By RYAN ARENA

L’Observateur

RESERVE — Riverside Principal Dr. Perry DiCarlo acknowledged that Rebels senior Donald Thomas Jr. was indeed an impressive basketball player.

But Thomas, he stressed, has been an even more impressive person in his time at Riverside.

“He’d watch classes, like a big babysitter for us. He’d be a tour guide at our full house, not because he asked but because he wanted to,” said DiCarlo. “Just because he’s Donald, and that’s what Donald wanted to do.”

Others have noticed his combination of on-court skills and off-court poise — specifically, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, with whom Thomas officially signed with Thursday morning at a special ceremony at Riverside.

Thomas, a six-foot-seven-inch swingman, will play shooting guard for the Panthers. Academically, Thomas will study sports medicine.

“I really appreciate what Riverside has done for me,” Thomas said to the student body, administrators, family and friends in attendance. “Now, I’m off to be a Panther in Milwaukee.”

He made the decision after visiting UWM last week.

“The players took me out to dinner and told me I was part of the family now,” he said. “They and the coaches made a good impression on me. By the time I got back to Louisiana, I was ready to sign.”

Riverside basketball coach Timmy Byrd said that he thinks Thomas has found a good fit.

“He and his dad, collectively, made a strong effort to find the right fit … The coaches there love that he can get out on the break, first, and secondly that he can hit the three. They think he’ll play immediately.

“Their starter at the two-guard is graduating after this season … They think Donald will be a three-year starter.”

Thomas was a Class 2A All-State selection as a senior and has a trio of championship rings among his personal accolades — the last two with the Rebels and the first with now-defunct Reserve Christian.

Known for his deadly 3-point range, Thomas could play four different positions, allowing Riverside to play big, with Thomas in the backcourt, or small, with Thomas as a “stretch-four” forward.

He averaged 14 points a game this season to go along with eight rebounds and 4.3 steals a game.

Thomas became Riverside’s second leading scorer, behind Baylor signee Ricardo Gathers, stepping up in the absence of guard Louis Dabney, who injured his knee in the season’s first game.

Those three players have now all signed Division I scholarships.

Thomas believes the Panthers provide a strong fit for his skills.

“They play up tempo, and I like to get up and down the court. That’s what I like doing best.

“Aside,” he added with a smile, “shooting the three.”

He comes from strong bloodlines. His father, Donald, played football at Tulane whereas his mother, Carmen, is a Tulane basketball Hall of Famer.

Byrd said they’ve raised their son well.

“He’s a really good, productive player on the court but also a very strong ambassador for our school off of it,” said Byrd.

Thomas said that he knows the weather is a bit colder where he’s going, but he’ll make due.

“I can manage,” he said. “I’ll do anything I have to so I can play basketball.”