Story Photos
 Tanner Bradley led the Greater St. Helens 2A League in scoring. Bill Wagner / The Daily News
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Jacks' Bradley will bring versatility to Lower Columbia College
Friday, June 27, 2008 12:30 AM PDT
By Rick McCorkle
Printable version
E-mail this articleAn All-State honorable mention selection who led the Greater St. Helens 2A League in scoring has agreed to bring his offensive versatility to the Lower Columbia College men’s basketball team beginning this fall.
R.A. Long High standout Tanner Bradley, who averaged 17.3 points per game as a senior while earning his second straight GSHL 2A first-team nod, will move to the wing in the Red Devils’ offensive scheme.
“I’ve played some post in high school, but I much prefer facing the basket as a guard or wing,” Bradley said. “I’m only 6-foot-2, but I like to have the ball in my hands and shoot.”
Bradley became part of RAL history when he knocked down 21 points in a 79-70 overtime win over Prosser in the Class 2A state tournament in March, the Lumberjacks’ first state victory since 1956. His postseason portfolio also included sinking 14-of-14 free throws for 21 points in a 55-32 win over Hockinson in a District 4 tournament game that put the Jacks in the state tourney, and he scored eight points for the Class 2A team in the All-State game.
And he accomplished the feats after three changes to the way he shot the basketball during the season. Bradley re-tooled his game to include fade-away jumpers, pull-up jumpers and in-your-face jumpers.
“I’ve never been around a guy who changed his shot three times in six months, and was still able to shoot as well as Tanner does,” RAL coach Rally Wallace said during the season. “That shows how much he loves to play the game and how hard he wants to succeed.”
And it was Bradley’s versatility that caught LCC coach Jim Roffler’s attention when he was recruiting to fill his wing vacancies.
“Tanner really exploded not just as a shooter, but as a scorer during his senior season,” he said. “He put the ball on the floor and got the ball in the hoop from a lot of different places. He’s a guy who has a knack of finding ways to get the ball in the basket with creativity.”
Roffler believes Bradley needs to add strength in order to compete as a more physical player at the college level.
“Tanner needs to put in a lot of time conditioning over the summer to get himself ready for the banging around he’ll have to endure as a college player,” he said. “The college game is more physical and Tanner isn’t a finesse guy. He played against some good defenders, but the players at this level are bigger and stronger.”
Bradley turned down offers to play at NWAACC Western Division rivals Pierce and South Puget Sound to compete at LCC.
“They (the Red Devils) have a good program and have proven to be a good team for the last few years,” he said. “I’ve also played high school and tournament ball with Jeray (Key) and Jyles (Peterson), and I know Clint (Burgoyne) and Matt (Trautman). I’m familiar with their tendencies, and it’s nice to play with people you’ve played with your whole life.”
Bradley hopes to eventually become a teacher and coach.
“I haven’t really thought much about what I want to do for a career,” he added. “Something that comes to mind is coaching and maybe teaching. I really like to be around sports.”
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