Medved’s First Recruits

Editor: The following is part of a press release from godgrakebulldogs.com.

DES MOINES, Iowa – The Drake University men’s basketball team has signed guards Jalen Gibbs and Noah Thomas to National Letters of Intent.

Gibbs is a 6-3 guard from Waldorf, Md., that was recently named the Southern Maryland Athletic Conference Most Outstanding Player and was a Washington Post first-team All-Met selection and became North Point High School’s all-time leading scorer.

Thomas, a 6-2 point guard from Sydney, Australia, competes for the AUSA program in Australia.

“We’re excited to get a player of Noah’s pedigree to join our program,” Medved said. “Noah is a point guard with great speed and quickness that knows how to get others involved. He has the ability to score when needed. He’s a well-traveled player that has competed against great players here in the U.S. and around the world.”

In the United States, Thomas has been a member of 22ft Basketball Academy and Oak Hill Academy.

“Noah has something special to his game that I really think you can’t teach,” said Steve Ivimey, managing director of AUSA. “That shiftiness, crazy speed and ability to win games are natural gifts Noah possesses.” 

Gibbs, a guard Medved states can score from any spot on the floor, scored 621 points as a senior at North Point High School to average 28.4 points and 10.2 rebounds per game while chipping in 3.3 assists per outing.

“We’re thrilled to add a player like Jalen to our program,” Medved said. “Jalen is a classic guard that can affect the game in so many areas. He can defend multiple positions on the perimeter and has a great nose for the ball. We feel like he’s a guy that will have a huge impact for the Bulldogs.”

He scored 30 points or more nine times in his senior season with 10 20-point games and 10 double-doubles.

Gibbs and Thomas are set to join a roster that is projected to include nine returning letterwinners and seven that were regular starters in 2016-17.