Former TVCC Cardinal,  Louisville Cardinal, and Kentucky Colonel Ron Thomas passed away Saturday at the age of 67.  Thomas was part of the TVCC Cardinals "First Hall of Fame Class".  He played at TVCC (Henderson County) from 1968-1970.

Thomas was a starter on Louisville's 1972 Final Four team and averaged a double-double as a senior that season with 15.6 points and 13.5 rebounds. In 1972 Thomas was drafted by the Seattle Supersonics, but signed with the Kentucky Colonels in the American Basketball Association, and was a part of the 1975 team that won the ABA Championship -- the franchise's lone title.

Thomas player two seasons of basketball at Trinity Valley Community Colleg in Texas before returning home to finish his college career at the University of Louisville.  The power forward played one season each under coaches John Dromo and Denny Crum, and helped the Cards win the Missouri Valley Conference en route to the program's second Final Four in 1972.

After Louisville, Thomas was drafted by the NBA's Seattle SuperSonics in the 1972 draft but signed with the Colonels in the ABA instead.  He scored more than 1,000After Louisville, Thomas was drafted by the NBA's Seattle SuperSonics in the 1972 draft but signed with the Colonels in the American Basketball Association instead. He scored more than 1,000 career points in his four seasons with the Colonels and later spent one year in the NBA with the Houston Rockets.