By Dave Reynolds
of the Journal Star
Posted Mar. 23, 2015 at 8:57 PM
PEORIA — The high school coach of Bradley freshman Josh Cunningham and sophomore Xzavier Taylor said the pair of young players have remained even-keeled about the BU program in light of head coach Geno Ford’s dismissal Sunday.
“They’re staying positive right now,” said Chicago Morgan Park coach Nick Irvin. “They don’t want to leave (Bradley and transfer elsewhere). But it’ll come down to who Bradley’s going to hire as the head coach and the assistants.”
Cunningham, Bradley’s first top 100-rated recruit since Voise Winters in 1981, was named to the Missouri Valley Conference all-freshman team — the lone Brave to receive recognition on an honor squad.
The 6-foot-7 forward averaged 7.9 points and 7.5 rebounds, ranking second in the league in rebounding. He shot 54 percent from the field on 2-point shots. Cunningham was the only BU player to play in all 33 games, starting 32 of them.
Taylor, meanwhile, regressed from a promising freshman season. The 6-foot-9 center dropped from 3.4 points and 3.2 rebounds as a freshman (starting 18 games) to 2.8 points and 1.8 rebounds (seven starts). His proneness to foul trouble didn’t diminish much.
Irvin said he prepares his players during high school for the possibility of coaching changes on the collegiate level.
“They know it’s a business,” Irvin said. “I talked to them about that. I told them you don’t be mad or hold a grudge if something happens with your coach. They had a pretty good idea this was coming.”
Freshman forward Donte Thomas and sophomore guard Kendahl Amerson are the only other Braves with more than one year of eligibility remaining.
There was no change Monday in the status of Ford’s current staff of assistants. Ronald “Chin” Coleman, Jaden Uken, Cole Pittis and Jaydee Luster all reported to work.
Coleman, via text message, told the Journal Star, “I’m still here for now.”
Dave Reynolds can be reached at 686-3210 or at
dreynolds@pjstar.com. Follow him on Twitter at davereynolds2.