Will Shaq Thomas be UC's next breakthrough player?

Bill Koch, bkoch@enquirer.com 6:21 p.m. EDT July 31, 2014


Shaquille Thomas.(Photo: Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports)

Two years ago, JaQuon Parker dedicated himself to becoming a better player during the off-season and emerged as a key contributor for the UC Bearcats. Last year it was Justin Jackson who saw the light and ended up being the American Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year.

Will there be breakthrough player this year?

"We'll see," UC coach Mick Cronin said. "I'm hoping that a lot of guys do. Our oldest three guys Ge'Lawn (Guyn), Shaq (Thomas) and Jermaine (Sanders) would be your three best candidates because the older you get the more you're able to impose your will on the guys you're playing against. You've learned how to play hard at this level and you're able to play harder than the other guys on the court. You can throw Kevin (Johnson) and Troy (Caupain) in there as well."

From among those players, Thomas if the most physically gifted but has yet to translate that into consistent production on the court. As he begins his junior year in his fourth year in the program, he's stronger and has worked on shooting with more arc. It's almost impossible from preventing him from getting into the lane but too often misses short jump shots.

He averaged 6.8 points last year, tops among UC's returning players, shooting 45.4 percent from the field, just 26.3 percent from 3-point range.

"I think there's definitely been a light go off in his head," Cronin said. "What happens is you think things are going to just happen. He realized that it's not going to be easy. You've got to be able to play hard all the time. You've got to look in the mirror. We have a saying that the effort is between you and you. You have to be responsible for your performance. You have to make it happen. I think he's finally ready to do that."

http://www.cincinnati.com/story/ucathlet.../13420041/

I don't know whether or not he WILL be the next breakthrough player, but I do know, he is going to have to be. I do think it is likely, if you look at the JJ and Parker past examples.