Titans Continue to Strengthen Backcourt by Signing Millikan’s Thacker
Pat Thacker, a 6-foot-5 1/2, 200-pound guard from Millikan High School in Long Beach, signed a national letter of intent Wednesday to play basketball at Cal State Fullerton.
Thacker, a good outside shooter and ball-handler who plays the wing position, averaged 16 points, seven rebounds and five assists a game last season to help the Rams to a 20-8 record. He was an all-Moore League first-team selection.
Thacker, a standout outfielder/infielder who is considered a professional baseball prospect, chose Fullerton over Cal State Long Beach, Oregon State, Montana, St. Mary’s and UC Irvine.
“I was real happy with my visit to Fullerton and Coach (John) Sneed,” Thacker said. “They run a two-wing offense and hopefully I’ll fit in on the other side next to (Titan guard) Joe Small. I think I can play.”
Thacker, who might attempt to play basketball and baseball at Fullerton, was the 36th-leading vote getter in the Long Beach Press-Telegram’s “Best of the West” rankings, which include high school players from California, Washington, Oregon, Arizona, Nevada, Utah and Colorado.
Thacker is the second Southern California player to commit to Fullerton, joining Manual Arts High School point guard Dwain Bradberry, a 6-3 1/2, 180-pound senior who made an oral commitment to the school Tuesday.
Bradberry, who averaged 13.7 points and 5.4 assists to help the Toilers win the City 4-A championship last season, was the 14th-leading vote getter on the “Best of the West” list, which is based on a poll of college coaches from around the nation. He chose Fullerton over Oregon State, Kansas State and UC Irvine.
“I feel like Fullerton is a school where I can show my talent and fit in with the team,” said Bradberry, who is friends with several Titans, including Wayne Williams, a Manual Arts graduate. “It’s close to home and seems like a good situation.”
Williams, the Titans’ point guard and the team’s only returning full-time starter, learned Wednesday that he not have to undergo surgery to remove a bone chip in his ankle, Titan assistant coach Dan Dion said.
Williams has had pain in his ankle for several weeks and underwent a Magnetic Resonance Imaging test Wednesday to determine the severity of the problem. Doctors had feared Williams, who averaged 9.8 points and 7.2 assists a game last season, might have a stress fracture, which could have required surgery and sidelined the junior for weeks.
“But there’s no fracture, and they’ve cleared him to play,” Dion said.
Williams, who has not practiced this week, will probably receive cortisone shots to relieve pain. Fullerton trainer Jerry Lloyd said Tuesday that Williams could play when the pain subsides.
