Thomas signs with Oregon Tech
PV senior caps career as state champ, will look to make immediate impact
CHICO » Noah Thomas made a stamp on the Pleasant Valley basketball team’s Division III state title run, leading the Vikings on both ends of the court. Thomas led PV in scoring with just over 16 points per game and in steals with 2.8 per game.
Thomas was named the MaxPreps D-III Player of the Year amongst an abundance of accolades, and he now has been given the opportunity to take his talents to the next level.
In front of a packed Varley Gym where he scored 16 points and grabbed 10 rebounds against Bullard in his final home game, Thomas signed his letter of intent to continue his basketball playing career at the NAIA school Oregon Tech. Thomas will join Gridley High School alumnus Grant Tull as a guard for the Hustlin’ Owls.
“It was pretty stressful making that final decision and I played out my last season to see what else I could pull,” Thomas said about his decision. “When I went down to visit the campus I felt really welcomed. It was really nice up there so I decided to narrow it down. I’ve been grinding all this time and doing everything I can and it’s really paying off so it’s good to see.”
Friends, family, former teammates and coaches were all in attendance, as is the case at many traditional signings. One person in attendance who stood out was Oregon Tech men’s basketball head coach Justin Parnell, who embarked on the trip to PV from Klamath Falls.
Parnell said he first heard about Thomas from Feather River men’s basketball coach Randy Rick, father of Thomas’ teammate
Hayden Rick. Randy Rick reached out to Parnell on Thomas’ behalf and said he felt the guard was someone “falling through the cracks and someone you should really look at.”
“You get a lot of those emails, but anytime Randy reaches out I usually check it out. I was 30 seconds into film watching it and I was like we got to have this kid,” Parnell said. “I think it was the next morning I was on the phone to Noah and his dad and set up a visit just like that and he had an offer in his hands a week later.”
Parnell said he sees Thomas as someone who can shoot the ball and has a special offensive skillset, but something that stood out was Thomas’ ability to play on the defensive end. Parnell sees this as a reason why Thomas could make impact right away, despite entering a team with an abundance of returning players.
“It’s not because they haven’t been taught or anything like that, it’s just that high school kids they’re young and they’ve had their heart broken by not playing and I think at the college level you’re forced to defend,” Parnell said. “I think with Noah what stands out is he defends. He gets the importance of it right now and he’s got that motor and mentality that goes with it.”
Thomas was one of a very select few who was named an Eastern Athletic League champion in three sports. Thomas was an EAL champion in football in the 2021-22 season,
a league and state champion in basketball, and on Friday Thomas was named the EAL champion in track and field in both triple jump and long jump.
Thomas said he had Division III offers to play football, but stuck to where he heart was — on the basketball court.
Thomas is the fourth player to go to a four-year university out of high school under Vikings’ head coach Tim Keating. Others include Kevin Kremer, who is currently playing for Chaminade University of Honolulu, and Treyson Keating and Tyler Otterlei, both attending UC Santa Cruz.
In his speak, Keating brought up four points that stood out to him about Thomas. In each point he pointed out that PV is losing a player, but Oregon Tech is fortunate to be gaining that same quality in Thomas. In his first point, Keating said
PV is losing “a young man who had the best motor on the court.”
“I’ve coached for 32 years and Noah is probably head and shoulders the best motor I’ve seen,” Keating said. “What I mean by that is every day at practice or games he never ever quits. He just goes and goes and goes and we’re going to miss that, however Oregon Tech is gaining a player who will raise the bar in terms of work ethic, practice intensity daily.”
In Keating’s second comment he reflected on Thomas’ love and passion for the game of basketball, his competitiveness and his love for his teammates.
Keating’s third comment was about PV losing a “tenacious defender and a talented and explosive player who was an integral piece for success at the state title.” Thomas scored 24 points in PV’s 57-53 D-III state title
win over Venice on March 11 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento. Keating said Oregon Tech is gaining a player who will make an immediate impact.
In Keating’s fourth comment he talked about PV losing someone who has a high character on and off the court.
“Noah is humble, genuine and has a huge heart,” Keating said. “Noah Thomas is not only a tremendous basketball player but a tremendous human being.”
Keating finished with one final comment, summing up his speech to his senior.
“In conclusion our program will miss your motor, your attitude, your passion for the game, your offensive and defensive intensity, your Ja Morant-esk, your dunks, we will miss your hair, we’ll definitely miss your stylish offense, but more importantly we will just miss you Noah.”