Leeds Trinity Point Guard set to return from injury but is he still first choice?
By Charles Jones
Leeds Trinity’s men’s basketball team is set to receive a boost as point guard Will Thomas has declared himself fit and available for selection ahead of the upcoming season. The 22-year-old failed to make an appearance this season as a knee ligament injury left him on the sidelines as the team managed a second place finish in the league behind only the University of Newcastle all the while besting local rivals Leeds Beckett, and the University of Leeds. However, the question has been asked what could they have achieved if Will Thomas was fit?
Filling in at point guard this year has been a first-year student who has impressed, so it won’t be easy for Will to make his way back into the starting 5. Will said: “I wanted to get back into the team before the end of this season but I attended a few training sessions and it’s clear I wasn’t fit enough, the new players have been brilliant and it’s reflected in the league position. Hopefully next year I’ll be able to get back into the team.” Thomas was under no illusions with the challenge he has to get back into the team next year adding: “ In university sport there is such a high turnover, with the third years leaving and new first years coming through it’s hard to know whether you’ll still have a spot next year, who’s to say that a new point guard better than me won’t be joining the uni in September?”
Will Thomas enjoyed a prolific first campaign at Leeds Trinity with teammates considering him one of the best players in the squad before his injury. Teammate Luke John Wood thinks that Will is going to walk back into the team saying: “Will was our best player not too long ago. Even though the team has improved while he’s been out I still think he is one of the most talented players at the Uni it’s just a matter of getting him fit.”
With the team looking to improve on their successes from this year Thomas will have to be at his best when he does return. Although, with the emergence of the new crop of talent there may not be a place for him in the team anymore.