Allen’s men’s basketball team is in the midst of a six-game winning streak and an undefeated conference record. One unsung hero in the Red Devils’ recent success has been sophomore Brayden Thompson.
Thompson, a native of Haughton, La., has seen increased playing time with the absence of Scottie Turner and others.
“I feel like after we lost the guys we had last year there was a big hole to fill on the team,” Thompson said. “It was up for grabs and I wanted to take it.”
Thompson averaged 13.2 minutes per night as a freshman, and on Allen’s recent stretch, he is seeing 16.6 per game.
His production has matched his rise in minutes. Thompson is averaging eight points per game, up from a little over two as a freshman.
“In the offseason I stayed in the gym a lot,” remarked Thompson. “I worked on finishing through people and taking contact. I had to work on going up strong and having two hands on the ball. I put my mind to it and started grinding.”
Thompson, a sports medicine major, has a different motivation than some of his teammates. Thompson is a father and has a one-year-old child at home.
“Having a kid was something some people might not have been ready for,” a smiling Thompson said. “At the same time, I know what I did and I know that I have to step up and be ready to take the role and the responsibility.”
The maturity Thompson has gained from being a new father has translated to his approach to his upcoming decision to stay at Allen for another year, or try to transfer to a four-year school.
“I haven’t decided yet,” Thompson said. “I want to weigh all my options and make my highlight film at the end of the season. I’ll see where that leads.”
Allen is ranked 17th in the country and has been climbing the rankings in the recent weeks, building momentum. The bond between Thompson, Cedric Rollerson, and Ed Wright has been a big part of it.
“We were really freshman heavy last year,” Thompson said. “Us just playing together and creating chemistry together and hanging out together has helped us get a better feel for each other. We know each other’s tendencies.”
Allen is in action this weekend against Labette Community College.
