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Williams picks
Gardner-Webb
The path for Leon Williams to Gardner-Webb University was a very short one.
He was one of eight new members to join the Putnam Science Academy prep basketball team following the school’s winter break. And when he got here, Gardner-Webb got very interested very quickly.
“There were other schools that were interested too, but Gardner Webb was on me as soon as I got here, before I even played a game,” Williams said. “It was fast.”
Saying too that he didn’t want to wait around to make his decision, Williams, a 6-4 guard from Cambridge, Mass., announced over the weekend that he was accepting the scholarship offer and committing to the school.
“I feel like I’ll be a good fit there,” he said. “I like their system. I’ve watched a couple of their games and their highlights since they’ve been recruiting me, and it looks like a pretty good system to keep growing in. And I know they like PSA guys, too.”
Williams will be the fifth PSA player to head to Gardner Webb, most of whom have enjoyed terrific success at the Boiling Springs, N.C., school. Senior Jaheam Cornwall was named to the Big South’s all-conference first-team, sophomore Kareem Reid earned all-academic team honors, and D’Maurian Williams was recognized as a selection to the conference all-freshman team. Jose Perez transferred from GWU to Marquette this past season.
“We’ve had a pretty good relationship with them, and they’ve done a great job developing our guys there,” said PSA coach Tom Espinosa. “I think that’s going to happen for Leon too. He came to us really as a late bloomer, but you can definitely see some things in him that impress you. He can get to the basket and finish strong at the rim. He’s a talented player.”
Williams has indeed shown the ability to attack the basket. He’s a quick slasher who is hard to contain on the perimeter. But once defenders start to sag off him just a little bit, he starts shooting it.
“I like to mix it up,” Williams said. “A couple of plays I’ll take it hard and attack, then the next couple plays if they fall back and start playing me like I’m a non-shooter, I can knock it down. “
Williams is averaging 9.2 points per game in 10 games with the Mustangs, providing scoring punch off the bench.
“Since I’ve been here, I feel like I’ve developed a little bit of everything in my game, really,” he said. “Dribbling, ball-handling, shot creating, defense, a bunch of new concepts that I’ve learned. And being at a prep school is just such a totally different experience than public school is. There is so much more exposure here than there, and that obviously helps other people see it in you. “
Williams said he knew he had the potential to become a really good player and earn a Division I scholarship, probably around the summer before his junior year of high school (at Cambridge Rindge and Latin)
“That’s when I hit my growth spurt,” he said. “I went from 5-foot-7 to 6-3 over the summer. I felt like I was pretty good going into that year but I needed to grow into my body. I’m glad I’ve been able to do that.”
Williams and the Mustangs went 3-0 last week, posting 130-99 and 100-97 wins over Lee Academy March 13 and March 14, respectively. They also dismantled St. George’s 110-59 on March 9.
C.J. Anthony knocked six 3-pointers and finished with 18 points against St. George’s. Bryce Harris added 22 points and six rebounds, Nana Owusu-Anane 13 points and seven rebounds, and Alexis Reyes and Boris Mitkin both had nine points and six boards for PSA (14-1).
In the blowout win over Lee, Williams had 18 points, but Owusu-Anane led the way with 30 points, eight rebounds, four assists, and four steals. Reyes added 26 points, four rebounds, and five assists; Harris made five 3-pointers among his 17 points for the Mustangs; and Anthony finished with 14 points (including the first 10 of the game), five assists and five steals.
Stephen Nalbandian
Sports Information Director
Putnam Science Academy
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