There is an old saying that goes: if you’re not part of the solution, then you’re part of the problem.
Aiden McClary had watched from afar the last three basketball seasons, taking a break between football and baseball seasons to enjoy the time amongst the Bradley student section as the Bears took the hardwood.
But after watching crosstown rival Cleveland roll through the Bears, bringing an 11-game win streak in the series into the 2021-22 season, McClary decided to lace up the sneakers for his senior year and Friday night inside a packed Raider Arena, the slippery guard was definitely part of the solution.
McClary scored a team-high 16 points, including six critical points in the final period, as the Bears held of a frantic rally from the Blue Raiders to complete the season sweep of the rivals, 51-48, last night.
The win, combined with an earlier nine-point victory, gave the Bears their first sweep of Cleveland in hoops since the 2015-16 season.
So was McClary the defining missing piece to get Bradley over the hill in the series?
“Oh, no, don’t put that on me. This is a big rivalry in this town and it’s always hard fought. This is my first year on the team, but this was a team win. Both of them were. I just played a part,” McClary deflected amongst the celebration.
Nonetheless, McClary has added a matchup nightmare dimension to the Bradley offense that has played a notable difference.
“Yeah he really is a hard matchup because if you put a big on him, he’s quick enough to get by them and if you go small on him, he can post up,” admitted first-year Bear coach Zach Carpenter.
Perhaps the most notable difference in last night’s game, though, was Bradley’s second-half adjustment on defense to slow the Blue Raiders’ roll. Cleveland had outscored the Bears 16-10 in the paint in the first half as the two teams battled to a 24-24 tie at the break. Bradley, however, closed down that avenue in the final 16 minutes, allowing just one bucket in the paint while scoring 16 of its own from short range.
“At halftime, I really got after them because we were getting killed in the paint. I thought we did a much better job in jumping the ball and putting more pressure out front. The guys played hard and it made a difference in that third period,” Carpenter said.
The Bears (15-10, 7-5) limited Cleveland to just one field goal in the third and McClary’s triple from up top with two ticks left in the quarter gave Bradley a 38-27 lead heading into the homestretch. The lead swelled to 43-29 after Josh Wykoff nailed a 3 from the corner wing, but with a large crowd spurring them on, the Blue Raiders got hot, and it was Judah Sault leading the way.
Sault almost single-handedly willed the Blue Raiders back into the game. First he hit back-to-back 3s to close it to 45-35. He then got a block on defense and fed Alex Hyder, who got fouled and made both free throws, Sault then got a turnover and on the ensuing possession went high for an inbounds pass, and once he corralled it found Tate O’Bryan open for a triple to make it 47-40.
McClary answered with a full court layup but after a Cleveland free throw, it was Sault again drawing a charge for the turnover. Gabe Leeper followed with the Blue Raiders’ lone points in the paint for the half. Sault then rebounded a miss following a Bear turnover and made one of two free throws to cut the lead to 49-44. After another Bear turnover, Leeper made a pair of freebies, and Sault followed by forcing another Bear turnover on the inbounds.
Leeper was fouled out front and made both free throws to make it 49-48 with 22 seconds left. The Bears managed to finally break Cleveland’s press and got an uncontested layup by Dee Reid with 14 seconds left. Cleveland (11-14, 7-5) got a great look at a tying 3, but it was off the mark and the Bears had the win in hand.
“We needed the win tonight. We had lost three in a row, but despite that we came to work every day at practice ready to get better. I told them when I took the job, I didn’t know how many games we would win, but we would play hard every time we took the court. And that’s what we did tonight. We have a tendency to let up when we get a big lead, but we held on,” Carpenter added.
True to his mantra, nine of Bradley’s 10 losses this year have been two poessions games and five of them have been one possession games.
Wykoff chipped in 13 points nine rebounds for the Bears and Brandon Shumera, who has been out with a hurt hand, was back on the floor and added 11 along with four assists. McClary also grabbed nine boards as the Bears won the rebound battle 33-23.
Both teams had trouble with turnovers as Cleveland gave it up 23 times and Bradley turned it over 18 times to contribute to the low scoring affair.
Sault led Cleveland with 17 points and six rebounds while Hyder had nine points and four assists.
Bradley girls 63, Cleveland 42: The Bearettes completed their seventh consecutive undefeated run through the district, winning for the 110th straight time against district competition. And as impressive as that it is, the fact the Bearettes have won the 110 straight games by an average of 38 points in unfathomable.
“It’s hard to stay hungry, but I’ve been blessed with incredible girls who want to put in the work. It’s tournament time now and it’s time to rise, but there’s an old Marine saying that says you sink to the level of training, and these girls put in the work. Just because we beat somebody by a lot doesn’t mean we take them for granted the next time we play them,” said Bradley head coach Jason Reuter.
And they certainly didn’t take a good Cleveland team for granted as the Lady Blue Raiders have been the only district team this year to play the Bearettes within 20, losing twice by 14 and last night’s 19. Add the fact the last team to beat Bradley in the league was in 2014 and it happened to be this same Cleveland program.
“I had to calm the girls down some tonight because it was Cleveland and that rivalry sometimes gets them a little too amped. They’re a good team and add to the mix the rivalry, and you better be ready to go,” added Reuter.
The Bearettes (23-3, 12-0) eked out to a 13-7 early lead after one period thanks to a pair of big 3s by Karsee Weber and extended the lead to 10 at the break. Cleveland (21-6, 10-2) saw its main threat Katie Moore get in early foul trouble with two fouls and the Lady Blue Raiders missed seven of nine first-half free throws.
Freshman Harmonie Ware scored six of her 12 points in the second period in a 14-6 run and twice had rebound stick backs in the second half that hurt Cleveland.
“Missing a shot and a turnover are different but they are the same result, but when you get those rebounds and put backs, it changes things. Harmonie did a really nice job tonight, but I thought Ashlon (Crittendon) played really well and (Karsee) Weber’s shooting was big. And Hannah Jones hit some big shots,” complimented Reuter.
Four Bearettes scored in double figures led by Weber’s 17 on five triple makes. Ware had a dozen to go with her seven rebounds while Crittenden and Jones each had 11 as Bradley shot 53 percent from the floor.
Cleveland was led by Addison Hurst’s 10 points.
Bradley has one more game left with a tough Knox Catholic squad which handed them one of their three losses before the District tourney at McMinn County. The Bearettes will be shooting for their eighth trip in the last 12 season to the state tournament.
GIRLS SUMMARY
BRADLEY 13 14 18 18 – 63
CLEVELAND 7 10 14 11 – 42
BRADLEY (63) – Ashlan Crittenden 11, Carpenter 4, Karsee Weber 17, Hannah Jones 11, Swick 3, Brewer 2, Ledford 3, Harmonie Ware 12.
CLEVELAND (42) – Addison Hurst 10, Moody 7, Johnson, Williams 9, Moore 4, Tanner 9, Hurst 2, Lee 1.
3-point goals: Bradley 8 (Weber 5, Jones, Swick, Ledford); Cleveland 1 (Moody).
Records: Bradley 23-3 (12-0); Cleveland 21-6 (10-2)
BOYS SUMMARY
BRADLEY 8 16 14 13 – 51
CLEVELAND 13 11 3 21 – 48
BRADLEY (51) – Reid 2, Aiden McClary 16, Brandon Shumbera 11, Carpenter 3, Ary, Howard 2, Taylor, Josh Wykoff 13, Daniel 4.
CLEVELAND (48) – Judah Sault 17, Lambert 2, O’Bryan 3, Alex hyder 11, Leeper 9, Thomas 4, Broadrex 2, Smith.
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3-point goals: Bradley 6 (Wykoff 2, Shumbera 2, McClary, Carpenter); Cleveland 6 (Sault 2, Hyder 2, O’Bryan, Leeper).
Records: Bradley 15-10 (7-5); Cleveland 11-14 (7-5).
(Contact James Beach at 1134james@gmail.com)