But Thompson, a skinny 5-foot-10, 145-pounder, has been playing like a man since his days as a shooting star at Mexico High. That doesn’t mean he still won’t get picked on by his own teammates.

"I get a lot of crap about my looks," Thompson said. "I tried to gain weight and grow facial hair to look older, but I can’t even do that. I tell everyone that they’ll hate me when we’re older."

Despite the occasional teasing, the senior is looked upon as the team’s leader.

Thompson has proven that size does not matter in the big man’s game. His skills that were overlooked by many NCAA Division I schools are now being used to the fullest at No. 10 Columbia College. He leads the Cougars with 18.8 points per game and 52 steals.

"Jerrod has an enthusiasm for the game that is unparallel," said Cougar coach Bob Burchard. "Everybody likes to watch a guy who loves the game.

"I remember taking my son Bret to see Jerrod at the Hearnes when he was at Mexico five years ago. My son is a small guy like Jerrod and I told him that that’s how a skinny little basketball player should play."

Thompson’s high school coach and teammates are still fond of him including his former backcourt mate Cookie Belcher, now a starting guard at Nebraska.

"We had a lot of highlights back then," said Belcher, who went to three final fours and won the state 3A championship their junior year in 1995. "He did all the things a guard needed to do. He could shoot the 3 and knew how to pass the ball. We had a lot of fun in the backcourt.

"I think in high school people saw him at 5-foot-10 and thought he couldn’t play Division I basketball. I think with his skill and athletic ability he has the potential to play anywhere and I wanted him to come play with me - but things didn’t work out. I think he found a good spot in Columbia College."

Thompson had opportunities to fulfill his dream of playing for a Division I school, but chose Columbia College for the chance to play heavy minutes instead of riding the bench at Utah State, Arkansas State or Samford.

Last season, his first with the Cougars after transferring from Moberly Community College, Thompson was Columbia College’s sixth man, filling in for starters and still managed to score a team-high 14.4 points per game.

"This year I’m the first option to score," Thompson said. "Last year there were lots of seniors to lead the team. But now that role has been passed on to me."

Joining Thompson in the Cougar backcourt is junior transfer Mark Jones, the team’s leader in assists (85), rebounds (6.5 a game) and second-leading scorer at 14.2 points per game. The two have been in-sync throughout the season.

"He has the ability to take over the game," Jones said. "On the break he can do so many things. We have that feel for each other on the court. Once he grabs a rebound I break out or vice versa. He’s the general of the whole team and I try to feed off him."

He’s also drawing more fouls and getting to the free throw line, where he’s shooting 84 percent. He’s taken a team-high 130 free throw attempts in 27 games.

Thompson’s most memorable performance while at Moberly was during the 100-84 defeat of then-No. 1 Indian Hills Community College during his freshman year. The Greyhounds defeated a team that featured C.J. Bruton, who was drafted by Vancouver in the 1997 NBA Draft. Indian Hills went on a national record 89-game winning streak and won three-consecutive NJCAA championships after that defeat at Moberly, where Thompson converted eight 3s.

"That was a pretty special game that will sit in my mind for a long time," said Moberly coach Kenny Seifert. "You couldn’t have asked for anything more from a basketball player that game."

Thompson looks to bring Columbia College (24-3, 8-0 American Midwest Conference) closer to another conference championship and doesn’t want to have a repeat of last year’s first-round loss in the NAIA national tournament.

"No way I want to go one and out this year," Thompson said. "Losing is not a good feeling and I’ll do anything I can to help this team avoid that."