
’26 Bradley looks to fill TK’s shoes
James Bradley Jr., ’26, is a versatile piece of weaponry for any high school football team. Bradley completed a pass, scored TDs rushing, scored TDs receiving, and housed a pick-six covering 88-yards. So far this season in basketball, he is averaging 13.8-points per game and 8.2-rebounds. Suffice it to say, he’s an athlete. His head coach at Hoptown, Dustin Lopez, predicts Bradley will be a MONSTER in ’25.
HB Lyon, Scouting Director, KPGFootball

Hopkinsville, KY: We were talking with Hoptown’s head football coach, Dustin Lopez, the other day. Well, to be completely candid, Coach Lopez and I were texting, back and forth. If you haven’t figured it out by now, you talk to one of us…you talk to all of us.

For you older readers, that is the 2024 equivalent of talking. Anyway, I digress.
Coach Lopez and I were discussing a prospect and he offered the following: “Mark my words, James Bradley, Jr., will be a MONSTER next year. He has the ‘it’ factor.”
Lopez would know something about “it” factors. Lopez, after being a prep star for three years at Todd and a year at Hopkinsville, would matriculate to Memphis State (now, the University of Memphis) and be a multi-year starter in the Tigers’ defensive third level. Go, Tigers, Go!
Absolutely love [James Bradley, Jr.] as a safety and an athlete
Dustin Lopez, HFC, Hopkinsville High
Lopez continued, “I’m certain on this one, man. Absolutely love him as a safety and an athlete.” Emphasis added.

Bradley was a diverse and spectacular piece of weaponry in ’24. Bradley, ’26 prospect, completed a 30-yard pass, rushed the ball 78-times and gained 464-yards with a pair of TDs, caught 37-passes for 399-yards with four (4) TDs receiving, and was third (3rd) on the team in scoring with 46-points. Additionally and on defense, this athlete registered 61-tackles with one INT he took back 88-yards to pay dirt for a “pick-six.”
If you look at what Bradley does on the hardwood, absolutely none of his football production would be surprising. Bradley is either leading or among the leaders for the Tigers’ hoops squad, so far this season, in averaging 13.8-points and 8.2 boards per game.
Now the Tigers had a tough year. They were 3-7 and missed the playoffs in a six-team district with only four qualifying. Not all three win seasons are the same.
The Tigers dropped its opener to Greenwood (5A), on the road, by two points; lost by nine to Warren East, lost by a deuce to Allen County-Scottsville (ACS), and dropped a seven point decision to 6A Pleasure Ridge Park (Lou., “PRP). One might say the Tigers were close to posting a 7-3.
The ’24 Tigers were close to posting a 7-3 and were a three win squad most teams sought to avoid
Friday Night Fletch
What do the Tigers plan for next season? Well, they lose Treston Kay (Big Ass Fans, Large School All-Stater) together with a quarterback in Aiden King who was productive and steady, if not “flashy.”
There will be talent. Over a century of competitive football has taught us that.
With dynamic play-makers like James Bradley, Jr., on hand, look for the Tigers to be vastly improved in spite of the losses to graduation. Then again, what do we know?
This is Friday Night Fletch, reporting for KPGFootball, reminding you to PLAY THROUGH THE WHISTLE!
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