Senior Jacques Thomas may not have been a household name in St. Louis prior to the start of the season, but offseason skill work, several marquee performances and eye-popping athleticism has helped the talented senior grab the attention of several division II and small campus programs looking to complete their rosters.
Thomas is an explosive wing that also shares time advancing the ball and helping to initiate the Falcon’s offense. To Summit fans, Thomas has long been known for his crowd-pleasing dunks. And now, after honing his perimeter skills, Thomas is bringing much more to the table.
Thomas is undoubtedly one of the top St. Louis area sleepers. Thomas is at his best attacking the rim and finishing above the rim or in the midrange. The athletic guard also sports some solid ball handling skills with a nice first step and evasive dribble. Halfway through the season, Thomas is averaging 17 ppg at a rate of 78% from the field and 43% from the three.
The on-the-court success of Jacques has brought some excitement and increased expectations to Falcons’ basketball, so I thought that it would be a good time for some Q & A with the 6-4 talented guard.
Q: How is the season going?
A: The season is going well we are 8-5 right now
Q: This year, you’ve improved in virtually every stat line how has this helped your team?
A: It has helped my team a lot because it gets my whole team involved in the game when I’m driving, I can kick it out to a shooter or a driver to get easy buckets. I can also just score it myself when we need to score a bucket
Q: What areas of your game have you shown improvement in and where do you go from here?
A: I feel like my three-point shooting has gotten a lot better each year since I began playing basketball in the 8th grade. As a freshman, I wasn’t as strong a player, so I tended to focus mostly on defense. After putting in the time working on my offense over the past couple of years, everything started to fall in place. In my sophomore year, I spent more time in the gym, getting shots, and extending my range. Now, I’m at a point where I know that I can play at the next level.
Q: Have you received any college offers, if so, from whom?
A: I have an offer from St. Louis Community College. Since the season has begun, I’ve heard from several others.
Q: What other schools are showing interest?
A: I have interest from Lindenwood, Missouri Baptist University, and Blackburn among others.
Q: What are you looking for in a college?
A: I am looking for a program with a great culture, history of success that can help me succeed and take me further in my basketball career.