Spotlighting Xavier Thames
By A.W. Prince, BearTerritory.net Senior Writer, Story appeared on Rivals.com on February 21, 2007
Elk Grove (Calif.) Pleasant Grove high school star Xavier Thames is making a name for himself. The 6-foot-2, 175-pound standout sophomore posted one of the best prep seasons in the Sacramento area, and is red-hot on the radar of both Pac-10 and national programs. BearTerritory checked in with the 2009 prospect.
For most NorCal basketball fans, Pleasant Grove high school is not on the map. In fact, you won't find too many graduates, and that's because the school just opened up in 2005. So if you are looking for a former prospect that's made an impact at a Div. 1 school, or a lot of CIF success, you won't find it.
However, prospects like Xavier are quickly changing that. After standing out on the AAU scene a year ago, Thames backed up his summer play by averaging 17.8 points, 3.6 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 2.5 steals per game as a sophomore for the extremely youthful Eagles in 2006-07. He pumped in a career-high 37 points against Sheldon in his final game of the season.
In two years, Thames projects as a high-major recruit with his mid-range game, passing ability, and defensive prowess. In fact, if you watch "X" play, the first thing you'll notice is his love of 'D.
"My favorite player is Gary Payton," Thames said, acknowledging his favorite aspect of the game is defense. "I know I can score, and my mid-range game is good. But I enjoy playing defense more than offense."
"I guess I've always liked how (Payton) took other players out of what they do best," Thames added.
With his father Ray a former Pac-10 (Washington State) player himself, where does his recruitment stand?
"I like Arizona a lot, and Cal is right there," Thames said. "I like how Arizona gets up and down the court, and how Cal defends. I'll probably be at the Arizona-Cal game in a couple weeks."
"Over the next few months, I'm going to continue to work out with my dad, and Guss (Armstead)," Thames added. "This summer, I am going to play AAU ball with the Compton Magic."
The Compton Magic has had numerous prep prospects emerge from their summer program, including recent Stanford shooting guard Anthony Goods and former SoCal prep star Davon Jefferson, who could play next season at USC.
The most impressive aspect of Thames game is his athleticism. He admits that he's improved his three-point shooting, and that he's also worked on his passing and rebounding skills. But with the type of athleticism he brings to the court, Xavier is only going to continue to improve. Guards who spend an equal amount of time on their offensive and defensive skills at this early a stage are always impressive.
Look for a photo segment of Thames on BearTerritory in the near future.
A.W Prince is the senior writer and publisher of BearTerritory.net. He pens numerous recruiting features, including "The Weekly Spin", on some of the most talented and highly sought after student-athletes in the country. Along with his recruiting work, Prince has made radio appearances with Rivals