BU's Community Night in Dunlap last night

Last night Bradley held the next in their series of Community Nights at Hickory Grove Park in Dunlap.
Turnout was good - at least 100 people, maybe more as people trickled in and out.
For those who know where this fairly obscure park is, it's really the extreme east end of Dunlap, and it's even inside the Mossville/IVC school district. I was easy to get to being just a couple minutes or so north of the Knoxville-Rt. 6 interchange...and the weather was absolutely perfect.
There were coaches from numerous sports but quite honestly, I'd have to say at least 95% of the fans who were there came because they were basketball fans.
Kirk Wessler was there in his white bobblehat, half the basketball team was there (Jake, Will E., AT, TB, Donivine, Nate Wells) and all the basketball coaches (Geno, Graham, Uken, Beilein, Willie).

They had stuff for kids, playground, ice cream, popcorn, Qdoba catering, and everyone was friendly. Nice to talk with several of the posters from the message boards, and I really enjoyed meeting and talking with all the coaches.
Geno was great, talkative, easy to approach.....his kids (8th grader & HS sophomore) will both go to Dunlap schools.
Greg Graham is also getting used to hot, muggy weather, his wife is a nurse who plans to get her licensing transferred at some time so she can work, and he also has two sons...
One just graduated from high school and will attend a prep school (will tell you which one elsewhere), and his other son is also a sophomore and will attend Dunlap. Word is that Graham's high school sophomore son is a very good basketball player, and so is Geno's, so Dunlap will have a windfall of talent for the next few years.

I had the opportunity also to talk with Willie, he's really a great guy and has been traveling all over recruiting - out west, Florida, and everywhere in between.
Nate Wells is a very pleasant kid, and has gained 20 lbs since arriving in Peoria and doing the summer workouts. Like I did in college -- he is frequently taking advantage of Avanti's "All-you-can-eat-spaghetti nights"...it was $1 for all you can eat back when I was in college but I suspect the price is a bit more now, although I prefer not to partake nowadays.
Nate is fully comfortable with his decision to redshirt this year so he will not be playing - except he might play in exhibitions, which is allowed.
Donivine has definitely GROWN a couple inches since I last stood next to him...he is a legitimate 6-ft now and maybe even a bit over 6-ft even.
AT is bulking up a little - I hope that translates into banging harder and earning some PT.
Will is out for the year so with him out and Nate Wells redshirting - that leaves the team with only 11 rostered, scholarship players. So we had better hope we don't have any more injuries. Will Egolf was walking comfortably with a knee brace on.
TB was his usual pleasant self - and anxious to play more.
Jake Eastman has lost some baby fat and bulked up a bit - looks like a solid 6-5.

Rick Gaa of the Athletic Department had a lot to be proud of -- his son, a juniore at Metamora HS, just accepted a scholarship offer to play baseball at Bradley - Class of 2013. Rick's other son starts as a freshman at Bradley this fall! Congrats to Rick & Spencer.
http://www.pjstar.com/sports/x142922808/Metamora-junior-accepts-BU-baseball-offer

I guess some people asked about the Itoo spaghetti supper -- I always liked going to that, but I never heard anyone mention it at the Dunlap event - so it must have happened at the Pekin event.
Regardless - I would rather tell you about what DID happen at the Bradley event, than to fill my entire report on something that is not currently on the plans.

Geno answered one question about playing style by saying it will definitely be up tempo -- and bragged about his teams always being at the top of conference offensive stats - but also noting his style also demands (and usually succeeds in) low turnovers.

It was a good evening with Dave Snell moderating the actual "program" part - one more night left in Washington...