Aurora hoops season extended with premier A-Town All-Stars game March 26
DAVID THORNTON
School: Cherokee Trail
Year: Senior
Height: 6-foot-4
2015-16 averages: 19.8 points, 8.5 rebounds
Season highlights: Coach Morgan Gregory’s Cherokee Trail team finally lived up to the immense potential it had flashed in previous seasons, as the Cougars finished third in the Centennial League standings behind Overland and Eaglecrest — which played for the Class 5A state championship — and made it to the 5A Great 8 for the second time in program history and third time overall (including a Great 8 appearance in 4A in 2007-2008). The continued development of both senior David Thornton and junior Jaizec Lottie had a lot to do with Cherokee Trail’s outstanding 19-7 season. In his fourth season on the varsity roster, Thornton finished as Aurora’s leading scorer in terms of average — one of his goals for the season — as he finished with an average of 19.8 points per contest, a big jump from his 13.6 ppg average in 2014-15. His season included 12 games of 20 or more points and two in which he piled up more than 30. A 36-point, 16-rebound effort in a 75-72 win over George Washington on Dec. 5 produced highs for a single game in both categories for Thornton, whose average of 8.5 rebounds per game was second among Aurora players to Overland’s De’Ron Davis (8.9 rpg). Thornton — who Gregory said will graduate as the program’s all-time leading scorer — became the Cherokee Trail’s first player to be selected to the All-Centennial League first team twice. He will play for Team East in the A-Town All-Star Game.
Thornton vs. Aurora teams: Smoky Hill (20 points & 8 rebounds, 13 points & 7 rebounds), Rangeview (19 points, 26 points & 10 rebounds), Grandview (18 points & 8 rebounds, 29 points & 7 rebounds), Eaglecrest (25 points & 14 rebounds, 17 points & 10 rebounds), Overland (14 points, 25 points & 8 rebounds)
Courtney Oakes is Aurora Sentinel Sports Editor. Reach him at 303-750-7555 or sports@aurorasentinel.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. FB: Aurora Prep Sentinel