BKB Preview | Expectations won't change for Eagles, Bradley

Josh Bradley isn't necessarily setting the table for the next couple of seasons, but this year, will be a rebuilding year for a team that went 29-3 last season, winning a second straight Eldorado Holiday Tournament title and second straight regional title.
Bradley, who is in his 5th year as head coach at Eldorado, graduated five starters and some 85 percent of his offense.
One of the bright spots returning is senior Joe Mayberry, who came off the bench and averaged double figures last year, but will be complemented with players who lack a lot of varsity minutes.
Still, Bradley says expectations will be high this year.
"I think expectations still have to be high. Mayberry was a guy that was our sixth man last year. He scored double digits for us and we have a good junior class and a couple sophomores that are going to play. Is it 26, 27 wins? Probably not. But is it 15-20? I think we're still within the ballpark, and competing for a conference, competing for a tournament at Vienna, hopefully maybe a semi-final at the holiday tournament. Hopefully a chance to be in the Regional Championship late. I think the goals always stay the same."
"I think this year we have a lot more teaching to do on some things," Bradley said. "We have some tall kids but we don't have the size and the thickness that we've had the last couple of years, so the offense has to change a little bit. We've had guys play varsity basketball for three years that last year could have seemed to have coached themselves right from the get-go. They did whatever they needed to do, however, they had to do it.
"This year, we kind of have to teach a little bit more on some of the things we want done offensively. This group has got to get better defensively. That has been the strongest point of our basketball team the last couple of years. Some of these younger guys have to follow suit with that but as a coach, this is kind of the fun time where you're not trying to fine-tune some things but teach the way to do. We're pretty excited and looking forward to it."
As far as what will make a successful season, Bradley maintains that improving and gaining confidence will be an important factor, as well as, changing some minds as the season goes on.
"If we improve at the end of the year. If we're a team - come late season - that when teams are voting for the regional, they say 'man, that Eldorado team has improved and we don't want to play them' then I think this year we will have a successful year. If we have a tough out late season then I think this team has done what they have needed to do to set themselves up for the next couple of years."

Spyder Dann covers prep and college sports for the Southern Illinois Local Media News Group. Follow him on Twitter: @spydieshooter.