Scouting Report: Brandon Thomas (2018)
Blackman High School (26-4) scooted through the AAA District 7 undefeated again. Graduated seniors like Donovan Sims (MTSU freshman), Jaellan White, and Bryce Williams drove the team. Alas, they are now done with Blackman basketball.
Who will emerge in 2017-2018?
Seniors-to-be Trenton Gibson and Brandon Thomas instantly jump off the page as potential team leaders.
These two seniors have starting experience. Gibson is known as a fantastic two-way player, capable of handcuffing great central Tennessee scorers. Brandon Thomas imposes his will on post players. He has the size and power to dominate the HS paint, but he might need to acclimate to the wing for college looks.
What does Thomas do so well, that earns him playing time with the BHS Blaze?
Offense (0-15): 11
Brandon Thomas plays kind of the college Draymond Green position. He pops out occasionally, but doesn’t shoot too many outside shots. In 30 games Thomas attempted 33 triples. He did hit 42.4% and that indicates outside shooting is a potential growth area for Thomas. He has good height and could find a clean look over an approaching defender should he decide to incorporate more deep tries. Thomas’ post offense is wonderful. He is a quick riser in the post and finishes with a sure touch. His comfort level around physical defenders is impressive. The season-long FG% of 68% speaks for itself.
Defense (0-10): 7
Currently Thomas plays the defensive role of a power forward. The hulking his junior HS season near the low blocks. He typically didn’t stray too high as the team featured some active guards around the arc defensively. Foul trouble didn’t really sprout up for Brandon Thomas. Despite his vulnerable position under the tin he rarely accumulated a dangerous amount of fouls. Thomas did not foul out the entire junior season and he only heard the whistle four times in a single game.
In 10 different games Blackman’s opponent failed to reach 40 points.
Rebounding (0-10): 7
Brandon Thomas lead Blackman in rebounding with 5.8 rpg. Beyond the fact that Thomas resided under the tin most possessions Thomas was virtually impossible to strip upon collection. His power ended any wrestling match prematurely. At 6-foot-4 and stout, Thomas was generally the strongest player on the floor each night out. Perhaps the greatest continual contribution of Thomas is his ferocious offensive rebounding. A dozen times in 2016-2017 Thomas snagged 3+ offensive rebounds in a game. He has long, strong arms and clasps on tightly. Considering his power and positioning at the HS level, Thomas’ defensive rebounding (3.84 Drpg) can improve. He will have more rebounding responsibilities now that Bryce Williams has graduated. They both hunted opponent misses eagerly last season.
Passing (0-10): 4
Like most traditional bigs, Thomas is more of a finisher than a supplier. He finished his junior season with 1.3 assists per game. If he moves away from the basket more in his senior season, then the passing attributes will be more on display.
Intangibles (0-5): 4
The ability to score and rebound make Thomas a productive high school big. The senior-to-be Thomas plays bigger and stronger than his 6-foot-4 suggests. Rebounding and defensive commitment are excellent indicators of unselfishness. Thomas thrives in both. He continues to give whatever the team needs, whether it be an infusion of scoring or a lockdown post defender.
FINAL SCORE (0-50): 33
The future of Brandon Thomas depends upon college fit and positional flexibility. Few college programs want 6-foot-4 centers. There are a couple hints in Thomas’ game that he could survive further away from the basket. He hit 14 game 3-pointers in a small sample. This could be a tell that Thomas can attack from the arc a little bit. Also, Thomas plays really well on the AAU-circuit. This tends to be a more uptempo style and doesn’t lean on post play as heavily. By improving his defensive rebounding and lateral foot speed Brandon Thomas could exit Blackman High School next spring as a combo forward with JuCo/NAIA ambitions.