By NIC HALLISEY, Montana sports information
The common cliché among sports teams is that the bond formed between teammates creates a brotherhood. For Dischon and Dorell Thomas, who recently committed to the Grizzlies, the adage rings especially true.
Dischon, a 6-8 forward from Colorado State with two years of eligibility remaining, and Dorell, a 6-5 shooting guard and soon-to-be high school graduate, will join the Montana men’s basketball roster this fall as the first set of brothers to suit up together since Craig and Rick Zanon did in the late 1970s.
That Zanon family worked out well for Montana as Craig became a 1,000-point scorer, two-time all-conference selection and Academic All-American. Later, after Craig and Rick graduated, the eldest brother, Scott, came to Montana and also became a 1,000-point scorer, all-conference pick, Academic All-American and – until Travis DeCuire broke it seven years later – once held Montana’s career assists record.
The intention was never to add a pair of brothers; it just so happened to work out that way. But because of it, DeCuire feels like he and his staff scored big-time.
“Dischon has proven the type of college basketball player he can be, and I think we can see even more out of him, being a versatile post player who can spread the floor and co-exist really well with Josh Bannan,” DeCuire said. “With Dorell, I think there’s a lot of upside that is yet to be untapped. He’s got size and he can shoot the ball.
“The biggest thing for both of them is that they’re open-minded and they come from a coaching family. We’re excited to get them here.”
It’s no secret that Montana has desperately needed size and length to fill a void in rebounding that has hindered the Grizzlies the past two seasons. They wanted veteran experience and someone who had a championship mindset.
The transfer portal came through for Montana when Dischon, rated as one of the top mid-major transfers in the country by many outlets, chose to finish his playing career in Missoula.
“Winners win, and this was a big addition for us,” DeCuire said of Dischon. “If we’re going to take transfers, it would behoove us to try and fill some of these openings with guys who have been there before. It’s easy to talk about what it takes to get there, but to add a player who has started for an NCAA tournament team, I think it’s really healthy for the culture of a team that expects to be there.”
DeCuire and his staff knew that Dischon fit all of their boxes:
A 6-8 forward who can play down low or spread it out, shooting 43 percent from distance? Check.
251 career rebounds, including 10 last December in a win over Mississippi State? Check.
Experience starting for a top-25 team that played in the NCAA tournament? Check.
Montana saw a fit. Truthfully, it didn’t take long for Dischon to realize that Montana checked his boxes, as well.
Recruited out of high school by DeCuire and the Griz basketball staff, there was an existing relationship. That helped when others came calling last month once Dischon entered his name in the transfer portal. The list of suitors was lengthy – and impressive – ranging from BYU, Utah and Washington State to Texas A&M, Creighton and Xavier, among others.
But Montana had a head start through a prior relationship, and it helped.
“What I remember about Montana (initially) recruiting me was how badly they wanted me,” Dischon said. “They would text me every day, come to practices, come to games. I remember them being there every step of the way, and I’ll never forget that.
“Going into the portal and going through a list of schools, I already knew the Montana coaching staff and wasn’t walking into something I didn’t know. I always had a great feeling about the coaching staff; we always had a mutual respect for each other.”
During his three-year career at CSU, Dischon played in 91 games, accumulating 446 points and 251 rebounds. He’s a big-body presence who can also stretch the floor, connecting on 42.7 percent of his 3-point attempts over the past two seasons (47-of-110). His biggest performances came on the biggest stages.
Facing Creighton – a 2022 NCAA tournament team – in an early-season tournament, he scored 21 points on 5-of-8 shooting from long range. Against Michigan in the NCAA tournament, Dischon sank five 3-pointers, totaling 15 points in 24 minutes of action, while playing on national TV.
Dischon started 29 of 31 games this past season for a CSU squad that was consistently ranked in the top 25 and earned a No. 6 seed in the NCAA tournament. But with an All-American big man and so much depth, despite starting, he was averaging just 16.1 minutes per game.
He wanted to be used more. And he wanted to go to a place where he could be integral in the team’s success at a place that could develop his all-around game.
“Colorado State is a really great program, but I was looking for somewhere I could be on the floor a lot more,” he said. “Our team was really deep so it was hard. At Montana, I’m confident that I can develop as a 4 or a 5, or wherever they need me.”
And then, of course – if all of that wasn’t enough – there was the secret weapon, the thing most teams couldn’t compete with.
Dischon knew that his younger brother, Dorell, had been in talks with the Griz. They scheduled their visits for the same day last month, and five days after Dorell announced his commitment, Dischon followed his younger brother.
That wasn’t initially part of the plan, to go to the same school or suit up together. But Dorell liked what he saw on his visit, and – before even talking to his younger brother – Dischon felt the same way.
Now, for the first time since Dischon was a senior in high school and Dorell was a freshman, the two brothers will share the floor together.
“We’re always doing something basketball – playing or watching or talking – when we’re together,” Dischon said of his relationship with his younger brother. “We never thought about one day playing together, though.”
The two shared the hardwood for one year at Hillcrest Prep in Arizona, being coached by their father, Howard, before Dischon graduated and went to CSU. Meanwhile, Dorell and Howard transitioned to Skyline Prep – also in Arizona – where Dorell has played the past two seasons.
The chance to suit up together, side by side, was too good to beat.
“When he called and told me that he also was committing, I got really excited,” Dorell said. “I played with him my freshman year of high school and it was really fun. I know what he does, and he knows what I do. We just have that chemistry.”
And as excited as the two brothers are, their family might be even more excited.
“My mom and grandma, every time they call me, it’s all they can talk about,” Dorell said.
Dorell will graduate from Skyline Prep in May and will come to Missoula with four years of eligibility. Dischon has played three seasons of college basketball, but thanks to the COVID-19 exemption and immediate transfer waiver, will have two years of immediate eligibility remaining.
This past season at Skyline, Dorell says he averaged roughly 9.0 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game, with Skyline beating a handful of top-10 teams in the country.
“Our season was incredible,” he said. “We played great team basketball. I’m excited to bring that to Montana and keep doing what I need to do to help the team. I say I’m ‘3 and D’. Catch and shoot shots, running off of screens, and then defending one of the top-two scorers on the other team.”
Dorell said the Griz coaching staff had earned his trust through the recruiting process, but he still wasn’t sure it would be the best fit. That is, until he got to Missoula on his visit.
“It was way better than I thought it would be,” he said. “Beautiful town, the facilities – the weight room, the arena, the locker room they just put in – were incredible. The educational portion… It had everything I needed.”
Dischon has gotten a taste of college basketball – and more particularly March Madness.
He knows that as a proven veteran he will have opportunities right away to be an integral part of Montana’s team.
“I’m looking to bring energy and what it takes to win and get to the NCAA tournament,” he said. “I think that I can provide a lot to help us get there.”
Some of that is in leadership: “Winning isn’t easy, so helping guys have the right mindset to what it takes to get there.”
Some of that is in his game: “I can post up guys, take advantages of mismatches, space the floor out for my teammates, whatever is asked. I can be a presence down low or outside. I just like to play basketball and can adjust.”
He’s excited to do that at Montana, where he sees a path to winning.
And the cherry on top would be to do it with his brother by his side.
“I’ve tasted March Madness and winning, and I think that we have a chance to win at Montana,” Dischon said. “It would be even better to do that with Dorell,” Dischon said. “Just to have him here, mentor him a little bit, show him the ropes, even outside the court.
“I don’t get homesick often, but having him here is all I need.”
