After the pandemic, Shepard’s Jamaia Thompson wanted to get involved in a sport. In eighth grade, she chose basketball, but her first year at Prairie Junior High wasn’t all that special.
“I was kind of a buster,” she said with a laugh.
But that’s not the case anymore.
“I’ve worked hard and my game came through,” she said.
The senior forward came through and then some Wednesday night. Quiet on offense for most of the game, she hit a huge 3-pointer late in regulation and added three points in overtime to help the host Astros earn a 49-46 nonconference victory over St. Laurence in Palos Heights.
Jessica Manley led Shepard (14-7) with 23 points and five steals, while Mia Stokes added 10 points, including three in OT. Brianne Spain hauled down seven rebounds and made the tying free throw with six seconds left in regulation.
Maeve McNamara paced St. Laurence (9-17) with 14 points and 12 rebounds. Reaghan Galvin totaled 11 points, 12 rebounds and three steals. Sienna Randall scored 10 points, featuring three 3-pointers during a two-minute span in the second quarter.
Thompson, meanwhile, converted a 3-pointer with 3:08 left in regulation to give the Astros a 38-36 lead. It also helped halt a six-point surge by the Vikings.
“One of the things she has worked on is not having to rush it,” Shepard coach Rick Gamino said of Thompson’s long-range shooting. “That shot, she did not rush.
“She was able to shoot it with confidence and had good follow through. It showed because it was nothing but net, and it was a huge three.”
Thompson wanted to take advantage of the situation for the Astros.
“I knew I was open and I felt like it was a smart shot,” she said.
As much as Gamino enjoys Thompson’s offense, he has a great appreciation for her defense.
“She was working turns and getting physical in the post,” Gamino said of Thompson. “I know defense doesn’t always show up in the stat book, but she stepped up big on her defense.
“She moves well and she’s strong. She has to guard some bigger girls sometime. She’s a huge asset for us.”
While Manley said Thompson isn’t a “buster” anymore, she’s “more than a pretty good player.”
“She brings a lot of energy with talking,” Manley added. “On defense, she’s a person leading us.”
Manley also was partially responsible for setting up Thompson’s late heroics.
St. Laurence held a 27-17 lead with 6:15 left in the third when Manley erupted for 12 points the rest of the quarter to give the Astros a 35-30 lead.
Manley missed two days of school with an illness and didn’t start, but once she came in with 1:28 left in the first quarter, things happened quickly with a steal on one play and a basket on another.
“When Jess is in the game, we all get more active,” Thompson said.
Gamino has been watching Manley, a junior guard, develop into one of the area’s top players.
“She’s a special talent,” Gamino said. “It took her a moment to get going, and she’s also a very good two-way player. She brings joy to the team. I see the other girls smiling.
“She gets our team going and we feed off of her.”
Although the 5-foot-8 Thompson is a relative newcomer to basketball, as far as college goes, she’s on Moraine Valley’s radar. And she hopes that she can keep playing the game.
“I like the bond that you make with other players,” Thompson said. “We’re all friends when we’re playing, but outside, we have a really good vibe. We have good team chemistry.”
Jeff Vorva is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
