Charlie Bradley

[ChiTownBull]

http://sports.tbo.com/sports/MGB0IA95VME.html

TAMPA - Sometimes, Charlie Bradley wonders how the time disappeared so quickly. His last basketball game at the University of South Florida was in 1985. He left as the Sun Belt Conference's all-time leading scorer (2,319 points).

Since then, USF basketball changed conferences three times.

And Bradley is still the Sun Belt's leading scorer.

"It seems like a long time ago, but it also seems like just yesterday," said Bradley, 42. "Basketball opened some doors for me. I want to pass on what I know, and hopefully the game can open doors for some other kids, too."

Bradley, who works as a recreation leader for the City of Tampa, is head coach of the Florida Stars, a 13-and-under AAU team that last week swept through the state tournament at the University of Tampa's Bob Martinez Center. The Stars, 33-1 with five tournament championships this season, should have a top-10 seed next month at the national tournament in Memphis, Tenn.

Players for the Stars, middle schoolers, are not old enough to remember Bradley's USF exploits. Some have attended games at the Sun Dome and seen Bradley's giant No. 30 retired jersey hanging from the rafters. That was enough to realize they were learning from local basketball royalty.

"Charlie still has a name that is very recognizable," said Eric Bems, a Tampa equities trader who serves as an assistant coach, along with Ronnie Callaway. "I've never seen someone who can laugh and have such a great personality with the kids, then get very serious and focused right after that.

"That's the personality of this team. The kids are good, but they definitely have their basketball goals in mind."

That might have something to do with the bloodlines.

Austin Rivers, a 6-foot point guard from Winter Park (and son of Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers) is the leading scorer at 18 points per game, while 6-3 center Billy Thompson Jr. from Boca Raton (son of former Louisville and NBA player Billy Thompson) is the top rebounder.

"Doc Rivers [whose family still lives in the Central Florida area] has been around for us a lot, as have all of the parents," Bems said. "When you have Doc Rivers there saying, 'Move your feet! Move your feet!' it tends to carry some weight."

Rivers is joined in the backcourt by 6-1 shooting guard Kingston Bems of Tampa. The forwards are 6-2 Keyshawn Hudgens, a South Carolina transplant who already can dunk, are 6-foot Chris Myrick of St. Petersburg.

Other players include Prince Matt, a 6-4 center from Bradenton, Tampa's Stephen Lanier and Antonio Rubio, St. Petersburg's Mike Singleton, Orlando's James Farrell and Miami's Rod Days.

"I played some AAU ball myself, but I don't remember anything this organized being there for us at such an early age," said Bradley, who dreams of establishing a basketball academy in Tampa. "I want to emphasize to these guys that the earlier you start doing things the right way, the better off you'll be.

"At USF, I was asked to do a lot of scoring and I didn't play much defense. That really hampered me at the next level [bradley never played in the NBA]. I tell these kids, 'If we didn't teach you how to play man-to-man defense, that would be like disrespecting you.' Doing it the right way is important."

Off the court, too. Bradley, Bems and Callaway try to incorporate life lessons. Recently, the Stars players had a night out with local cancer patients. While in New Orleans for a super regional tournament, the players did community service work for the region still recovering from Hurricane Katrina.

"We want to make it about more than basketball," Eric Bems said.

[SRQ]

Nice post.  I wonder if Charlie has a positive attitude about USF with the kids?

[ChiTownBull]

Hey Bulliever any chance of getting Charlie for a summer time chat?

[Rabbi Bull]

any chance of getting rivers and thompson's kids to play here at usf?

[Brad]

Hey Bulliever any chance of getting Charlie for a summer time chat?

Good idea...I'll give it a shot.

[Triple B]

Amazing thing is did you catch the heights on those 13 an under kids?? 6-4, 6-3, 6-2 ......... no one mentioned under 6.  

[bulls96go]

will he send any to usf?