It’s been a breakout year for Beau Thoma.
The Little Falls senior point guard is averaging 20.5 points and 10.6 rebounds for the Flyers through 14 games.
He continued his success last week when he dropped 31 points to go along with 10 rebounds in an 88-63 win.
“I was getting to the basket and my teammates were getting me the ball,” Thoma said. “I was just getting to the basket really well and finishing at a high percentage.”
He followed it with a 27-point, seven-assist performance in an 85-77 win over Zimmerman.
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Flyers head coach Nate Miller said Thoma has just been consistent all year.
“He just makes a lot of plays for us both in scoring and in rebounds,” he said. “He makes himself better. Makes his teammates better. He has the ability to get in passing lanes and turn defense into offense which is all things he’s been doing as a leader of this team.”
Thoma recorded 23 points and 10 rebounds in a Jan. 12 win against Holdingford. In a win against Pequot Lakes, he scored 23 points and tallied 21 points and 14 rebounds in a 69-64 win against Willmar Dec. 17.
“He’s been a blast for me to get to know and watch develop over the years,” Miller said. “He’s a quieter, hard-working kid. He does a lot of leadership things by example. He’s always staying after with teammates doing shooting games. He’s always trying to improve his craft and we continue to watch him grow.”
Thoma’s season-high came in an 84-80 win against Sauk Rapids Dec. 6 when he scored 38 points to go with 10 rebounds. He followed it with 25 points and 10 rebounds in a 56-53 win against Zimmerman Dec. 12.
“We have plays set up for me where I can do my best to beat my matchup to get to the basket,” Thoma said. “Then when teams collapse on me I can kick out to open teammates.”
Thoma is shooting 48.6% from the field, 30% from 3-point and 64.4% from the free throw line.
Jaxon Janski is Thoma’s running mate and averages 14.4 points per game and shoots 36.3% from 3-point.
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“Jaxon and I have been playing together for a couple of years and especially the last couple of years we have been finding each other and getting each other open looks,” Thoma said.
Miller added: “It’s a dual advantage for both. The way (Thoma) rebounds the basketball, he can just get it and go and we are allowed to get out in transition a little faster. Jaxon has done a good job of stepping up and playing off some of those abilities Beau has.”
Last season, Thoma finished with 342 points (12.7 per game), 177 rebounds (6.6 per game), 67 assists (2.5 per game), 45 steals and 10 blocked shots. He shot 49% (124-253) from the field, 33% (15-46) from 3-point and 67% (79-118) from the free throw line.
“I had a decent season last season and this summer I played a lot of basketball and I feel like that helped me,” Thoma said. “We played together as a team and we found our roles and stepped into them as a team. I think I finished pretty well around the hoop last year, but this year it’s been at a way higher percentage. I’ve also improved my outside shot.”
In limited minutes as a sophomore, Thoma averaged 3.6 points and 2.8 rebounds.
“He’s just being more aggressive,” Miller said. “He is trying to push the issue and put pressure on the defense all the time. Last year, he was feeling his way a little bit in being a scorer. Now he’s to the point where he can get production in a variety of ways, whether it’s outside or going to the basket and at the free throw line.”
Thoma likes being one of the leaders for the Flyers.
“Everyone sees me as the leader of the team and they try to get me the ball,” he said. “I love being the leader. It’s all on me when we are down or need a bucket, but I also need to find my teammates when I’m covered.”
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Other notable performances:
Basketball: Hunter Miller, Staples-Motley, scored 30 points against Long Prairie-Grey Eagle.
Carter White, Verndale, scored 20 points against Sebeka.
Rian Struss, Pine River-Backus, scored 25 points against Red Lake.
Andrew Bueckers, Pine River-Backus, scored 20 points against Red Lake.
Beau Thoma
Year: Senior
School: Little Falls
Sport: Basketball
Position: Guard
Highlights: He recorded 31 points and 10 rebounds against Warroad.
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