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The basketball pipeline from Australia to Thibodaux continues to churn.
The Nicholls State men’s basketball team will reap its benefits.
Colonels coach J.P. Piper announced this week that his team has received a signed National Letter of Intent from guard Luke Doyle and forwards Liam Thomas and Cade Towers.
Two of the players (Thomas and Towers) are from Australia – continuing the team’s tradition of getting quality players from down under.
“Our main focus was to bring in guys who are ready to compete for spots and fill in the gaps on both sides of the court,” Piper said.
Accumulating size was a major focus of the Colonels’ recruiting efforts.
Thomas and Towers fit the bill in that regard.
Thomas is 6-foot, 10-inches and lands in Thibodaux after a decorated career at Central Private High School in Mississippi.
While there, he led the school to the first-ever Mississippi Association of Independent Schools title, averaging 14.1 points, 10.5 rebounds and 9.1 blocks per game.
In the MAIS championship game, Thomas had 10 points, 8 rebounds and 8 blocks.
Thomas is originally from Sydney, Australia.
Like Thomas, Towers is also landing in Thibodaux from Australia.
He also comes with size at his disposal – a 6-foot, 9-inch frame.
Towers signed with the Colonels after a wealth of prep experience in Queensland. He also has international experience playing for Australia’s national teams.
Towers was a member of the country’s U17 and U20 national teams.
As a prep player at Brisbane State High School, Towers was a standout player, helping the team to both a gold and silver medal at the Queensland State Championships.
He also helped push the team to the Australian National High School Championships twice in his career.
With the paint secured, the Colonels signed Doyle to sure up their guard play.
Doyle is a 6-foot, 5-inch guard who lands in Thibodaux after a decorated prep career at Hagerty High School in Florida.
While with the Huskies, Doyle won the state’s Class 8A State Championship – earning the MVP award for the playoffs.
To get to the finals, Doyle sunk a last-second 3-pointer in the semifinals to secure a victory for Hagerty.
He was also a First-Team All-Conference player, and the MVP of the FABC All-Star Game at the end of the season.
Piper said he likes the recruiting catch because it boosts the team’s depth at positions of need.
“With this group, we get stronger at the guard spot, while adding some size down low that will give us options both offensively and defensively.”
Nicholls State men’s basketball coach J.P. Piper talks to his team during a timeout during a game this season. The Colonels coach signed three players to scholarships this week, including two more players with Australian roots.
