Two Sign NLI to Join Bradley Basketball

Men's Basketball 11/13/2019 11:12:00 AM

The Bradley men's basketball program welcomed two players during the first day of the early signing period on Wednesday with 6-9 forwards Darius Hannah (Milwaukee, Wis.) and Connor Linke (St. Charles, Ill.) both signing National Letters of Intent.

"We're excited to add Darius and Connor to our Bradley family," said Braves head coach Brian Wardle. "They are two young men who both have tremendous upside and who want to be developed. They fit right into our expectations and standards of the program – academically, socially and on the floor. They also complement each other on the court and it will be fun to see them play together in future years."

Ranked as the third-best player in the state of Wisconsin by 414 Hoops, Hannah joins the Braves after averaging 16 points, 11 rebounds and five blocks at Milwaukee Academy of Science. During his time with the Novas, Hannah helped lead the team to the 2018-19 Division 4 Wisconsin Sectional Finals.

"Darius is a long, athletic and versatile forward that can go inside and also play-make off the dribble in a way that is unique for his size," Wardle said. "He has great shot-blocking ability and with added strength, he has tremendous potential with our program."

"Darius is a great all-around player and his ability to put the ball on the floor and pass at the same time makes him dangerous at the stretch four and small forward positions," said Milwaukee Academy of Science head coach Agape Keys. "He has great athleticism and he can get anywhere on the floor with his mobility. He can also shoot at will and play defense at a high level."

"Bradley University has a potential star in Darius Hannah," said Director of Milwaukee Spartans Basketball Anthony McHenry. "Despite being young for his grade, he is an extremely talented player. He can shoot the three and handle the ball like a guard. He can also score around the basket and in a variety of ways and has tremendous athleticism. He is an even more impressive person, is a great teammate, understands the importance of being a student first and is genuinely a high-character and good person."

Averaging a double-double at St. Charles North High School, Linke was a unanimous selection to the Dukane All-Conference First Team as well as the All-Area First Team. He helped lead the North Stars to the 2019 regional title, posting 10.1 points, 10.3 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game, while shooting 59.6 percent from the floor as a junior.

"Connor is an athletic forward who has great defensive instincts," Wardle said. "He is really good at blocking shots and rebounding out of his area. Offensively, he has improved every year from a being a post player to expanding his range and playing on the perimeter as well."

"Connor is an outstanding young man – both academically and athletically," said St. Charles North head coach Tom Poulin. "Bradley is getting someone who will represent them very well 24 hours a day and who is eager to grow in all areas of his life. He is the product of an incredible family.

"On the floor, Connor brings a passion for the game and a great desire to win. His instincts defensively are elite and his offensive game is well rounded. Connor can rebound with the best of them and has grown into an effective leader for us. He has been a true pleasure to coach and is one of the best teammates our program has ever had."

The duo joins a Bradley program that is coming off its first Missouri Valley Conference Tournament title in 31 years during the 2018-19 campaign and has won 20 games in back-to-back seasons. The Braves are back in action on Saturday, hosting UIC at Carver Arena with first tip scheduled for 7 p.m.

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