PEORIA — The Bradley Braves have landed a local four-star rated talent, a major addition for coach Brian Wardle’s program next year.
Peoria Manual star point guard Dietrich Richardson announced his commitment to Bradley amid a gathering of friends and family in Peoria on Saturday evening at the high school. The 6-foot-7 guard had whittled down his choices to finalists Bradley, Wyoming and Vanderbilt.
“This is a big day for me,” Richardson said. “I decided to stay home. Bradley University is my choice. There were just so many things that drew me to Bradley. They are my home town team, and I can play in front of my family and that’s important to me.
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Richardson said Wardle came to almost every game he played and checked in on him. That made him feel like the program would invest in him as a person and player.
“Coach Wardle and his staff felt perfect for me,” Richardson said. “The environment and culture of the team, and the fans and the community, it’s all there. I fell in love with it.”
A long-awaited day
Peoria-based Manual has a long history of sending players to the NCAA Division-I ranks, but mostly beyond the mid-majors. Richardson is believed to be the first Manual player in nearly 35 years to join BU. Manual stars Curtis Stuckey and Tom Wilson played for Bradley in the 1990-91 season.
Not only is Richardson a major NCAA D-I talent, but he represents a huge recruiting coup for the Hilltop. The Braves and the Missouri Valley Conference won out in a recruiting battle with teams in the SEC, Big Ten, ACC and Big 12. The Rams senior drew 13 offers, including Bradley, DePaul, Wyoming, Xavier, Saint Louis, Arizona State, Virginia Tech, Illinois, Indiana State, Southern Illinois, Green Bay, Vanderbilt and Bryant.
Background: Manual’s latest Division I prospect is fruit of the Peoria basketball tree
“It was a difficult decision for a while,” Richardson said. “Do I want to go far away or stay close? My parents are happy I’m staying. I grew up watching Bradley basketball, went to a lot of those games. I see what they are building now, that winning culture.
“I think they are going to have a big year, with Duke Deen as the leader of the wolf pack and Darius Hannah and all those guys. I think they are going to have a great year.”
And next season, Richardson wants to be part of it. And he’s excited to be alongside another local guard, Metamora’s Matthew Zobrist, who committed to Bradley on July 9.
“That’s going to be fun having him as a teammate,” Richardson said.
‘I have a chip on my shoulder’
Richardson averaged 18.5 points per game last season as a junior, and added 6.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.0 blocks for a 21-12 Rams team that tied for fifth in the Big 12 Conference and won a Class 2A Regional championship. He was a Journal Star Class 2A all-area team selection and a unanimous all-Big 12 Conference first-team pick. He also was named to the IBCA’s all-state second team and Illinois Media’s all-state second team.
But Manual was upset by Macomb, 41-40, in the Class 2A Canton Sectional semifinals.
“I have a chip on my shoulder going into my senior season,” Richardson said. “Everyone on our team does. We didn’t get the finish we wanted last season. Our goal this year is a state championship.”
(This story has been updated to add new information).
Dave Eminian is the Journal Star sports columnist, and covers Bradley men’s basketball, the Rivermen and Chiefs. He writes the Cleve In The Eve sports column for pjstar.com. He can be reached at 686-3206 or deminian@pjstar.com. Follow him on X.com @icetimecleve.
