Athletic Forward Can Be Big Ten Factor

Doug Thomas, a 6-8, 240 pound power forward from Christian Faith Center in Creedmor, N.C., is working hard on qualifying. "It's really close. I think he will make it," said CFC head coach Vernon Wilson. "He has been working hard. He's going to Iowa. He is definitely going to Iowa."

Thomas chose Iowa a week ago for several reasons. Thomas signed a letter of intent.

"He had narrowed it down to UCLA and Iowa," said Vernon Wilson, head coach for Christian Faith Center. "He felt Iowa was the best school for him. It was a good environment for him. And Steve Alford is a good coach. Alford cared about him being more than a basketball player."

Thomas visited Iowa on May 10-12th. He also visited Western Kentucky in April with teammate Demarshay Johnson (signed with Oregon Stae).

Thomas also visited Vincennes Junior College in April. Previously, he said that Southern California, UCLA, Iowa State, Oklahoma and Miami were of interest.

Thomas is an aggressive inside player who attacks the rim aggressively, although sometimes, he lets his emotions get the best of him on the court. "He is a great talent that will only get better," Wilson said. "His leaping ability is getting better. His maturity in his game is getting better. You take the kid out of California and got him in another environment and show him a different side of life.

"He understands the intangibles off the court now. I like that about him now. He turned out to be one of my most likeable players. He came in man-body but he was a kid. Sometimes on the court he would display temper. Now he knows how to turn that into his game. He knows how to control some of that energy."

Thomas hails from Southern California, and played at Inglewood H.S. in Inglewood, Calif., prior to transferring to CFC. He also played during the summer with the L.A. Paladins program.

"I am very proud of him," Wilson said. "He is maturing. He became of a big kid again but he showed a lot of respect now."