Jonathan Bradman, a three-year standout in the Coral Shores basketball program, has decided to continue his basketball career at Dean College in Franklin, Mass. A private college of around 1,300 students, Dean College’s basketball program is considered a perennial power in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference.
Bradman’s athletic grants and institutional scholarships equate to a full scholarship of a little over $60,000 annually.
“We are ecstatic to add a player of Jonathan’s caliber to our recruiting class,” said Joe Cabral, head basketball coach at Dean. “Jonathan is a long wing player that excels in transition, has the ability to pull up off the dribble and stretch the defense from deep. With a commitment to the weight room and his skill development, I’m confident he will develop into a major player for us here at Dean over the next four years.”
Bradman said he’s been working for this roster spot his whole life.
“I can’t wait to see what God has in store for me in the future. I’m really excited about getting started on the next chapter of my life,” he said. “I am so grateful to my parents for all they’ve done for me and to coach (Jarrod) Mandozzi for the time and dedication he has given to developing me as a person and a basketball player.”
Mandozzi said words can’t express how happy he is for Bradman that he gets to fulfill his dream to continue his basketball career in college. Mandozzi said Bradman has worked hard over the years and spent countless hours in the gym and at the park honing his skills.
“I think it’s a great match, as Dean is perfect for Jonathan. And I think Jonathan is perfect for Dean,” he said. ”First of all, it’s a great community and a family atmosphere up there. They’ve built a great program with a culture that Jonathan will fit right in with. And in Jonathan, Dean is getting a great kid first of all, who on the court can get to the basket with either hand and finish; he handles the ball well, has a strong mid-range game and can shoot it from anywhere on the court. I can’t wait to see what he does once he gets up there and gets acclimated to the college game.”
“I’ve enjoyed watching Jonathan’s passion for the sport of basketball along with coach Mandozzi’s amazing commitment and mentoring of Jonathan,” said Sol Bradman, Jonathan’s grandfather and guardian. “As long as Jonathan was willing to put in the work, coach Mandozzi was willing to help him. If Jonathan was not home I could count on him being at the gym or the park working on his game. I think we are all looking forward to seeing him succeed at Dean.”
Coral Shores athletic director Rich Russell said he “can’t think of an athlete we’ve had who has been more committed to his sport.”
“His work-ethic and dedication to basketball truly provides a great model for all our student-athletes. Most folks don’t understand how rare these kinds of scholarship packages are but Jonathan has earned every penny,” he said.
This season, Bradman has averaged 19.3 points a game on a field goal percentage of 56.5%. He’s also averaging six rebounds and four assists per game.
