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A local product out of Omaha Benson High School, incoming freshman guard Khyri Thomas will look to bolster Creighton's athleticism this coming season.
Thomas stands at 6-foot-3, 200 lbs., and is a year ahead of his other incoming freshman teammates as Thomas spent one year at Fork Union Military Academy in Virginia after graduating from Benson.
Thomas, unlike the usual Creighton player of past years, is a slasher and can get to the rim with ease. He scored over 1,000 points during his high school career and can provide length at the guard position with his 6-10 wingspan. As a senior at Benson, Thomas led Class A in Nebraska in scoring at 19.2 points per game and helped lead the Bunnies to the state basketball tournament in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Yes, Benson's mascot is a bunny.
Besides being an older freshman, there are other benefits of having Thomas coming in. For one, he may not be as susceptible to the usual freshman struggles as he had to abide by a strict military school code while at Fork Union. Detailed in an article done by the Omaha World Herald's Steven Pivovar, Fork Union players had to give up their cell phone, wear uniforms while on campus, undergo limited computer and television use, abide by a curfew and march day and night like one would imagine at a military academy.
In Creighton's recent trip to Italy where they took on local teams, Thomas scored a total of 41 points for an average of 13.6 points per game. He displayed the ability to score from all over the floor as well as the defensive prowess fans are hoping for.
Watch for Thomas to make an impact with the Bluejay squad this season.