“Thompson has been a talent catching the eyes of recruiters for years now because of her mixture of height and coordination. She would be considered a Forward, who can definitely produce in more ways than one. She uses her length to dominant smaller defenders offensively, while using her outstretched arms to usually get a tip, block, or deflection near the painted area on defense.”

Lengthy and quick. Very good first step at the ball while opponent is tryin to go up for a finish. Can consistently screen and spread the floor at the 4 position. Efficiently with her back to the basket. Even better when given adequate time.

Ballard high school made it to the state playoff this past season behind the play of their group of upperclassmen. A group headlined by Alliyah Thompson Alliyah Thompson 6'1" | SF Ballard | 2024 State IA . Thompson was a difference maker. She is a lengthy forward with the ability to put the ball on the floor and score in a multitude of ways around the defense. She has a nice shooting stroke while being able to post up and score over smaller defenders closer to the basket. In high school she is a mismatch and she is aware of it. Any chance that she gets she takes full advantage near the paint. On defense she is also a stand out, deflecting shots or creating blocks while being able to switch between a guard and a post player depending on the matchup. Thompson recently committed to play college ball after she graduates, trying to bring her talents to a program with the intention of helping them win a conference championship in the near future.

Aaliyah Thompson has been a virtual walking double/double this season for the Bombers and because of that she has been picking up a lot of college interest. Thompson, a long and lengthy forward, has a good balance to her game. She makes good choices and knows when to play aggressively or passive. She has put up great numbers this year for her team on this big playoff run. To me she is the X factor of this group. When her production is up and she has confidence, she has had some of the best production in the state on a game to game basis. I’m looking to see big things in this tournament from her and moving forward in her AAU season. She is going to be on a bunch of radars with her size, strength, and IQ alone. When you mix-in her basketball talent you see a player that has a big ceiling at the next level.

Aaliyah Thompson has been basically averaging a double double this season in points and rebounds for Ballard high school. Thompson, an uncommitted and highly talented forward, has been putting on a show this year. In each of her games she has made her point that she is one of the best, if not thee best, player on the floor at all times. She plays with aggression but in a calculated way that many of her opponents cannot handle over the length of a game. She has a solid offensive attack with her ability to use both hands on either side of the rim whenever called for. She is vocal enough as a leader that on defense she can help her guards move through screens and let them know what she sees unfolding from her point of view. With a 14-2 overall record I can’t wait to see this group against some tougher competition once the playoffs start. They have a lot of convincing wins this year against lesser opponents when it comes to raw basketball ability so it’ll be nice to see what Thompson and her squad can do against a team who can matchup evenly with the Bombers. I give this group a good shot to make it to Des Moines this year but everyone is going to have to step up in their big games when all their opponents eyes are on Thompson and her play making ability. If they do that, they will give themselves a shot of playing come the first week of March.

Aaliyah Thompson has been tearing it up on the court this season and scoring the ball an extremely high rate while doing so. Thompson, a high ranking player in the class of 2024, is a versatile 6’1 combo forward who knows how to score the rock. Other than being just an absolute game changer with her length and speed, she does a good job of working the ball inside to outside and scoring in the all the ways that the defense gives her. Going into break she is averaging just above 20 PPG while shooting over 60% from behind the arc. Looking forward with her size, speed, and length I think Thompson is going to be getting a lot of interest after her team shows out during the playoffs once again this year. With her doing what she does and the other veterans around her doing their jobs, this will be a team to watch out for coming up.