Best high jumper in the state puts up big numbers in basketball, too

Fruitport Calvary Christian junior Bradley Richards dunks during a game against Grand Rapids Sacred Heart Academy on Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023. He finished with 36 points and 17 rebounds. (Photo | Lenny Padilla.)

FRUITPORT, Mich. - Bradley Richards has been putting up big numbers on the basketball court since he was in middle school.

He could score even more if he was a bit more selfish. 

The 6-foot-6, 190-pound forward is a junior at Fruitport Calvary Christian High School, a small Division 4 school with just 51 students. During a recent non-conference game against Grand Rapids Sacred Heart Academy, Richards had 36 points and 17 rebounds and he didn’t play much of the second half.

“I sat out the whole fourth quarter,” Richards said. “I think a game like this, it’s best to run your plays correctly and making sure you get your teammates good shots.”

Richards is averaging 31.8 points per game in the first five games of the season. His career high is 47 points, which he scored last season. 

Believe it or not, basketball isn’t even his best sport.  

Richards has blossomed into an elite track athlete. 

He won the Division 4 state championship in the high jump last spring with an astonishing leap of 6-foot-10. That was the best mark of any high school athlete in the state in all divisions.

Fruitport Calvary Christian’s Bradley Richards won the MHSAA Division 4 state championship in the high jump with a leap of 6-foot-10 in the spring of 2023. (Photo courtesy of Brad Richards).

Brad Richards - Bradley’s father and basketball coach - was in awe of his son winning a state title.

“That was surreal,” Brad said. “It’s one thing to win a conference or regional championship. We’ve never won anything like that in (boys basketball) at our school. To have him, not only win the state championship in Division 4, he would have won it in all four divisions. He was the best in all classes. He went for 7-foot and his heel barely tipped (the bar).”

Bradley took a big leap from regionals to the state finals.

“It was pretty crazy,” Bradley said. “In regionals, I got 6-6 1/2. Then I got 6-10 in the state championships.”

That helped qualify him for a national event in Pennsylvania, where he finished second at 6-foot-8 1/4.

How did he get into track?

“My eighth grade year, I was training to just run a few races like the 400 and 800,” Bradley said. “My coach said he had a friend who did the high jump in high school and he was willing to teach me the basics. So in eighth grade, I started high jump and I got like 5-foot-10. The next year, I started working with Jim McHugh. He was an All-American high jumper at Hillsdale. I just work with him now. And he got me up eight inches.”

Fruitport Calvary Christian junior Bradley Richards shoots a jump shot during a game against Grand Rapids Sacred Heart Academy on Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023. (Photo | Lenny Padilla.)

Oh, and he started playing football this fall, too, just for fun.

He was a defensive back and backup receiver for the Muskegon Catholic Central High School team, which went 6-5 and won a first-round playoff game.

“I couldn’t have been more proud,” Brad said. “That took a lot of commitment and a lot of guts and character. I’m good friends with the Muskegon Catholic coaches (and they asked if he wanted to play). Bradley played football when he was a little kid.”

Bradley said putting on football pads for the first time was a little strange.

“At the beginning of the season, It took awhile to get used to getting hit,” he said with a smile. “And getting used to catching a football. It comes at you a lot faster than a basketball. You can’t just block it and catch it.”

It didn’t take long before the lanky defensive back to get hit.

“The second game (of the year), we were playing Benton Harbor,” Bradley said. “I got an interception and then I just got rocked and thrown backwards. I held on to the ball though.”

He said he liked it so much that he plans to play again next season.

Fruitport Calvary Christian coach Brad Richards talks to his team before a game against Grand Rapids Sacred Heart Academy on Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023. (Photo | Lenny Padilla.)

But for now, basketball is his focus. 

Fruitport Calvary Christian was 14-10 last season, including the school’s first district title. This season the Eagles are 5-0 as of Dec. 12, including a win over Fruitport High School, a first in program history. The trio of Richards, Quinn Swanson and Sam Zelenka work well together. They are all averaging double figures in scoring. 

Bradley has 1,407 career points as of Dec. 12. He scored 243 of those points his eighth-grade year when he averaged 16.2 points per game and was named all-conference in the Alliance League. Schools as small as Calvary Christian are allowed to use middle schoolers on varsity. However, the MHSAA does not recognize career stats until the athlete is in high school.  

Bradley said his goal isn’t just reaching 2,000 career points, its just to get more than his three older sisters, who all played for the Eagles. 

“Hopefully I’ll get there,” Bradley said. “I’m trying to pass my sisters. My oldest sister got like 2,400.”

Taylor Richards has 2,455 points, Kelsey Richards 2,271 and Allyson 1,951. All four kids began their varsity careers while still in middle school.

“His mom and I couldn’t be more grateful for all the opportunities God gave our kids,” Brad said. “We’re blessed. My wife (Joy) is a big part of what we do. She’s on the bench during games as well.” 

Bradley earned Division 4 All-State honors last season after averaging 21 points and 13 rebounds.

Track likely is Bradley’s ticket to college, however. He’s already gotten attention from some big schools. But so far, only one offer:  from Cornerstone University.

“I have a lot of options,” Bradley said. “I just have to sit down and figure out what I want to do. I’ve talked to Michigan, Houston, Illinois, Grand Valley, Cincinnati, a bunch of NAIA schools and a few other D1 schools.”

Maybe he should pick up a fourth sport. He might master that, too.

For more photos of Fruitport Calvary Christian, click here. For photos of Sacred Heart Academy, click here.

Fruitport Calvary Christian junior Bradley Richards puts up a shot during a game against Grand Rapids Sacred Heart Academy on Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023. (Photo | Lenny Padilla.)