Mike Thomas brings excitement to East Kentwood basketball

New East Kenwood boys basketball coach Mike Thomas, left, talks to the crowd during a season kick-off event called the Falcon Madness on Friday, Dec. 2, 2022. At right is sophomore guard Darryl Thompkins Jr. (Photo | Lenny Padilla).

KENTWOOD, Mich. - Mike Thomas played a lot of roles at East Kentwood on Friday night. As thumping music echoed off the walls of a packed gym, he grabbed a microphone and served as hype man at the Falcon Madness season kickoff.

It was a way for the new East Kentwood boys basketball coach to introduce himself and his team to the school.

“Wherever I’ve been, I wanted to create some excitement,” Thomas said. “I’ve done something like the Midnight Madness type of event five or six times now. We called it the Falcon Madness this year. We want to create an atmosphere that gets us excited for the season. And also build some connection with the community, especially since I’m new to the community.”

Thomas comes to East Kentwood with an impressive resume. He’s won three state championships. Thomas won back-to-back Class A state titles with Kalamazoo Central in 2010 and 2011. He took Grand Blanc to the state Division 1 state title game each of the past two years, winning the title in 2021. 

East Kentwood sophomore Jah Hatchett, right, is guarded by teammate Darryl Thompkins Jr. during an inter-squad scrimmage on Friday, Dec. 2, 2022. (Photo | Lenny Padilla).

So why did he move to the west side of the state to take on an East Kentwood program that doesn’t have a winning pedigree? The Falcons were 6-13 last year.

“I like new challenges wherever I go,” he said. “I like the challenge of bringing history to different communities and programs. Even at Grand Blanc, they had never won a state title, that’s something that attracts me. I want to bring new experiences for the young men on the team.”

Thomas said his guards will be the key to the Falcons season. 

“We have three really talented guards,” he said. “Senior Marshaun Flakes, is a big guard. He’s going to do a lot for us. He’s a really good defender. (Sophomore) Jah Hatchett started a lot of games for East Kentwood last year. So he’s got some experience. (Sophomore) Darryl Thompkins … he’s very fast and very talented. He can do a lot of things with the basketball. He can shoot it and he can get to the basket.” 

He also mentioned two juniors who will play a big part.

“We’ve got some other guys, too: Landon Storms is a really good shooter, who got moved up to varsity in the middle of last year. Another junior, Enrique Morris, will do some big things for us, too.”

Thomas has had some great guards during his coaching career. And he includes Hatchett and Thompkins Jr. in that class.

“Jah and Darryl are right in that category,” he said. “Kind of like (Grand Blanc’s) R.J. Taylor and some of the top guards that I’ve ever had. I’m talking all the way back to Kalamazoo Central when I had T.J. Buchanan, (Daquavion) McCants, R.J. Taylor, (Grand Blanc’s) Amonte’ Allen-Johnson … those guys will do some special things.”

Thomas said the biggest challenge will be the lack of size and rebounding. But he still sets his sights high.
“Our goal is to compete for a state title,” he said. “It’s going to take a lot of work. We’re trying to do that this year. I always tell our guys to dream big. Think big. We don’t want to sell ourselves short. We won’t worry about the first 22 games. We need to be clicking for the last eight (postseason) games.”

Flakes, who was throwing down dunks during the Falcon Madness inter-squad scrimmage, is a three-year starter.

“He’s a great coach,” Flakes said. “He pushes you to be better than you were yesterday.”

East Kentwood won’t play its first game until Dec. 16 when it travels to Forest Hills Central. And the Falcons won’t play their first home game until Jan. 6 when they play Jenison.

“Our first game isn’t until the 16th (of December),” Thomas said. “When you’re trying to start from the ground up, we need some time.” 

East Kentwood senior Marshaun Flakes dunks during an inter-squad scrimmage on Friday, Dec. 2, 2022. (Photo | Lenny Padilla).