Bradford proving herself on women’s basketball team

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The announcers on 91.5 WMHW-FM know her as “Air Inkster,” to her team “CB” and Central Michigan University will soon know she is the real deal.

Freshman guard Crystal Bradford came into Mount Pleasant with her fellow Inkster teammates, guard Leah Scott and forward Jas’Mine Bracey, as the No. 19 prospect, according to ESPN, and she has lived up to that rating early this season.

“She is a great player,” said junior guard Brandie Baker. “She has long arms, she can steal the ball and she a great on offense. It’s nice having her on the court and not on the bench.”

Bradford came off the bench in her first two games as a Chippewa against Northwestern and Robert Morris.

In her first game against the Wildcats, she led the team in scoring with 14 points and off the bench against the Colonials she topped the 14-point showing with 17 points.

Head coach Sue Guevara went with a big change against Pittsburgh by starting four freshmen, including Bradford, after those two games. Bradford led the team, recording her first career double-double with 18 points and 12 rebounds.

CMU headed to the Great Alaskan Shootout where it faced South Florida and Bradford had a career day in the tough 86-80 overtime loss.

She put up 22 points, brought down 17 rebounds, blocked four shots, took away three steals and passed out three assists.

She found herself in foul trouble in the consolation game against Alaska-Anchorage, but still recorded 13 points, six assists, five rebounds, two blocks and one big steal that changed the outcome of the game.

“She is pretty consistent,” Guevara said. “Crystal is just getting better and better, and once we get her to have the same energy on defense that she gives on offense, she is going to be pretty tough.”