Prospect Spotlight: Zach Thompson (2017)
Belle Chase shooting guard Zach Thompson recently wrapped up a fine high school basketball career, and that’s where hoops will end for him.
The 6-foot-3 senior — though having some D3 opportunities — has decided to pursue political science at the University of South Carolina. And he plans to attend law school thereafter.
“I only had two basketball offers, one from College of St. Scholastica in Minnesota and then Louisiana College. But I opted to just go to school for academics; I’m going to University of South Carolina,” said Thompson, who has several ties to the Palmetto State.
“My dad retired from the Marine Corps and he got a job up there (South Carolina), and this is where our family was from. I really didn’t want to go to Minnesota, and I didn’t want to stay in Louisiana.”
Certainly a capable college prospect, Thompson netted 16 points per game this past winter with the Cardinals. And showcased his all-around game while adding 5 rebounds and 4 assists per contest.
“I wanted to work on my ball-handling and my speed and agility. And it’s a good thing I did, because four games into the season our point guard broke his hand, so I had to play the point the rest of the year,” said Thompson.
“It helped me a lot with court-vision, running the offense and knowing when to shoot it. It helped me a lot with my game.”
He added: “I was really proud, we did really well. All of our seniors stepped up, and I’m proud of the team, and proud of how I did.”
Thompson will leave behind a very decent legacy at Belle Chase, and the Cardinals will have a huge void to fill next season.
Already eloquent and diplomatic with his speech, the soon-to-be lawyer-in-training says he learned many life lessons he otherwise may not have during his basketball career.
“Basketball, it meant everything to me. I don’t remember a day going by where I didn’t play basketball. More than anything, hanging out with the team is what I’ll miss the most,” said Thompson.
“It was such a great experience. Basketball taught me so many things that I don’t know if I would have learned without playing it; obviously teamwork, leadership, perseverance.”