By RYAN ARENA

Sports Editor

She’s became East St. John’s all-time scoring leader – male or female – earlier this season. She’s been named to the LSWA Class 5A All-State team three times, and seems on her way to a fourth such selection, which would be the most by any athlete in the school’s long history.

Her accolades are numerous. Her statistics are staggering.

And Mechel’le Thomas doesn’t care about any of it.

“It’s a good feeling and all,” Thomas says. “But that stuff doesn’t really affect me. Basketball’s a team sport.”

Maybe you won’t catch Thomas’ nose in the statbook – East St. John coach Troy Giordano says that the senior point guard has never questioned him about how many points she scored in a game – but for the rest of us, it’s difficult to not marvel at her accomplishments.

After becoming only the third player in school history to top 2,000 career points, Thomas passed current ESJ assistant Kinya Lennix’s mark of 2,224 career points on Jan. 9 against Chapelle. On that night, she scored 33 points in 54-46 loss.

She boasts averages of 24 points, 4 assists, 4 rebounds, and five steals a game this season – and it’s probable that those numbers would be breaking news to her.

“She couldn’t care less,” said Giordano. “She’s just incredibly unselfish, with complete control of her ego. You don’t see that in star players today.”

Thomas credits her father for her apathy toward individual accomplishments.

“He always told me, never worry about points,” she said. “Only worry about losing a game. When you lose, none of it matters.”

Of all her gaudy statistics, perhaps the most impressive in the most miniscule. Despite handling the ball the majority of the game, Thomas averages only one turnover per contest.

“Next year, we’ll have three or four turnovers a game out of a good player at the position,” Giordano says. “To average as many assists as she does, to handle the ball as much as she does, and to get four steals a night to go with it? That’s incredible.”

WHATEVER IT TAKES

“She’ll do whatever it takes to win a game. If she finishes with 10 points and eight assists, she’s happy if that’s all we need to win,” Giordano says.

But many times, 10 and eight just isn’t enough. Thomas is the only senior on a team that saw it’s projected lineup in the preseason turned upside down  — due to injury, transfer, or disciplinary measures, all four players who were slated to start around the senior this season are no longer options.

“Our starters right now were supposed to be getting JV time this season. They had to step up,” Giordano said.

Despite the team’s youth and lack of size, Thomas has led her team to a 23-12 record to go along with a 4-4 mark in District 6-5A – a district that boasts three of the state’s top 20 teams in terms of power rating (East Ascension, Destrehan, and Dutchtown) and five playoff contenders. Even in ESJ’s four losses, the team has been competitive – three of those losses have come via a combined 18 points.

“To me, it’s fun. It’s always competitive,” Thomas said. “You don’t go in thinking it’s going to be some blowout.”

UNDER PRESSURE

The point guard job at East St. John has been a rewarding one under Giordano. In his 13-year run at East St. John, each of his starting point guards have moved on to play at the college level. A four-year starter, Thomas will be no exception – she recently committeto play at Trinity Valley Community College in Texas.

But that success comes at a price. High expectations are there from day one. Thomas has been up to it.

“When he talks about all his point guards in the past, you know what’s expected when you put the jersey on,” she says. “You have to work for it. When he’d tell me all about how they played, I figured I could step up, and be one of those.”

Before she could do that, she had to prove that she wouldn’t wilt from another kind of pressure – the type Giordano places on those he expects the most from. Giordano deems quality at the point to be of the highest importance.

“My grandfather was a coach, and he always pushed point guard play to me,” Giordano said. “So I’ve always studied point guard play and I’ve concentrated my efforts on learning the position. I feel like it’s the position I coach the best.

“I put a lot of pressure on them, and its more than most can handle.”

The learning curve is even steeper as a freshman. Giordano wants a veteran-like command of his offense, and not many 14-year-olds can provide it.

At first, Thomas said the coach’s criticism was hard to take. But over time, she learned what Giordano was trying to instill in her.

“As a freshman, I was a hot head,” said Thomas. “But now, I’ve learned that when he fusses at me, or criticizes me, don’t take it in a negative way. Turn it into a positive. I observe and listen now.”

Of all the improvements Giordano has seen in Thomas’ game over time, her newfound maturity stands at the top of the list.

“Of all the kids I’ve coached, she’s probably made the biggest jump in maturity that we’ve ever seen,” said Giordano. “She just gets it, the responsibility she has as the leader of these younger kids. She sees the big picture.”

That responsibility is the reason Thomas hasn’t accepted offers to play elsewhere during the summer for traveling AAU teams. Instead, she stays home, to build chemistry with her teammates on the ESJ summer league team.

“It gives us that vibe for the season,” said Thomas. “We’ve got incoming freshman who are just getting started. It gives me a chance to mesh with everyone, to see what I can and can’t do.”

TRIPLE THREAT

Giordano doesn’t like to compare his former players, but says he’s hard pressed to find any that combined all of Thomas’ gifts.

“Not many players have the complete package,” he says. “A lot of kids can score, but she can do it in so many ways. She can hit the three, she can hit the pull up jumper, and she can take it all the way to the basket. Some excel at one of those, maybe two. Not all three. When you can do that, scoring just comes easier.”

That scoring touch, combined with a knack for getting the ball to teammates in just the right places, leaves Giordano with the feeling that his team has a shot to win every single night she walks onto the floor. 

After a pause, Giordano turned to his longtime assistant coach, Joe Williams.

“She’s got to be up there with the very best, right?” he asked.

“Without a doubt,” Williams said with little contemplation. 

THE ONE STAT THAT MATTERS

Thomas missed the first game of her career on Friday night with a badly sprained ankle. The Wildcats were able to get by without her against an overmatched St. Amant team – this after she vowed to play through the pain if the team needed her.

Alongside her on the team’s bench sat teammate Kanitra Lee, a freshman guard who has missed the season due to torn ligaments in her knee.

Lee was supposed to start this season at shooting guard. Next season, she’s expected to step in at point guard as the heir apparent to Thomas.

“I’ve learned a lot from her,” said Lee. “She shows me what it takes to be a great point guard, and what it takes to take over when you have to.”

Lee will have at least one more chance to learn from Thomas. East St. John must travel to Destrehan in a game they may well have to win to qualify for the postseason.

That would allow Thomas to add to her impressive win total as the team’s starting point guard. As of press time, she had led ESJ to 101 wins in her four-year career.

And that right there may be the one stat Thomas cares about. 