PEORIA, Ill. - Brian Wardle has added a pair of freshman guards to his first Bradley Basketball team with the announcement Dwayne Lautier-Ogunleye (London, England) and Ronnie Suggs, Jr. (Washington, Mo./Vermont Academy) have returned their signed Letters of Intent to attend Bradley University and play for the Braves during the 2015-16 season.
Lautier-Ogunleye is a 6-foot-3 combo guard who plays as an amateur in the British Basketball League for the Bristol Academy Flyers. Originally from Washington, Mo., Suggs is a 6-foot-6 wing who attended Vermont Academy this past year. Both players will join the Braves with four years of eligibility.
"With this first recruiting class, the priority of our staff is not only bringing in talented players who can compete at a high level in the Missouri Valley Conference on a day-in and day-out basis, but more importantly, young men with great character, who are academically very strong and come from great family environments," said Wardle. "We have signed two kids that we feel meet all of those characteristics."
Dwayne Lautier-Ogunleye | Fr. | G | 6-3 | 178 | London, England
Lautier-Ogunleye has maintained his amateur status, but plays for the Bristol Academy Flyers in the British Basketball League. The 6-foot-3 combo guard saw his playing time increase down the stretch, a move that helped the Flyers reach the 8-team playoffs in the United Kingdom's top league. Lautier-Ogunleye averaged 8.7 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.4 assists during 31 regular-season games, while shooting 46.5 percent from the field and 31.1 percent from beyond the international 3-point line. In his last four games, Lautier-Ogunleye averaged 13.3 points. Bristol will face top-seeded Newcastle in a BBL Playoffs quarterfinal game Thursday.
"In Dwayne, we got a strong, physical combo guard that can play with the ball in his hands and make plays," said Wardle. "He can play the point guard, he can move off the ball and score and he's definitely a play-maker on both ends of the floor. He's also a very good shooter and he is shooting over 30 percent in a pro league from a further 3-point line. We feel he can come in and contribute right away and make shots for us."
Lautier-Ogunleye has previously played for Great Britain's Under-18 national team and he is expected to make the roster for the Under-20 national team that will compete in the 2015 U20 European Championship in Italy July 7-19.
Watch a Lautier-Ogunleye highlight video: https://youtu.be/1PiyRY844J8
Ronnie Suggs, Jr. | Fr. | G | 6-6 | 185 | Washington, Mo. | Vermont Academy
Suggs will come to Bradley from Vermont Academy, a college preparatory school in Saxtons River, Vt., that competes in the Lakes Region Athletic League of the New England Preparatory School Athletic Council.
During his high school career, Suggs twice led Washington (Mo.) High School to district championships. As a junior in 2012-13, the 6-foot-6 wing averaged 16.8 points and 4.1 rebounds per game to earn all-state selection in Class 5 by the Missouri Basketball Coaches Association. He was a repeat all-state selection as a senior in 2013-14 and was one of 10 finalists for Missouri Player of the Year after averaging 23 points and eight rebounds per game.
"Ronnie is a very skilled, 6-6 wing who can really shoot the ball," said Wardle. "He brings the value of perimeter shooting. His ability to score and his length are characteristics that we like in our perimeter players. So we're very excited about bringing his 3-point shooting into our program."
Suggs originally committed to Missouri in 2013, but after de-committing from the Tigers following a coaching change, he selected Bradley over offers from Nebraska, Saint Louis, TCU and Southern Illinois.
Watch a Suggs highlight video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjWsT0liXME
