There is a story told to demonstrate how far Bradley’s once-proud basketball program had fallen when Jim Molinari took over as head coach in April three years ago.
It wasn’t only the combined 19-40 record during Stan Albeck’s final two seasons that stigmatized the program after the departure of Hersey Hawkins for the NBA.
There was such a lack of discipline, structure and organization that Molinari couldn’t locate his center no matter how hard Molinari tried to contact him. After about two weeks, Molinari received a telephone call from campus police reporting that one of his forwards had been badly beaten.
“I thought it was terrible,” Molinari recalls, “and I asked who would do such a thing.”
“Your center,” police replied.
Molinari, a former De Paul assistant and Northern Illinois head coach, can smile about the incident now as his Bradley Braves (13-3, 8-1), completely made over since his arrival, are tied with Tulsa atop the Missouri Valley Conference. Bradley is preparing for a showdown with its fiercest rival, Illinois State, Wednesday in Normal.
Combining the rigid analysis of his education as a lawyer, the fervor of his born-again Christian background and the regimen of a drill sergeant, Molinari has resurrected the glory days of Bradley after five straight losing seasons.
The number of season ticketholders had dropped to about 4,000 from a high of 7,500 in 1988, Hawkins’ last year. But it’s back above 6,000 now and climbing.
Last Saturday night, a record standing-room only crowd of 10,789 hooted, hollered, stomped its feet and celebrated the tenure of Molinari with banners reading, “Bradley’s Got MO-mentum” during the Braves come-from-behind 68-62 victory over another archrival, Southern Illinois.
It was the first victory by Molinari over SIU, knocking the Salukis (12-4, 7-2) out of a share of the conference lead and marked the Braves’ 14th straight home victory.
“The program was at rock bottom when he came in, as bad as I’ve ever seen it,” said Joe Dalfonso, who has been Bradley’s sports information director since 1976.
The previous bunch either didn’t like the structure Molinari imposed or saw little playing time in his disciplined, defense-oriented style of play. Eight players with remaining eligibility either quit or transferred by the end of his first season.
“I was the only coach in NCAA history who lost more players than I won games,” Molinari said of his first season with the Braves, who were 7-23.
“The things we try to instill in our program-hard work and discipline-are lessons that will help them through life,” Molinari said. “I told them they can go through four years of pain now for 25 years of pleasure, but most people want short-term pleasure and go through life with long-term pain.
“I told them there can be no casualness. Basketball is not a casual game.”
Molinari considered the departures a plus for his program. A formidable recruiter when he was with De Paul who attracted Terry Cummings, Tyrone Corbin and Kevin Edwards, among others, Molinari looks for athleticism and character in players.
Unable to compete for the high school athletes who go to the perennial top programs, he seeks players who have the ability to develop basketball skills. Once in a while, he hopes to get a player who was simply overlooked.
Four of his five current starters are underclassmen, including freshman Anthony Parker from Naperville Central, the team’s second leading scorer with an average of 15 points per game.
In the team’s double-overtime, come-from-behind victory over Drake last week, Parker hit the two free throws that tied the score at the end of regulation play, and again at the end of the first overtime.
Parker was one of those who may have been overlooked by others. He is skinny, but has the 6-foot-5-inch frame to add weight. He is silky smooth in his release and has long arms that explain how he leads the team in blocked shots while playing guard, ranking second in steals.
In a reference that stretches the imagination but obviously shows Parker’s potential, the respected Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook likens his game to that of the Bulls’ Scottie Pippen.
Two other Chicago-area youngsters play critical roles off the Bradley bench. Dwayne Funches, a 6-5 forward from Orr, had a career high 14 points against SIU, and Roger Suchy from Glenbard North had 12 points and made several crucial plays.
Molinari came to Bradley after two seasons at NIU, where he led the Huskies to a 42-17 record and an NCAA appearance.
At age 40, he has become one of the hottest young coaches in the game after preparing himself for a law career by receiving his law degree from De Paul.
A lifelong lover of the game, he attended and worked Ray Meyer’s summer basketball camps for six years while in high school and college, and Meyer gave him a chance when Molinari wanted to go into coaching in 1978.
“He knows you have to have a relationship with the players before they are going to be willing to make the necessary sacrifices to play for you,” said Athletic Director Ron Ferguson. “Jim really cares about them. It’s not phony and that’s what sets him apart.”
