Jake Thomas Transferring

[Silkk the Shaka]

Not to be negative, but I'm searching for evidence of him contributing a lot.

He had a measurable impact in exact 4 games:

-- 3 treys in a decisive victory over a terrible Mississippi State team we would have crushed anyway.

-- 12 points in a rout over a UMBC team we would have routed anyway.

-- the missed 3-pointer against Green Bay. This marked the last time Jake played more than 10 minutes in any game, as Buzz realized exactly what role Jake should have (and, more importantly, shouldn't have).

-- the 4-point play against Syracuse, helping us halve an 8-point deficit and gain some momentum when we desperately needed it.

The latter was legitimately a huge contribution, and a major out-of-nowhere surprise given that he had barely played a lick during the entire Big East season. Still, some forget that Syracuse actually rebuilt its lead to 7 in the second half during another stretch when an overmatched Jake was in the game.

Syracuse still led by 7 with under 8 minutes to go until other bench players -- Gardner, Jamil, Taylor and Mayo -- put us in control. It's pretty easy to argue that Mayo's 3-pointer, coming during the decisive run, had at least as much impact as (or more than) Jake's.

He's a Horizon League player. I'm glad he'll be able to compete again at that level.

He was also on the court on the final play at Davidson as a decoy... and it actually WORKED.  Any chance Frozena would have been out there in that situation?  He also got run in the Cuse Elite 8 game.  Didn't do anything of note, but do you think Frozena would have been out there in that situation?  And you left out the Butler Maui play that would have won the game had that warthog Clarke not hit a prayer.  Would Frozena have been out there much less converted that play? 

I think we're saying the same thing here.  He contributed way more than a typical walk-on, but he's not a Big East caliber player.  He was also not the zone-busting three point sniper at this level that some made him out to be.  Maybe he will be when he goes a notch lower in competition.

[Silkk the Shaka]

Alright...so Thomas was better than a typical walk-on.  

All I was trying to say.

[Silkk the Shaka]

Never stop recruitin'. I'm figurin' instead of currently bein' over signed by 1, Buzz will end up needin' to offer at least one more kid to fill his roster.

Thomas was not slated to get a scholarship next year anyway.  He was always going back to walk-on status.  This changes nothing in that regard.  You're saying two more players will leave?

[MU82]

He was also on the court on the final play at Davidson as a decoy... and it actually WORKED.  Any chance Frozena would have been out there in that situation?  He also got run in the Cuse Elite 8 game.  Didn't do anything of note, but do you think Frozena would have been out there in that situation?  And you left out the Butler Maui play that would have won the game had that warthog Clarke not hit a prayer.  Would Frozena have been out there much less converted that play? 

I think we're saying the same thing here.  He contributed way more than a typical walk-on, but he's not a Big East caliber player.  He was also not the zone-busting three point sniper at this level that some made him out to be.  Maybe he will be when he goes a notch lower in competition.

Fair enough.

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

After the BE season started on January 1, the only time he scored was the four point play v. Syracuse.  

23 games...32 total minutes....12 DNPs...one made basket.

I was one of the people who thought Jake was capable of earning up to 10min per game as a role player.

I was wrong.

HOWEVER, some of those "pro-Jake" conversations were had before Trent Lockett was added to the roster.

Once Trent was added, minutes became scarce.


EDIT: I thought Jake had a skill that nobody else did: Shooting. I was 1/2 right. Nobody else could shoot. The only problem was, neither could Jake.

[MU82]

I was one of the people who thought Jake was capable of earning up to 10min per game as a role player.

I was wrong.

HOWEVER, some of those "pro-Jake" conversations were had before Trent Lockett was added to the roster.

Once Trent was added, minutes became scarce.

Here's something I didn't think I'd say when Trent was struggling at first: Thank goodness for Trent Lockett!! I came to appreciate him very much as a solid player who did so many little things well it was difficult to take him out of games. Judging by all the testimonials he got from Buzz and his mates, he also was a heck of a great guy to have on the squad.

[GGGG]

Goodman just confirmed that Jake will be immediately eligible...graduating from MU this spring.

[nycwarrior]

Good for him. He had a nice cameo in the great movie that was this year's run.

I wouldn't be surprised if Buzz picked up the phone and called Wardle and a few others to vouch for Jake's work ethic and value to a Horizon League team.

I'd love to see him put up double digit points and shoot 40% from 3 for UWGB next year.

[Silkk the Shaka]

Here's something I didn't think I'd say when Trent was struggling at first: Thank goodness for Trent Lockett!! I came to appreciate him very much as a solid player who did so many little things well it was difficult to take him out of games. Judging by all the testimonials he got from Buzz and his mates, he also was a heck of a great guy to have on the squad.

I'll agree with that wholeheartedly.  I thought I learned my lesson with Jimmy B, Cubillan, Acker and others not to write off players under Buzz til they're done.  I admit I had moments questioning Lockett's minutes throughout most of the Big East season.  Then he turned the corner at the perfect time and TOTALLY REDEEMED HIMSELF.  I'm sure he did a ton behind the scenes as well that went unnoticed to us throughout the season.  Glad we picked him up.

[Sunbelt15]

It would hurt to see him go somewhere and ball like crazy. I would have to look at Buzz like "WTF, your bootcamp is killing the players game."

[GGGG]

Buzz is hardly the only coach that has a boot camp type approach.  And it hardly kills their game.

[Silkk the Shaka]

It would hurt to see him go somewhere and ball like crazy. I would have to look at Buzz like "WTF, your bootcamp is killing the players game."

Uhhhh..... what?

[jsglow]

Goodman just confirmed that Jake will be immediately eligible...graduating from MU this spring.

Great news!  Congratulations Jake.  

I can see it from his point of view.  He could either go through another Boot Camp etc. and be even deeper on the bench or find a fit working toward his Master's Degree and get significant playing time providing leadership to his team.  I'm really hoping Wardle wants him.  I already really like the Green Bay team (except what they did to us) and would be happy to follow them even more closely if Jake landed there.

[swoopem]

See ya later Jake and good luck. Now bring on Garrett Swanson as the next "traditional" who might see the court during garbage time

[77ncaachamps]

Degree and potential first year of grad school paid as he uses his last year of eligibility?

No brainer! Wise decision, Jake!

[MU82]

It would hurt to see him go somewhere and ball like crazy. I would have to look at Buzz like "WTF, your bootcamp is killing the players game."

Yes, it will sting when Jake receives National Player of the Year next season.

[wadesworld]

yep, Jake Thomas has already become the next Scott Christopherson...

Hope we get the board posting every time he hits a three at UW-GB, UW-Milwaukee or South Alabama or anywhere he goes.   And then the magical comment, imagine if we had Jake on this years team comment.

Good times...  

and best of luck to Jake...

Heh.

Scott Christopherson was the 2nd best player on a Big 12 team that pushed one of the best teams in the history of the NCAA as much as any team in the NCAA Tournament did in the 2nd round (again, I refuse to count the play-in games as the "first round").  He was an All Big 12 player for Iowa State.  Thomas would fill the same roll for Iowa State that he did for Marquette...walk-on.  The two are apples to oranges.

[chapman]

Hope we get the board posting every time he hits a three at UW-GB, UW-Milwaukee or South Alabama or anywhere he goes.   And then the magical comment, imagine if we had Jake on this years team comment.

At least he *could* have still been on the team.  Unlike all the comments in Christopherson's 5th year and Mbakwe's 12th year about how good they'd be on this team, missing the point that they would have exhausted their eligibility had they stayed.

[Bo Ryan's Massage Therapist]

Thomas was not slated to get a scholarship next year anyway.  He was always going back to walk-on status.  This changes nothing in that regard.  You're saying two more players will leave?

Not true. Jake and family I hear were under the impression a scholly was more than likely.  I don't like this.  Kid didn't pan out but I'm told the scholly was not renewed much to he and his family's disappointment.  I love Buzz but don't like the way this was handled and feel for the kid.  He wanted to be here.

[chapman]

Not true. Jake and family I hear were under the impression a scholly was more than likely.  I don't like this.  Kid didn't pan out but I'm told the scholly was not renewed much to he and his family's disappointment.  I love Buzz but don't like the way this was handled and feel for the kid.  He wanted to be here.

Don't believe at all that this was "handled" in a bad way.  He decided to come here and be a walk-on and lucked into a scholarship.  Then a summer drop/transfer of Taylor gave him a second scholarship that there was no plan of giving him.  Then he expected Buzz would set aside a third?    Was Buzz supposed to pass on top incoming talent to make sure a walk-on received a scholarship that he was never promised for the third year in a row?  I recall Buzz explicitly stating after the first year scholarship was given that he had made it clear to Thomas it was not something he should expect to happen again.  Not buying this was the expectation; Thomas is smarter than that.

Edit, here it is:

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/129541808.html

"I think it's the right thing to do. I was very open and honest -- 'This is a one-year deal. You guys were going to pay your way. I can't use both of them now. This is the right thing to do. But don't have any misconceived ideas about why I'm doing it.'

"I'm not trying to make it out like, 'Look what I did.' It's the right thing to do, and let's move on."

[4everwarriors]

It's also been reported that Thomas is graduatin'. Could just fade off into the sunset.

[StillWarriors]

Don't believe at all that this was "handled" in a bad way.  He decided to come here and be a walk-on and lucked into a scholarship.  Then a summer drop/transfer of Taylor gave him a second scholarship that there was no plan of giving him.  Then he expected Buzz would set aside a third?    Was Buzz supposed to pass on top incoming talent to make sure a walk-on received a scholarship that he was never promised for the third year in a row?  I recall Buzz explicitly stating after the first year scholarship was given that he had made it clear to Thomas it was not something he should expect to happen again.  Not buying this was the expectation; Thomas is smarter than that.

Agreed. Anyone who follows MU hoops at all was aware that scholarship was not going to be available next year. I'm not buying he didn't know either.

[Bo Ryan's Massage Therapist]

Don't believe at all that this was "handled" in a bad way.  He decided to come here and be a walk-on and lucked into a scholarship.  Then a summer drop/transfer of Taylor gave him a second scholarship that there was no plan of giving him.  Then he expected Buzz would set aside a third?    Was Buzz supposed to pass on top incoming talent to make sure a walk-on received a scholarship that he was never promised for the third year in a row?  I recall Buzz explicitly stating after the first year scholarship was given that he had made it clear to Thomas it was not something he should expect to happen again.  Not buying this was the expectation; Thomas is smarter than that.

It's no coincidence Jake is transferring again. Not his choice from what I hear.  Big time athletics has its warts everywhere. Just wish it wasn't our school

[chapman]

It's no coincidence Jake is transferring again. Not his choice from what I hear.  Big time athletics has its warts everywhere. Just wish it wasn't our school

Certainly could have told him there was no chance that dumb luck strikes again and he gets another scholarship.  Heck, might have been told that in the slim chance one does free up he was going to keep it open for a potential mid-year transfer, maybe even give it to Swanson or Flood so they can have a turn.  But no way Buzz told him he wasn't welcome to remain on the team as a walk-on.

[ChicosBailBonds]

yep, Jake Thomas has already become the next Scott Christopherson...

Hope we get the board posting every time he hits a three at UW-GB, UW-Milwaukee or South Alabama or anywhere he goes.   And then the magical comment, imagine if we had Jake on this years team comment.

Good times...  

and best of luck to Jake...

I wish he had.  Two time all Big 12 player, one of the best shooters in the country....I wish he had