Recruiting Report: Will Thomas (2020)

Mervo heads to Parkville this evening as the two will face off for the Class 4A Region II Championship. The Mustangs are coming off a dominant performance in the semifinal round as they went into a hostile environment in Dulaney and won by a final score of 78-42. 2020 guard/wing Will Thomas Will Thomas 6'6" | SF Mervo | 2020 State MD led Mervo with 20 points in the win and must continue to be the focal point of his team’s attack if they want to punch a ticket to the Xfinity Center.

Thomas is one of the most versatile players in the area with his combination of size and skill. At 6-foot-5, ambidextrous and having a high IQ for the game, Thomas makes life on the opposing defense’s extremely difficult. Early in the game against Dulaney, Thomas was playing off the ball as the Lions sat in a 2-3 zone. He hunted offensive rebounds for second chance points, found open windows in the high-post area and made sound passes when he caught the ball on the perimeter. 

As the game went on, Thomas became more aggressive. When Dulaney switched to man, they simply didn’t have a player who could match Thomas’ size and speed off the bounce. In the second half Thomas showcased his skill set with a put-back two-handed dunk and a huge one-handed dunk on the break to put the nail in the coffin.

The special thing about Thomas is his unselfish play. He could easily go out and score 25-30 points a night, but knows that isn’t how his team will perform at peak levels. Fortunately for his teammates and the coaching staff, Thomas has an advanced feel for the game as a passer as well and can find others through the smallest of windows. 

Defensively his length and athleticism allow him to be a shot-blocking presence in the paint. He utilizes accurate timing with his block attempts and stays vertical to avoid fouling. Thomas is a presence on the glass on both ends, but his worth on the defensive side comes with his ability to grab the board and lead a successful fast break himself. 

There was no shortage of coaches in attendance for Thomas on Tuesday. Coppin State, Morgan State, Harcum Community College and Harford Community College all came to watch. When I caught up with him after the game to ask about his recruitment, he’s stil unsure whether he’ll take one of his Division I offers or elect to go the JuCo route, but his decision should be made within the next week or two.

As for this evening, Mervo’s game plan is simple.

“We just have to take John [Godinez] away,” Thomas continued, “I think we have the guard that can do that and if we take him away, it’s going to be a long night for them.”

The winner of the Mervo/Parkville game will enter the final eight teams that will be reseeded. Meaning there will be one more game following tonight’s regional championship before locking in a spot at the Xfinity Center for the final four.