’20 Will Thomas talks about his return since suffering a Jones fracture

<p>For the Baltimore high school basketball faithful, the last thing you remember about <strong>Will Thomas</strong> was seeing him scorch the eventual Class 4A state champion Perry Hall for 34 points in the regional semifinal game. The game ended in dramatic fashion thanks to <strong>Anthony Walker</strong> (Miami) converting a lay-up as time expired. Nevertheless, Thomas' performance was nothing short of impressive. It was a disappointing way to end the season, but Thomas had high expectations both for himself and his team heading into his senior season. Like the game against Perry Hall, those expectations and hopes would quickly come to a screeching halt.</p> <p>In a preseason workout where college coaches traveled specifically for Thomas, he came down from jumping and felt sudden discomfort in his foot. Soon after, he was diagnosed with a Jones fracture and ruled out for the entire upcoming season.</p> <p>"When the doctor told me I'd miss the whole season, it took a couple of weeks to really set in with me," Thomas said. "It was definitely hard, especially when the season started and we started losing games that I knew that if I was out there, we wouldn't have lost."</p> <p>Dealing with an injury doesn't just impact an individual physically. The mental toll that it can take can ultimately be the hardest to overcome. Fortunately for Thomas, he had a good support system to help him get through it.</p> <p>"I would actually talk to Marvin Price a lot since he had just come off missing time with an injury," Thomas told Prep Hoops. "I'd talk to him almost every day. My mom always did whatever she could to keep my spirits high. She'd always send me quotes in the morning as well as all of my high school coaches. My mother put the date of March 10 in my head because that's the date that I could get back on the floor for AAU. So every day when I would struggle, I'd just remind myself of that date and that it was getting closer."</p> <p>As the high school season came down the home stretch, Thomas has continued to make progress in therapy and prepare for that date in March that was by this time, embedded in his brain. What he didn't realize was how much the time off would mess up his rhythm and feel for the game that came so naturally before.</p> <p>"When I first got back, I was so slow on my feet and I didn't feel athletic at all," Thomas continued, "my confidence struggled because of that, so that's why I started out the AAU season with Crusader Nation. I wanted to get my confidence right before getting to the UAA Circuit."</p> <p>After getting back in his groove, Thomas joined Team Thrill's 17U team and this past weekend at Southern Jam Fest, played against some highly regarded competition. His first time since returning from injury.</p> <p>"I started to feel like myself again," Thomas claimed. "Everything is starting to come back together for me little by little."</p> <p>Thomas will look to finish out this summer with Team Thrill on the UAA Circuit before heading back to Mervo for his senior season. His situation is unique considering he was allowed to stay at Mervo and re-class. As a Mt. Carmel transfer, Thomas had not completed all of the testing that Baltimore City schools require of their students to earn their degree. That was a huge factor in determining whether or not he could re-class and remain at Mervo.</p> <p>"When the news came out that I'd re-class and remain at Mervo, everyone thought it was specifically for basketball reasons, which it's not," Thomas said. "It's to improve my GPA and fulfill my requirements so that I can get my degree."</p> <p>Thomas' return to Mervo put them back in the conversation for competing in city play. Thomas' versatility and the size that teammate <strong>Elijah Rantin</strong> (2020) offers at 6-foot-9 gives the Mustangs to legitimate options to build around.</p> <p>Throughout the time that Thomas was injured, Coastal Carolina, Coppin State and Delaware State were programs that stayed consistent in recruiting him.</p>