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LANCASTER – There were certainly some outstanding players in the area this season in girls' high school basketball, but one set herself apart from others.
Fairfield Union senior Christian Thompson, who returned this season after sitting out her junior year, took her game to another level. What set her apart, besides athletic ability, was just how much she meant to her team, and she seemed to be at her best when her team needed her the most.
Thompson seemed to thrive under pressure and delivered at both ends of the court. She made her teammates better, and as the Falcons continued to win, she continually was the driving force for the Falcons.
For her efforts, Thompson was a unanimous choice in being named the 2025 Eagle-Gazette Girls Basketball Player of the Year.
More: ‘They are legends’: What a ride the Fairfield Union girls basketball team took us on
“This award means a lot because as a younger kid, I looked up to the high school players so much and I wanted to be them, I wanted to be the best, I wanted to be great,” Thompson said. “I knew in my head that I would be a little rusty and would have to work out the kinks after sitting out a year, but I had a decent game right off the bat and I knew that if I kept working, I would eventually get better.
“I had confidence in myself at the beginning of the season, but things clicked in the second half of the season. I felt a lot more comfortable and just went out and played my game and tried to lead my team the best I could.
Fairfield Union coach Keith Barr, who led the Falcons to 27 consecutive wins and a trip to the Division IV final four in his first season, is the 2025 Eagle-Gazette Girls Basketball Coach of the Year. In his first year, Barr led the Falcons to a historic season with a 27-1 overall record, which included a Mid-State League-Buckeye Division, Southeast District, and regional championships.
Thompson earned Player of the Year honors in the MSL and Southeast District after averaging 19.3 points and 11.3 rebounds per game. She also averaged. 2.0 assists, 2.7 steals and 2.0 blocks per game. She connected 51 percent shooting from the field. There were 11 games where Thompson didn’t play in the fourth quarter because the Falcons had such big leads, or her stats would have been even better.
Thompson played her best when her team needed her the most and that was never more evident than a 56-35 regional final win against Carrollton that sent the Falcons to the final four.
Thompson was unstoppable as she finished with a career-high 34 points – 17 points in each half – 14 rebounds, three blocked shots and two assists.
As good of a player and as outstanding of a season as she had, Thompson was an even better teammate. She not only led by example but would be the first person to lift her teammates on the floor if they made a mistake.
“I know how it feels not to have confidence, and I just knew if I could be there to give them positive encouragement or something to help them keep going, then I was willing to do that,” Thompson said. “I just tried to play my game, not only for myself but teammates, as well.”
Tom Wilson is a sports reporter for the Lancaster Eagle-Gazette. Contact him at 740-689-5150 or via email at [email protected] for comments or story tips. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter @twil2323.
This article originally appeared on Lancaster Eagle-Gazette: Fairfield Union’s Christian Thompson named Eagle-Gazette Player of the Year
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Fairfield Union senior Christian Thompson, who returned this season after sitting out her junior year, took her game to another level. What set her apart, besides athletic ability, was just how much she meant to her team, and she seemed to be at her best when her team needed her the most.
Thompson seemed to thrive under pressure and delivered at both ends of the court. She made her teammates better, and as the Falcons continued to win, she continually was the driving force for the Falcons.
For her efforts, Thompson was a unanimous choice in being named the 2025 Eagle-Gazette Girls Basketball Player of the Year.
More: ‘They are legends’: What a ride the Fairfield Union girls basketball team took us on
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“This award means a lot because as a younger kid, I looked up to the high school players so much and I wanted to be them, I wanted to be the best, I wanted to be great,” Thompson said. “I knew in my head that I would be a little rusty and would have to work out the kinks after sitting out a year, but I had a decent game right off the bat and I knew that if I kept working, I would eventually get better.
“I had confidence in myself at the beginning of the season, but things clicked in the second half of the season. I felt a lot more comfortable and just went out and played my game and tried to lead my team the best I could.
Fairfield Union coach Keith Barr, who led the Falcons to 27 consecutive wins and a trip to the Division IV final four in his first season, is the 2025 Eagle-Gazette Girls Basketball Coach of the Year. In his first year, Barr led the Falcons to a historic season with a 27-1 overall record, which included a Mid-State League-Buckeye Division, Southeast District, and regional championships.
Thompson earned Player of the Year honors in the MSL and Southeast District after averaging 19.3 points and 11.3 rebounds per game. She also averaged. 2.0 assists, 2.7 steals and 2.0 blocks per game. She connected 51 percent shooting from the field. There were 11 games where Thompson didn’t play in the fourth quarter because the Falcons had such big leads, or her stats would have been even better.
Thompson played her best when her team needed her the most and that was never more evident than a 56-35 regional final win against Carrollton that sent the Falcons to the final four.
Thompson was unstoppable as she finished with a career-high 34 points – 17 points in each half – 14 rebounds, three blocked shots and two assists.
As good of a player and as outstanding of a season as she had, Thompson was an even better teammate. She not only led by example but would be the first person to lift her teammates on the floor if they made a mistake.
“I know how it feels not to have confidence, and I just knew if I could be there to give them positive encouragement or something to help them keep going, then I was willing to do that,” Thompson said. “I just tried to play my game, not only for myself but teammates, as well.”
Tom Wilson is a sports reporter for the Lancaster Eagle-Gazette. Contact him at 740-689-5150 or via email at [email protected] for comments or story tips. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter @twil2323.
This article originally appeared on Lancaster Eagle-Gazette: Fairfield Union’s Christian Thompson named Eagle-Gazette Player of the Year
Continue reading...
