COVERITLIVE.COM

6:01

Dave Reynolds - On behalf of the Journal Star, I'd like to welcome Bradley basketball coach Jim Les to this live chat session. We can discuss the Braves' recent trip to Brazil and anything else pertaining to the team and the upcoming season.
Jim, welcome back home from your travels and thanks for joining us.

6:01	Jim Les - Great to be here. Fire up!

6:02	Dave Reynolds - I'll get it started with a couple of questions about Brazil. Can you give us an overview of the trip and the benefits the team derived from it on and off the court?

6:04

Jim Les -

A great, humbling cultural experience. I was really proud of how our players embraced their ambassador role as they journeyed through Brazil. They were great representatives of Peoria, Bradley University and Bradley Basketball. I thought the trip provided a tremendous team-bonding experience. And finally, we grew together on the floor with our execution, both offensively and defensively, and we hope to carry that momentum through the fall and the start of our 2009-10 season.

6:05	Dave Reynolds - Was that third-place trophy as large as it looked in the pictures? Did somebody have to carry it on the plane back from Brazil?

6:06

Jim Les - LOL ... It was the largest trophy I've seen in a long time, resembling the Stanley Cup, and it was only for third place. The task bringing the carry-on luggage back from Brazil went to the low man on the totem pole in terms of seniority ... Ned Goertzen. Reminded me of my days as a rookie carrying John Stockton's jock.

6:06	Dave Reynolds - We've got some reader questions in the queue. First, from Paul.

6:06	[Comment From Paul Bender] Has Anthony T. gained any weight?

6:07	Jim Les - Sticks has gained 50 pounds since arriving on campus two years ago and this summer he has gained a good 15 pounds. Way to go Ronnie Wright!

6:07	[Comment From Michelle] What goals do you have for the team and individual student-athletes for the upcoming season?

6:10

Jim Les - Our focus is going to be concentrated on a daily work ethic/toughness mentality as we approach conditioning, lifting and ultimately practice in October. This short-term focus will lead us, ultimately, to positive results. I can tell you this will be a tough and demanding preseason. Sometimes you focus on goals for March and you stumble in your daily routine, thus the short-term approach.

6:10	Dave Reynolds - From Braves12. Can you explain in a little more detail why you may not fill one of your nonconference dates?

6:13

Jim Les - We have two openings for home games on our schedule at this moment. There haven't been many willing takers to come to Peoria in November and December. Our hope is to get at least one more home game and we may venture on the road for the right opportunity, but we will be selective. Our road schedule is already filled with tough games at BYU, Iowa State, and neutrals with Oklahoma State and Illinois or Utah.

6:14	[Comment From Fred] Good evening coach, and congratulations on a deep postseason run last year and successful trip to Brazil. If you had to pin an approximate level (low DI, DII, etc.) of the teams you faced in Brazil, how would you label them?

6:15	Jim Les - They were equivalent to Division I basketball teams in the states. Their rosters were stocked with skilled, veteran players and I like the fact that our team was challenged.

6:15	Dave Reynolds - Monterey would like an update on the injured players.

6:17

Jim Les - Will Egolf is doing much better since we arrived back home. He's had a couple of days of rest and will resume workouts next week with minimal limitations. We expect him to participate in our preseason workouts. Andrew Warren is expected to be cleared for basketball activity on Sept. 1. We will progress accordingly. If there are no setbacks, we expect him to be ready for practice on Oct. 16. Eddren will have a splint on for another week to 10 days and be good to go.

6:18	[Comment From Fritz] Do you expect much playing time this year from anyone in the freshman class?

6:20

Jim Les - My expectation is that the freshman will provide us with much-needed depth on our roster. Who will play and how much remains to be seen. Although the freshman were here for the majority of the summer, I am not allowed to observe them, be it in conditioning or on the basketball floor, so I will have a better idea once I can be with them during workouts.

6:20	[Comment From Lydia Moss] Coach, what were your thoughts on the situation at Memphis? Can anyone run a clean program and win big anymore?

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