Thomas tabbed to lead Alabama Christian basketball

Steven Thomas is the new boys basketball coach at Alabama Christian Academy. (Contributed)

By TIM GAYLE

Steven Thomas has only been around Alabama Christian Academy’s basketball program for one year, but the new boys’ basketball coach knows his top priority is instilling a sense of confidence among his players.

The Eagles have advanced out of area tournament play just once in the last eight years, an issue Thomas would like to change immediately with his close-knit group of seniors.

“I think the main thing is building that sense of confidence,” he said. “We have guys that have been playing ball for most of their lives. They know how to play the game, it’s just a matter of building up that confidence that we can play with those other teams in the area, that we can play with these other teams in the city.”

Thomas was promoted from his role as assistant coach to replace Scott Galloway, who has served as the Eagles’ athletic director and boys’ basketball coach over the last four years. Thomas will serve as boys’ basketball coach, while new ACA headmaster Greg Glenn will handle the duties of athletic director until one can be hired.

Thomas was a standout guard for Mars Hill Bible, helping the Panthers to a 2010 state tournament appearance and making a trip to the regionals in each of his final three seasons on the team. He played at the University of Mobile from 2012-15, then took a job at the school as a student assistant.

The next year, he was at Mobile Christian, serving as co-head coach of the boys’ soccer team and as an assistant boys’ basketball coach. In 2017-18 and 2018-19, he was a graduate assistant at the University of West Alabama, helping the team to the Gulf South Conference regular season title in his second year.

He moved on to Alabama Christian in 2019-20 as an assistant to Galloway. 

The school has scheduled a “Meet the Coach” event for its fans on Thursday from 12:30-2 p.m. at the school.

And while Thomas doesn’t know much about the history of ACA basketball, he knows all too well the recent struggles of the program. Since the regional format was adopted in 1994, ACA has advanced past the area tournament just eight times in 27 years. Its only area championship, in 1998 as a 2A program, was followed by its only sub-regional win (over Reeltown) and its only trip to the regionals, where the Eagles defeated Slocomb before losing in the finals to Clayton.

The past three seasons, ACA is 0-3 in area tournament games, last advancing to the finals in 2017 where Tallassee edged the Eagles 55-54. ACA advanced to the sub-regionals at Hale County, where the Herb Jones-led Wildcats won 103-51. As a 4A program, ACA is 4-12 in area tournament games, reaching the finals three times. 

“We have talent, that’s for sure,” Thomas said. “I think we return five or six from last year and they’re hungry to be successful. With our program, moving forward, I think you’ll see a bunch of guys that are going to put in the work to improve the program.”

Thomas interviewed for the position with then-head of school Misty Overman in March, but the position wasn’t officially filled until a week ago.  

“Once Coach Glenn got in here, we knew the direction (the athletic department) was going in,” Thomas said. “It was on a laundry list of things to do. It was finally officially announced. But we’re going in the right direction with this administration and all that came about with their direction.”

While the coronavirus pandemic has shut down a lot of the offseason work, Thomas has spent his time wisely, pouring over film from past ACA games in an effort to find the strengths of his team. 

“I’ve been watching a bunch of film on our guys from this past year, just seeing what kind of defensive style would benefit their talent and athletic ability,” Thomas said. “I think we’re going to move in the direction where we’re going to be aggressive when it comes to pressuring the ball. We’re going to press a little bit, just giving the offensive teams a little different look from what they’re used to seeing from ACA teams in the past.”