Thomas put on quite the performance at the PGH Expo. Whether staying ready for the kick-out pass and knocking down critical three-point shots, or dropping dime passes through seams in the defense, Aniyah was on her A-game on the offensive end. At one point the Mountain Iron-Buhl senior threw a beautiful behind the back pass to a trailer in transition. On the other side of the ball the 5’5 point guard was just as impactful. Aniyah opened up the second 5-on-5 game with steals on three different defensive possessions, helping to create an early lead for her team. It’s clear that she’ll play a major role for the Rangers again this winter.

I must be honest; I hadn’t seen much of Thomas prior to the PGH Expo and shame on me. Aniyah seemed to be on a mission and whatever that was, she accomplished it. Thomas caught my eye during the 3 x 3 games, getting to wherever she wanted to and knocking down jumpers in abundance. Now could she do it in a real game setting? The answer was a resounding ‘yes!’ She has a very tight handle and doesn’t over-dribble. If she’s not getting to the basket, distributing or shooting the jumper, the ball isn’t sticking in her hands. Thomas was very good in transition hitting teammates in stride rewarding them for sprinting ahead of the defense. Speaking of defense, she was just as determined, fighting through screens and making her opponent work for everything. I’m very excited to see what the future holds for Thomas.