Boys’ basketball: Thomas Welsh could always shoot from the time he played for Loyola

Thomas Welsh of UCLA has become perhaps the best medium range shooter in college basketball, and his coach at Loyola High, Jamal Adams, is not surprised.

“From the beginning as a ninth grader, he always had a phenomenal touch,” Adams said of the 7-foot junior. “He’s always made the baseline jump shot. He knocked down a lot of elbow jump shots and made two or three threes his senior year. He’s always had a phenomenal ability to shoot the basketball.”

Helping Welsh besides UCLA’s talented collection of players around him is his ability to create spacing, Adams said.

“The part that’s underrated is how well he understands spacing,” he said. “He has such an innate feel as a guy is attacking to move into an open space. He’s like the new era of the big guy who can provide more space for talented guards. He’s carved a niche.”

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