With their 69-62 region win over Laney, the Thomson Bulldogs moved to 12-0, 4-0 in 4-2A, and further reinforced their No. 1 ranking.
The Bulldogs are winning with a senior-heavy group, led by Jahkius Jones, Daquon Young, Jaden Thomas, Ty Jones and Storm Hunt, all Class of ‘24 members. It will be The Last Dance for them, and a chance to deliver the program its first title after last year’s disappointing first-round exit.
“This group of seniors is a good group,” said Bulldogs coach Michael Thomas, Sr, who has coached the program since 1982, and picked up his 700th career win against Lumpkin County in the second game of the season. “They are bound and determined to get something done this year. They’ve said it. It doesn’t have to be said. This is a very competitive group. So far, we’ve been doing decent.”
They’ve shown to be up to the task. On Dec. 15, they beat the two-time defending champion Westside Patriots 71-68 on the road, with Hunt making a number of clutch 3-pointers to fuel a Bulldogs rally. They trailed Westside, currently ranked No. 3, by 11 at halftime.
Hunt, who averages 10.6 points, has been hitting big shots all season.
“I call it competitive shooting,” he said. “Some can score in blowouts, or at any point in the game. But, can you shoot when you’ve got to have it? When the game is on the line, Storm raises his hand and says, ‘I’m going to make this one,’ and then he does.”
Storm is one piece of the puzzle. Alongside him, Jahkiaus Jones averages 16.7 points, three rebounds and three assists. Thomas views him as hardened leader who can dismiss pressure because of his life experiences. He’s is a four-year starter, and also the football team’s quarterback, leading it to a 2A title in 2022. He has accomplished all of this after suffering a near-fatal heart episode during an AAU game in the summer leading into his freshman year.
“They say he died on the court twice,” Thomas said. “The EMTs had to shock him back twice, and he was rushed to a hospital in Atlanta and stayed there for a month, got a defibrillator and had an outstanding sophomore year after he was cleared to play. I am extremely proud of him. You get through that, then basketball isn’t a whole lot of pressure. He takes big shots, makes big free throws, and nothing in the game phases him.”
Young, a versatile 6-foot-3 wing, leads the team in scoring, averaging 20.5 points with 9.1 rebounds, five steals, 2.6 assists and two blocks.
“He’s a sleeper,” Thomas said. “He’s scoring, his fingerprints are all over rebounding, deflections and steals. He’s all over the floor, and he’s probably playing the best overall, from a well-rounded standpoint, including leadership.”
Jayden Thomas, of no relation to the coach, averages 10.3 points, 7.2 rebounds and a block. At 6-foot-4, 260 pounds, he also played offensive tackle for the Bulldogs.
“He’s more athletic than he looks,” Thomas said. “He has quick feet, he’s nimble, agile, and has a soft touch around the basket. He’s a skilled basketball player who understand the game very well.”
Ty Jones, of no relation to Jahkiaus, is the Bulldogs’ “Russell Westbrook,” according to Thomas. He averages 9.1 points, five rebounds, five assists and three steals.
“He’s in ‘Go’ mode from the time he steps into the gym,” Thomas said. “He’s athletic, energetic and he’s an excellent defender. He pushes the ball well and he can be our primary ball-handler.”
Another senior, Tramon D’Antignac, has been out since November with an ankle injury that’s being described by the team as similar to the one Georgia football player Brock Bowers suffered in October. Bowers required “TightRope” surgery and missed nearly a month. The Bulldogs hope to have D’Antignac, a career 38-percent 3-point shooter, back in February.
A third, also-unrelated Jones, sophomore Markevion Jones, has stepped up in D’Antignac’s abscence, averaging 7.2 points with five rebounds.
“Markevion has moved into the starting lineup and has proven to be a talented young player,” Thomas said.
Ja’Meer Hatcher is another contributing sophomore, averaging five points and three rebounds. He contributes in a way the stat sheet can’t convey.
“He can play the 2, 3 and 4,” Thomas said. “He’s our seventh man, if you will. We can plug him wherever we need him if another player needs a break. We’ve thrown a lot at him, and I’m pleased for him to pick all of that up as a 10th grader. I stay on him a bit, because we need him to perform at a high level.”
The goal is for the team to continue to gel and improve, while winning. Last year, that was a challenge. The football team went on a championship run to extend its season, taking with it a significant chunk of the basketball team. As a result, they were just starting to get into what would have been midseason groove, except it was the postseason. Coming out of a tough region, they also drew a tough first-round matchup — one of just two first-round matchups between top 10 teams — and went home much earlier than expected.
The football team lost in the second round this year, and while a second consecutive title would have been preferred, the basketball team benefitted by having its team together sooner.
“Having those two weeks made a difference,” Thomas said. “It gave us time. Once we got past the Westside game, that gave us time to practice a bunch over the Christmas holidays. Plus, they’re older now. It’s a senior group that’s playing with each other, for each other.”
The Bulldogs have 10 regular season games remaining, all against 4-2A, starting with Josey (0-9, 0-4) Friday. They host Westside in a rematch on Jan. 23.
Thomas expects the team to stay the course the rest of the way.
“I’d like, No. 1, to see us stay focused,” Thomas said. “Keep up the competitiveness. Practice doing the right things on and off the court, because what you do off the court translates to what you do on it. So far, we’ve had exceptional leadership, so we just need to stay disciplined in our approach.”
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