Matt Allibone (@Bad2theAllibone)
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MJ Thompson was on the verge of lifting the crown to its feet.
Council Rock South’s star sophomore was streaking down the lane when he received a pass and soared toward the rim in one stride. He rose above one Bensalem defender who seemed to realize there was no chance at blocking his shot.
MJ Thompson scored 21 points in Council Rock South's 72-55 win over Bensalem Friday night (Photo: Matt Allibone/CoBL)
Just when it seemed Thompsn might throw down a rim-rattling dunk … he carefully laid the ball off the backboard for an easy two points.
“I was thinking about (dunking),” he said with a smile.”But I needed to make sure we got the layup.”
That’s Thompson in a nutshell: Dynamic, confident, maybe just a tad flashy. But a team-first player before all of that.
The 6-foot-2 sophomore has emerged as the go-to player for a Hawks team that could be a contender in the Suburban One League. Thompson scored 21 points to lead Council Rock South to a 72-55 road win over first-place Bensalem Friday.
Council Rock (13-6, 6-3) is now in second place in the SOL’s Patriot Division, but has beaten Bensalem (12-8, 7-1) twice this season.
The Hawks graduated four starters from a squad that lost in the first round of the District 1 Class 6A tournament last season, but have remained a strong team due to talented up-and-comers like Thompson, who is averaging over 18 points per game.
“Obviously he has a ton of ability,” Council Rock South head coach Andrew Rogers said. “He’s another kid that keeps getting better and better. He’s shooting the ball great, he’s taking what the defense gives him. Sometimes that’s getting to the lane, sometimes it’s the outside shot. When he’s playing well it certainly helps us.”
The Hawks are not a one-man team. Junior Ryan Delp scored 18 points against Bensalem Friday night. And when the Hawks were trading buckets with the Owls in a fast-paced, back-and-forth first half, junior Owen McLean and senior Adam Elabed nailed consecutive 3-pointers to give Council Rock South a nine-point lead.
In general, the Hawks play an uptempo, positionless style predicated on constant ball movement and team chemistry.
But Thompson is clearly at the center of everything the Hawks do. Council Rock South started with three early buckets and went into halftime with nine points, then exploded with 10 points in the third quarter as the Hawks increased their lead from seven to 13.
He nailed a mid-range jumper, filled the lane on fast breaks and found open teammates for easy buckets when double-teamed. On one memorable play, he cut across the baseline and executed a reverse layup almost effortlessly.
“I was looking for the foul, but it was fine,” he said sheepishly. “I take the chances I get. If they give me a lane I’ll go for it. But if I see my teammates I’m giving it to them.”
Thompson doesn’t lack confidence, but he also doesn’t have much of an ego.
Midway through the third quarter, he picked up his third foul. He immediately turned to Rogers and mouthed “my fault” while tapping his chest.
“Probably his best attribute is that he’s really coachable,” Rogers said. “He takes everything in and he’s always learning. He’s constantly working and looking for what he can do better. That’s a really mature thing for a young guy to have.”
Thompson learned the game from his mother, Heather, who played center for Drexel in the late 1990s. He said Heather never took it easy on him during games in the driveway when he was a kid.
He believes those moments have helped him play any position now that he’s in high school. Thompson is a natural wing but is one of the tallest players in Council Rock South’s lineup.
Thompson also doesn’t look or carry himself like a sophomore. He credited Elabed and Ryan Wekluk, the team’s two senior captains, for helping him grow as a leader. Still, he doesn’t shy away from taking a vocal role despite being the Hawks youngest starter.
“I’m obviously not a captain, but I feel I can lead this team,” Thompson said. “Those guys help me not get in my head and pick up the team when I need to.”
Thompson seems to be on a path to play college basketball someday. Right now his focus is on helping the Hawks go on a further playoff run than last season. Council Rock South is currently 14th in the District 1 Class 6A standing and could be in position to host a first-round playoff game.
The Hawks will bring an eight-game winning streak into a road matchup against Holy Ghost Prep Saturday.
“We’re lucky because you can go down our bench and every one of those guys is a leader,” Rogers said. “We’ve got a group that keeps getting better and better. They’re really fun to coach.”
By quarter
Council Rock South 16-18-24-14-71
Bensalem 14-13-18-10-55
Scoring
Council Rock South: Thompson 21, Delp 18, Wekluk 8, Madara 8, McLean 7, Malone 4, Haglund 3, Elabed 3
Bensalem: Drummond 22, Chatman 12, Mayfield 11, Lee 3, Johnson 4, Corbett 1
Tag(s): Home High School Boys HS Council Rock S.