F DeShaun "The Diesel" Thomas (Panathinaikos - Greece)

[bucknut11]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VpJsdJmMJ6A]YouTube - Northland vs. Bishop Luers: DeShaun Thomas Dunk[/ame]

 

[Buckskin86]

Published: January 24, 2010
Big stars don?t fail at Ohio tourney
Greg Jones
High school sports editor

Beating Bailey?
State?s all-time scorers

1. Damon Bailey, Bedford North Lawrence (1990) ? 3,134
2. Shanna Zolman, Wawasee (2002) ? 3,085
3. Marion Pierce, Lewisville (1961) ? 3,019
4. Stephanie White, Seeger (1995) ? 2,869
5. Skylar Diggins, SB Washington (2009) ? 2,790
6. Deshaun Thomas, Bishop Luers (2010) ? 2,737

COLUMBUS, Ohio ? Ohio State basketball fans had to like Saturday?s game between Columbus Northland and Bishop Luers.

Future Ohio State teammates Jared Sullinger and Deshaun Thomas put on a show, but Luers fell short 88-67 at the Play-by-Play Classic at Ohio State.

Both earned team MVP honors with Thomas getting 36 points and Sullinger 24.

?I had to put on a show because this will be my hometown next year,? Thomas said. ?I felt like I showed them what I am all about for next year.?

Both players had nine rebounds.

?He has a lot of God-given talent,? Thomas said of Sullinger, who is ranked in the top three nationally by most recruiting experts.

Both had some rim-rattling dunks and also showed off their range on three-pointers.

?We threw everything but the kitchen sink at him,? said Northland coach Satch Sullinger, Jared?s father. ?I had to go into the locker room and see if there was a star on my forehead because he lit us up like a Christmas tree.?

Both did the Buckeye nation proud as Ohio State coach Thad Matta watched from the sidelines.

?We are going to try to come out here and win a national championship with the guys we have,? Thomas said of the six Buckeyes recruits.

Big stars don__146_t fail at Ohio tourney | The Journal Gazette, Fort Wayne, Ind.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0ibNK7U2ic]YouTube - DeShaun Thomas After Game vs. Columbus Northland[/ame]

 

[Buckskin86]

Thomas had 22 (12 below his season average) on 5-of-21 shooting.

Beating Bailey?
State?s all-time leading scorers
1. Damon Bailey, Bedford North Lawrence (1990): 3,134
2. Shanna Zolman, Wawasee (2002): 3,085
3. Marion Pierce, Lewisville (1961): 3,019
4. Stephanie White, Seeger (1995): 2,869
5. Skylar Diggins, SB Washington (2009): 2,790
6. Deshaun Thomas, Bishop Luers (2010): 2,759

Trojans take big step toward title | The Journal Gazette, Fort Wayne, Ind.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGu2ksSxa14"]YouTube- ELMHURST AT BISHOP LUERS BOYS BASKETBALL[/ame]

 

[PlanetFrnd]

The block and outlet at 0:50...

 

[Buckskin86]

Published: January 31, 2010
Knights fall to Eagles
Matt DouthettSpecial to The Journal Gazette

Beating Bailey?
State?s all-time leading scorers

1. Damon Bailey, Bedford North Lawrence (1990): 3,134

2. Shanna Zolman, Wawasee (2002): 3,085

3. Marion Pierce, Lewisville (1961): 3,019

4. Stephanie White, Seeger (1995): 2,869

5. Deshaun Thomas, Bishop Luers (2010): 2,796

GARY ? Bishop Luers? Deshaun Thomas lit up Bowman Academy for nine first-quarter points (37 for the game), but the Eagles were able to clamp down on defense and hold the 6-foot-7 guard to just four more points before halftime.

That one strong defensive quarter was exactly what Class A No. 1 Bowman needed, as the Eagles were able to keep the offensive pressure going strong en route to a 90-81 victory over the Class 2A No. 4 Knights.

?It?s a huge win since we had a potential Mr. Basketball in town,? Bowman coach Marvin Rea said. ?Our kids played very hard.?

Thomas past former South Bend Washington standout Skylar Diggins, who is currently a guard at Notre Dame, on the state?s all-time scoring list to move into fifth place. He has 2,796 career points.

Knights fall to Eagles | The Journal Gazette, Fort Wayne, Ind.

 

[Buckskin86]

Published: February 5, 2010 3:00 a.m.
Thomas, Luers finally in national spotlight

Matchup
Bishop Luers at
Lawrence North
When: 4 p.m. Saturday
Records: Luers (10-6);
Lawrence North (9-4)
Rankings: Luers 2A, No. 5; Lawrence N., 4A unranked
TV: ESPNU (Comcast 280; Verizon 73)

The Bishop Luers boys basketball team has finally reached its time to shine on national television.

There were two other times the Knights could have been ? and were reportedly going to be ? on an ESPN network: against Detroit Country Day in December and against Columbus Northland last month. For different reasons, those televised games didn?t come to fruition.

But Saturday?s 4 p.m. game vs. perennial power Lawrence North will be shown live on ESPNU.

?When you are playing a game on ESPN, it adds a lot more pressure,? Luers coach James Blackmon said. ?You put a lot more pressure on yourself to perform well. We are looking for who is going to step up and who is going to be successful in that kind of environment. This should let us know a lot about our team in terms of who is going to be consistent and who is going to play under pressure, and who is going to look good on TV. We just want to go out and make a good showing.

?The attitude they had when we went to (Ohio State vs. Northland) is still the same. They are still excited about playing a respectful team, and Lawrence North has a lot of great tradition. They are pretty excited about going out and playing well against those guys.?

http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20100205/SPORTS05/302059964/1092/SPORTS05

 

[Buckskin86]

Thomas chases history on national TV
By Ronnie Flores
ESPNRISE.com
Updated: February 5, 2010,

Deshaun Thomas has a big opportunity to showcase himself on national TV this Saturday when he and his Bishop Luers (Fort Wayne, Ind.) teammates take on Lawrence North (Indianapolis, Ind.) at 4 p.m. EST on ESPNU.

The scoring sensation also has a chance to make history this season.

Thomas is within striking distance of the hallowed Indiana state record for career points (3,134) held by 1990 ESPN RISE Mr. Basketball USA winner Damon Bailey of Bedford North Lawrence (Bedford, Ind.). Thomas enters Friday's content against rival Wayne (Fort Wayne, Ind.) with 2,796 points.

"I've never met him," said Thomas about Bailey. "I've heard good things about him and know he was more than just a good shooter. It'd be cool if he showed up at one of the games and supported me, stuff like that. I'd like to get to meet him as I get closer to the record."

Rated the nation's No. 12 recruit in the ESPNU 100, the Ohio State-bound Thomas downplays his individual achievements. However, Thomas' coaches, teammates and fans are keenly aware of the situation.

"I've talked to Deshaun about it, but he's the last guy that talks about all that stuff," said Bishop Luers assistant coach Mitch Sturm. "It's everyone else that reminds him. Everywhere he goes, Ohio State fans and our fans are like, 'You got to get that (scoring) record.' If he doesn't get the record, he won't be devastated because he's a team-first guy."

Thomas has been amazingly consistent in his four-year prep career, averaging between 21.3 and 21.5 shots per game in his first three seasons, according to Sturm. This season, he's taking approximately 22.8 shots per game. Sturm feels there are aspects of Thomas' game that are underrated and will blossom once he gets to Columbus.

"His assists numbers are lower than they should be," Sturm said. "He's a much better passer than people think. That's not demeaning our players, but at the next level he'll be playing with guys that are all threats (to score)."

ESPN Thomas chases history on national TV -ESPN Rise BOYSBASKETBALL

One-on-One with Deshaun Thomas
By Mary Keefer
Special to ESPN RISE
Updated: February 5, 2010

Bishop Luers (Fort Wayne, Ind.) teacher Mary Keefer goes one-on-one with Deshaun Thomas. This question-and-answer series took place shortly after Bishop Leurs' Jan. 24 contest against Northland (Columbus, Ohio) at Ohio State University

Getting to Know Deshaun
Favorite TV show: "The Cosby Show"
What's in my iPod: Drake and Nelly
Dream car: Mercedes-Benz. It doesn't matter if it's old.
Dream date: Beyonc?
Favorite vacation spot: The Bahamas
Favorite meal: Baked chicken & potatoes, but I have a lot of favorites
Favorite movie: "Love & Basketball"
Favorite sports team: Cleveland Cavaliers
What I'm reading: ESPN The Magazine or Sports Illustrated
On my bedroom walls: LeBron James posters and letters from kids around Indiana that want my autograph
One thing I'd grab from my burning house: My shoes
Worst habit: Not cleaning my room
Most embarrassing moment: In middle school, my shorts fell off while I was diving for a ball
Love to trade places for a day with: LeBron James
Favorite athlete to watch: Kobe Bryant
Pre-game ritual: Nope, I really don't have one
Best player I ever competed against: Harrison Barnes

What was it like playing at Ohio State?
It felt good playing there with 7,000 people. I was happy with my play. I thought I was received well. I played my best and my current teammates were happy that I played well. They thanked me for the opportunity to play at Ohio State. It was fun.

What about Ohio State caused you to choose that school over a school in Indiana?
I always thought about Indiana University, but the situation they experienced the past couple of years made me wonder if that was a good place for me. Growing up I always wanted to see other places, so when Ohio State recruited me, I saw it as an opportunity to meet new people. The state of Indiana will always be home for me. Fort Wayne will always be home for me. I think the coaches at Ohio State are great guys. They know how to keep kids on the right path. They make me smile and laugh. I'm excited for next year. I'm happy to be a part of THE Ohio State University.

ESPN One-on-One with Deshaun Thomas -ESPN Rise BOYSBASKETBALL

Published: February 6, 2010
WAYNE 67, BISHOP LUERS 63
Inspired Generals win major battle
Under-.500 team protects home court vs. Thomas, Knights
Stacy ClardieThe Journal GazetteAdvertisement

Beating Bailey?
State?s all-time leading scorers
1. Damon Bailey, Bedford North Lawrence (1990): 3,134
2. Shanna Zolman, Wawasee (2002): 3,085
3. Marion Pierce, Lewisville (1961): 3,019
4. Stephanie White, Seeger (1995): 2,869
5. Deshaun Thomas, Bishop Luers (2010): 2,830

DeMarien Smith flung the ball into the air as soon as the clock expired, then he rushed to midcourt to join the swarm.

Smith and his Wayne teammates were mobbed by students and bounced around in celebration.

Beating the fifth-ranked team in Class 2A and its potential Mr. Basketball is cause for excitement, especially when the Generals might have been the only ones who thought it could happen.

?It was big to us because everyone in the city doubted us,? Wayne junior Xavielle Brown said after a 67-63 victory Friday over Bishop Luers at Wayne.

?We had a bad record, so they thought they were just going to come in here and take over our house, and it wasn?t happening.?

The Knights (10-7) have lost four consecutive games despite senior Deshaun Thomas? best efforts. He scored 17 fourth-quarter points and 34 total against Wayne (6-11), but it wasn?t enough to counter the Generals? passion and grit.

Inspired Generals win major battle | The Journal Gazette, Fort Wayne, Ind.

 

[OSU_Buckguy]

tip-off in minutes on espnu.

 

[BuckeyeTillIDie]

Thomas is a beast. He has 22 pts and 13 rbs. The rest of his team is pretty poor, however.

He has been getting doubled and triple teamed all game.

 

[Cavfan89]

I don't think DeShaun is going to be able to break the record. He is 282 points back of the record with just 3 regular season games. And if they make the state championship game, which appears unlikely now, he would have 9 total games left.

282/9=31.33
282/8=35.25
282/7=40.29

 

[Buckskin86]

Lawrence North 49, Fort Wayne Bishop Luers 48, OT
Thomas kept out of sync as Wildcats edge Knights
Luers' big scorer works for 22 points, while Lawrence North's Chandler has 25 in TV game
By Kyle Neddenriep
Posted: February 7, 2010.

Jack Keefer's defensive philosophy Saturday afternoon might have sounded odd had it come against anyone other than Deshaun Thomas.
"Just let him have 30 points," said Keefer, the veteran Lawrence North High School basketball coach. "He shoots too much to try to hold him scoreless. We just didn't want to foul him."

Lawrence North put the plan to work in the front of a national television audience on ESPNU, defeating visiting Fort Wayne Bishop Luers 49-48 in overtime. Michael Chandler scored all five of his team's points in the extra period and finished with a game-high 25 points for the Wildcats.
The 6-7 Thomas finished with 22 points for Luers, but none in overtime. He pushed his career scoring total to 2,852 points, which trails just Damon Bailey (3,134) and Marion Pierce (3,019) on the all-time Indiana high school boys list.

Thomas kept out of sync as Wildcats edge Knights | IndyStar.com | The Indianapolis Star

 

[Buckskin86]

Published: February 11, 2010
Thomas named All-American
Just 3rd ever from city picked for McDonald?s game
Greg Jones
High school sports editor

Deshaun Thomas will make his return to Ohio State as an All-American.

According to a source, the Bishop Luers senior forward has been selected to the prestigious McDonald?s All-American team and will compete in the annual all-star game March 31 at Value City Arena on the Columbus, Ohio, campus.

The official announcement will be made at 5:30 p.m. today on ESPNU.

?It feels good playing in the McDonald?s All-American game,? Thomas said. ?Just like LeBron James and Kobe (Bryant), they have been through it. It makes me feel special, and plus it is at Ohio State.?

On March 31 in Columbus, the girls game will be at 5:30 p.m., followed by the boys game about 8 p.m.

The Powerade Jam Fest slam-dunk competition, which Thomas could also participate in, will be at 6:30 p.m. March 29.

The last time the 6-foot-7 Buckeyes recruit played at Value City Arena was Jan. 23 against Columbus Northland and fellow Ohio State recruits Jared Sullinger and J.D. Weatherspoon. Thomas had 36 points, and Sullinger scored 24.

?It feels good because we will have a lot of fans there cheering us on, because I know Jared (Sullinger) made it (as an All-American),? Thomas said of playing again at Ohio State. ?I was just getting used to it for next year. It felt good because the fans loved it, and they loved I put on a show. Now I hear (Ohio State) fans talking about me, and ?the Deshaun Thomas kid is coming up here, and I can?t wait to see him play.? ?

Thomas named All_American | The Journal Gazette, Fort Wayne, Ind.

 

[LitlBuck]

It will be nice if Thomas and Jared get to play on the same team. The McDonald's All-Star teams don't always go by region but it would nice to see them start getting accustomed to one another:)

 

[Cavfan89]

DeShaun Thomas scored 26 points in a blowout win vs Fort Wayne Canterbury. That brings his career point total to 2,878 points. He passed Stephanie White in the third quarter to move to 4th in Indiana scoring history for girls and guys. He is still sitting in third place in guys scoring behind Damon Bailey and Marion Pierce.

1. Damon Bailey, Bedford North Lawrence (1990): 3,134

2. Shanna Zolman, Wawasee (2002): 3,085

3. Marion Pierce, Lewisville (1961): 3,019

4. DeShaun Thomas, Bishop Luers (2010): 2,878

141 points back of Marion Pierce for 2nd for men(3rd for women and men).

They play @ Warsaw next Friday and then @ North Side the following Friday. Then onto the playoffs. Sectional parings will probably be released sometime next week.

 

[GrizzlyBuck]

Great news that DeShaun made McDonalds AA. I agree it would be nice if he and Jared were teamed together, they play different positions so there's a chance. The selection committee has to split teams to keep the position groups semi-equal as well as try to keep the overall team talent somewhat equal.