Peoria, IL -- The Bradley Braves Men's Basketball program has signed three high school seniors to their recruiting 2025 class.
The 2025 Class so Far
With three signees all officially having put pen-to-paper, Brian Wardle and the Bradley Braves are well under way to building what could be the highest rated class of the Brian Wardle era at Bradley with multiple highly ranked prospects. The class currently consists of three guards, all of who are ranked in the top-20 of their respective states and have strong family background in basketball.
Matthew Zobrist - Guard | Metamora Township in Metamora, IL
Matthew Zobrist, a 6'5" guard from Metamora, IL, has firmly established himself as a standout player on the Illinois high school basketball scene over the past three seasons. Winning has become second nature for both Zobrist and Metamora during his high school career. Over the last three years, Zobrist has helped his team secure 94 wins, multiple sectional titles, and two state championship berths. As a result of his impressive performance, Zobrist was ranked as the #4 high school player in the state of Illinois in the 2025 class by the City/Suburban Hoops Report. Additionally, he was named to the 2024 Illinois Basketball Coaches Association All-State Third Team, he also has been named as a 2024 Mid-Illini Conference first team pick in addition to helping Metamora boys basketball become nationally ranked by Max Preps ahead of last season.
While Zobrist's basketball achievements speak for themselves, he also comes from a family with a strong basketball background. Matthew is the son of Aaron Zobrist, a former Bradley Brave and current member of the Bradley Braves Athletics Hall of Fame. Aaron played for Bradley University from 1993 to 1997. Additionally, Matthew is the cousin of Nate Kennell, another former Bradley Brave who played for BU from 2015 to 2019. More about Matthew Zobrist here.
Dietrich RIchardson - Guard | Peoria-Manual in Peoria, IL
Dietrich Richardson, a 6'7" guard from just five minutes down the road from the Bradley University campus, has officially signed to join the Bradley Braves Men's Basketball program. Richardson burst onto the scene last season, and his success carried over into the summer and fall as he quickly climbed the state rankings for Illinois recruits in the 2025 class, as well as the national recruiting landscape. Heading into his senior season, Richardson is ranked as the #1 prospect in the state of Illinois for the 2025 recruiting class, according to the City/Suburban Hoops Report. Additionally, according to 247Sports, Richardson has been graded as a 4-star prospect and is ranked among the top 140 prospects in the nation, solidifying him as the highest-rated recruit in the Brian Wardle era at Bradley.
The accolades for Richardson don't stop there. He was named a Peoria Journal Star 2024 Class 2-A All-Area selection and earned unanimous 2024 Big 12 Conference First-Team honors. Richardson also continues his family's strong basketball legacy, as he is the nephew of former Illinois standout DJ Richardson, who played for the Illini from 2009 to 2013 and graduated from nearby Peoria Central High School. Last season, Richardson averaged 18.5 points per game (PPG), 6.0 rebounds (RPG), 5.0 assists (APG), 1.0 steals (SPG), and 1.0 blocks (BPG) for a 21-12 Rams team that won a Class 2A Regional championship. More about Dietrich Richardson here.
Montana Wheeler - Guard | Xavier Academy in Houston, TX
Montana Wheeler, a 5-10 guard from Houston, TX, has officially signed to play basketball at Bradley University next year. Wheeler averaged 13.0 points per game (PPG), 7 assists per game (APG), 3.8 rebounds per game (RPG), and 1.9 steals per game (SPG) while playing for his Texas Bluechips team on the AAU circuit.Â
Wheeler is currently playing for Xavier Academy in Houston, Texas, for his senior season, where his father, Teddy Wheeler, was named head coach before the 2024-25 high school boys' basketball season. According to ESPN, Wheeler is rated as a four-star prospect and is currently ranked in the top 20 in the state of Texas. By 247Sports, Wheeler is rated as a three-star prospect and is ranked in the top 60 nationally at the point guard position. At the conclusion of the 2023-24 season, Wheeler was named to the All-Greater Houston Area Team, earning a first-team selection after posting 22 PPG, 8 APG, 2 SPG, and shooting nearly 40% from 3-point range during his junior season at Houston Christian.
The Wheeler family is no stranger to basketball, with multiple family members having different ties to the sport. Montana's father, Teddy Wheeler, who is currently the head coach at Xavier Academy, has helped over 60 players secure Division-I commitments, including three McDonald's All-Americans. Montana's brother, Savhir Wheeler, was a top-80 prospect by ESPN and played Division-I basketball at Georgia, Kentucky, and Washington from 2019 to 2023. Montana's uncle, Benard Wheeler, played basketball at Buffalo from 1995 to 1997. More on Montana Wheeler Here
