982, compiling a 400-100 (.800) record on the famed raised floor. Tickets for Thursday's exhibition game against the Fighting Bees are $10 (reserved seats), $5 (general admission) and free for Bradley University students, faculty and staff.
