Prospect Watch: JaRon Thames (2019)
Class of 2019 wing JaRon Thames of Trinity made a big splash for the Titans last season after moving back to the St. Louis area from Atlanta, GA.
The 6’6″ Thames is a talented player with versatile game that continues to expand all of the time. After a very productive summer with MO Team Carroll, he has received interest from Division I schools such as Ohio U., American, UAB and Morehead State. He also took a visit to Division II Missouri Western last week.
Thames is a native St. Louisan who spent the first two seasons of his high school career in Atlanta. When he came back to St. Louis, he landed at Trinity, where he helped accelerate the building process of an up and coming Titans program that has become one of the best in Class 3.
“I fit in pretty well here at Trinity,” Thames said. “I’m glad to be back home.”
As a junior, Thames averaged a team-high 15.5 points and 5.1 rebounds while shooting 57 percent from the field in leading the Titans to a 21-4 record and a berth in the Class 3 district championship game. The Titans held a 15-point lead against defending state champion Northwest Academy before dropping a heartbreaking decision late in the game. That loss to Northwest has been a big motivator for Thames as he enters his senior season.
“We were up by 15 points and we just let it slip away,” Thames said. “That has motivated me to come back harder this season. We learned our lesson from what happened at the at of last season. We want to go and win state. That is our goal for the season.”
Thames has a well-rounded game which includes scoring and rebounding, but he is also an unselfish player who will give up the ball to open teammates. His two-dribble pull up from the mid range is excellent, but he has also added a potent 3-point shot to his offensive arsenal.
“I’ve been getting in the gym every morning and getting shots up and working on my jumper,” Thames said. “The 3-point shot is big for me because people know that I can get to the rack and score. It makes me tougher to guard.”