Oskaloosa--Former Statesmen star Andre Thompson has taken his game to the next level and is living his dream of playing professional basketball.

The William Penn alum, who played under Coach John Henry during the 2007-2008 campaign, is currently a member of the Tacoma Tide (Wash.)., a first-year franchise in the International Basketball League.

Thompson, originally from Tacoma, transferred to Penn from NCAA Division I Washington State and went on to become a first-team all-Midwest Collegiate Conference selection that season.

Since graduating, Thompson tried out for various teams and finally caught a break with his hometown squad.

The Tide, which is in the midst of their 20-game schedule, have a 15-man roster, including players from Gonzaga, Drake, and Washington among others. The Tide, who currently own an 8-5 record, compete against teams from Oregon, Los Angeles, Canada, and Japan to name a few.

Thompson started slowly with his new team, but had an explosion of back-to-back double-digit games against the Japan Tornadoes in May, including a season-best 25-point, five-rebound performance on May 23. He was named game MVP following that showing.

"I have always dreamed of playing in a professional game," Thompson said. "It is not the NBA, but I am still playing for a pro franchise. I got off to a slow start, but I can feel the game coming to me now. I just want to play as long as I can and win games."

"Andre wanted this really bad," Statesmen Head Coach John Henry said. "He has worked hard and deserves this opportunity. GO TIDE!"

Several NBA professionals have played in the IBL, such as Dennis Rodman, Tim Hardaway, and Shawn Kemp.

For more information on the Tacoma Tide and the IBL, go to www.iblhoopsonline.com