Loyola lands top Nebraska HS player

[KillerB]

Saint Thomas:

https://omaha.com/sports/high-school/recruiting/millard-norths-saint-thomas-commits-to-loyola-chicago/article_dcbc8292-9c9a-11eb-bc4e-2794c40ab0cb.html

[Big Mike]

Wow....sounds like a good get.

[LongTimeFan]

They could look at high school kids. They didn't need several players for the top of their rotation.

[Da Coach]

....
Bradley offers 2021 Saint Thomas, a 6-foot-6, 200-pound senior small forward from Millard North High School in Omaha, Neb..
He said via social media Tuesday he's received an offer from Bradley.
Thomas had previously drawn interest from Mississippi State, TCU, Virginia Tech and others, but has started the process anew after most of those connections cooled.
He says he's now talking to Bradley, Loyola, TCU, Florida Atlantic and Tulsa.
He is averaging 25.5 points per game at Millard North.
https://verbalcommits.com/players/saint-thomas

Loyola lands top Nebraska HS player:
Saint Thomas

https://omaha.com/sports/high-school/recruiting/millard-norths-saint-thomas-commits-to-loyola-chicago/article_dcbc8292-9c9a-11eb-bc4e-2794c40ab0cb.html

One-time 2021 Bradley recruit Saint Thomas, who committed to Loyola, has apparently left the team.
There has been no announcement, but he was removed from the roster (formerly wore #0), so it isn't due to injury-

https://loyolaramblers.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/2022-23

https://twitter.com/Podcast63/status/1615498244410249217

He played sparingly last season, and was playing a bigger role this year, until the last several games. He was only averaging 3.2 ppg.
Stats- https://www.espn.com/mens-college-ba...1/saint-thomas

Loyola is really struggling in their 1st season in the Atlantic-10. They are 6-11 overall, and 0-5 in the A-10. They are getting blown out even by bad teams. Their most recent game was against the other winless A-10 team, St. Joseph's, and Loyola lost by 31 points, 86-55. Saint Thomas did not play in that game, and didn't play in the last 3 games, all losses.

[Nashville Cat]

I recall BU being in on Saint and Jacob Hutson till the end. Hutson is averaging 4 mpg. I suspect the portal won't be kind this spring for loyola.

[Da Coach]

I recall BU being in on Saint and Jacob Hutson till the end. Hutson is averaging 4 mpg. I suspect the portal won't be kind this spring for loyola.

I'm not sure if Hutson, who chose Loyola over Bradley and others, is just a complete bust at Loyola, or if head coach Drew Valentine just doesn't like playing a 6'11", 250 pound true low post player with skills like him.
He is now in his 3rd season and here are his stats at Loyola- https://www.espn.com/mens-college-ba...2/jacob-hutson

Last season, after Cameron Krutwig left, he started 19 of 31 games, averaged 12.3 minutes per game, and was a regular contributor on their MVC Championship team. But he is playing less this year (3.9 minutes per game), has only played in 13 of their 17 games, and has only scored 11 points cumulative all season (0.8 ppg).
I doubt he'll stay at Loyola after this season.

[yoda]

Valentine was really high on Saint Thomas, and in preseason and early season interviews seemed to indicate Thomas would be one of their main go-to guys.
Then in their summer overseas exhibitions and all their early season exhibitions and early games, Saint Thomas not only started but played heavy, mid-season minutes (~30 mpg), even getting the nod over well established, Porter Moser-recruited studs & top All-MVC honoree-transfers such as Marquise Kennedy and Sheldon Edwards. But as the season wore on and Loyola suffered disappointing losses, Thomas' playing time shrunk and he apparently kinda got the blame. Finally he was playing single digit minutes, and now he's AWOL... so go figure. Surprised he isn't already in the portal.

[braves16]

SLU beat Loyola by 17 tonight in Chicago.

[Tommy]

SLU beat Loyola by 17 tonight in Chicago.

Boy, that’s too bad.