The Bradley Braves are listed as one of the teams to beat heading into the 2022-23 season, as the Missouri Valley Conference released its preseason honors. The Braves had one player earn All-MVC honors with forward Rienk Mast being selected as a member of the All-MVC First Team.
This is the first time that Mast has earned first-team preseason honors. Mast ended last season on the All-MVC Third Team after averaging 8.6 rebounds per game, and 11.6 points per game on 47.6 percent shooting from the floor. He was also previously named to the 2021-22 MVC Most Improved Team as well as the 2020-21 MVC All-Freshman Team.
The Missouri Valley Conference also released its annual preseason poll, with Bradley projected to be second behind first-place Drake who claimed 52 out of the 54 first-place votes. Bradley and Southern Illinois round out the top three with each receiving a single first-place vote.
Bradley returns three of their top four scorers from a year ago, Rienk Mast, Ja'Shon Henry, and Malevy Leons. The Braves, while losing their top scorer Terry Roberts to the transfer portal brought in two guards that could show immediate impact in Cody "Duke" Deen and James "Pop" Weathers.
Duke Deen arrives at Bradley from Troy University as the reigning Sun Belt Conference Freshman of the Year. While at Troy, Deen ranked second on the team with 9.0 points per game and first with 3.2 assists in 23.7 minutes of action. Pop Weathers meanwhile was named a top 75 recruit by JucoRecruiting.com and was ranked in the top 50 nationally with 18.2 points, 4.9 assists, and 2.1 steals per game during his second season. Overall he, finished as the only player in the country to average 15 points, six rebounds, four assists, and two steals in 2021-22 Bradley will be back in action when they host an exhibition with Illinois-Wesleyan on Nov. 2nd and their season opener against Wisconsin-Parkside in Carver Arena on Nov. 7th.
2022-23 MVC Men's Basketball Pre-Season Poll (First Place Votes)
1. Drake (52)
2. Bradley (1)
3. Southern Illinois (1)
4. Missouri State
5. UNI
6. Belmont
7. Indiana State
8. Murray State
9. Valparaiso
10. Illinois State
11. UIC
12. Evansville
PRESEASON TEAMS
FIRST TEAM
Tucker DeVries, Drake (MVP)
Marcus Domask, Southern Illinois
Ben Krikke, Valparaiso
Rienk Mast, Bradley
Roman Penn, Drake
Ben Sheppard, Belmont
SECOND TEAM
Bowen Born, UNI
Donovan Clay, Missouri State
Lance Jones, Southern Illinois
Cooper Neese, Indiana State
Garrett Sturtz, Drake
THIRD TEAM
Cameron Henry, Indiana State
Kobe King, Valparaiso
Rob Perry, Murray State
Austin Phyfe, UNI
D.J. Wilkins, Drake
Original source can be found here.
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