Recruiting Update – Elijah Thompson (2027 Southridge)

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2026058' first='Elijah' last='Thompson'] may still be on the recruiting board - but will it last much longer? There are plenty of options for the dynamic senior point guard from Southridge and he's been busy this fall with his recruitment, picking up offers, talking to college coaches, and going on official visits. It's all the result of a good off-season of club and June ball after his outstanding junior season and he's certainly grateful for all that's happened and what's still to come.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It all started this spring when Thompson began his final club campaign on the Puma circuit with Select Basketball out of Idaho. "It was a great experience," Thompson said. "We learned to play together, play off the ball, and that was a big thing for me, being able to play off the ball, being able to cut things like that. And I think that's why we had a lot of great success - we ended up getting to the finals down there in Texas - and overall, it was just a great experience."</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Thanks to his play in both club basketball and with Southridge at some viewing events in June, Thompson has garnered plenty of recruiting attention - and offers. It's been active past few months for him as he's made official visits to Western Oregon, Black Hills State, St. Martin's, and College of Idaho and there's another trip set for Western Washington in couple of weeks and the hopes is a visit to Portland State can also be set. Thompson has seen a lot and there's plenty memorable at each stop.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>"The environment in Black Hills and College of Idaho have been outstanding - I feel like they just come together as a community and they're both winning programs," Thompson said. "College of Idaho has won two (NAIA) national championships in the last three or four years and Black Hills State has won their league three of the last three years. And then St. Martin's, they won the GNAC last year."</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With so much information gathered - and more to come with future visits - how is Thompson breaking it all down to a decision? "I want to go somewhere where I can win and play at the same time, and then obviously the culture as well," Thompson said. "I'm looking at my relationships with players and coaches - every visit that I've went on, I've had a chance to just get away from the coaches and hang out with the players. I feel like that's been great, because I can get a feel for the players, how they are on and off the court. And then obviously, most of the time, I'm with the coaches. So just being able to get a feel for both of them is a good thing for me."</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As far as a timeline for a decision, Thompson is taking his time but isn't necessarily going to wait too long. "Right now, I feel like before Christmas is my timeline, but that could change," Thompson said. "Last year, going into summer, I was like by November, I wanted to make a choice. But at the same time, that just changes in ways when coaches come calling. But as of right now, it's by Christmas."</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As Thompson mulls over his recruitment, he's naturally also well aware the season is upcoming. There are individual goals of course, he'd love to repeat as Metro League Player of the Year, earn First Team All-State again, and the ultimate achievement of being named 6A Player of the Year is within reach. As far as team goals go, they haven't changed. The Skyhawks have a nice blend of returnees and newcomers and Thompson isn't sugarcoating what he's looking for this upcoming season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>"The expectations stay the same - we want to be able to win at all costs," Thompson said. We're going to Hawaii this year and we're playing in the LSI for the fourth year in a row. But for us, our main goal is a state championship. But we're going to take it day by day.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>"Last year, we tended to look ahead a lot instead of being in the moment, and I feel like that caught up to us at the end of the season," Thompson said. "But the ultimate goal is always a state championship for any team and for us, it's taking it day by day, game by game, and being able to do the best in those moments versus looking ahead in certain games. So that's a big thing for us."</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->