PEORIA, Ill. – With an available roster of players split between seven newcomers and seven returning players, the Bradley men's basketball team will get an early start on preparations for the 2013-14 season by making a preseason trip to the Bahamas.
Funded from external donations, the Braves will travel to the tropical archipelago Aug. 11-16, when they will play four games and experience the Bahamian culture by participating in the fifth-annual Summer of Thunder Classic with 11 other NCAA Division I teams. By making the preseason trip, Bradley also will benefit from 10 extra days of practice leading up to the trip.
Bradley's trip to the Bahamas is being organized by Sport Tours International, directed by former Bradley men's basketball player Lee Frederick, and the Summer of Thunder Classic is run by the Bahamas Basketball Federation (BBF).
Bradley Schedule in the 2013 Summer of Thunder Classic
| Date |
Day |
Opponent |
Time (CDT) |
| Monday |
Aug. 12 |
Commonwealth Giants |
8:00 PM |
| Tuesday |
Aug. 13 |
Real Deal Shockers |
8:00 PM |
| Wednesday |
Aug. 14 |
PJ Stringers |
8:00 PM |
| Thursday |
Aug. 15 |
Mail Boat Cybots |
6:00 PM |
All games played at Sir Kendal Isaac's Gymnasium in Nassau, Bahamas
Led by rising seniors Walt Lemon, Jr. and Tyshon Pickett, the team's top scorer and rebounder, respectively, Bradley returns seven lettermen from a squad that enjoyed one of the best turnarounds in the nation last year. The Braves made an 11-win improvement to 18-17 overall and advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2013 CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament.
The team's 2013-14 roster also will include 2012-13 redshirts Anthony Fields and Omari Grier, as well as true freshmen Jordan Swopshire, Xzavier Taylor and Stefan Zecevic; and junior college transfers Auston Barnes and Chris Blake. Junior forward Mike Shaw, a transfer from Illinois, will not be permitted to make the trip due to NCAA transfer rules.
