Freshman Helps the Veterans Out
BOSTON – You’re a quarterback, dropping back to pass, and suddenly a 6’10” defensive lineman is bearing down on you. Does it sound like a pleasant scenario?
That was Boston College freshman center Sean Williams, who hails from the football-rich state of Texas, appeared destined for early in his athletic life. Williams played football for years, like many athletes there, but didn’t stop just because basketball came calling – the story goes a little different.
“I love football, I played football for many years,” the one-time linebacker and defensive end recalls. “My mom, she just didn’t want me to play any sports for a while, so I just stopped playing.”
When Williams got back to playing sports, he turned to the hardwood. He’s still making his mark on defense, but instead of sacking quarterbacks, he’s swatting away field goal attempts each game for one of four remaining undefeated teams in Division I. The Eagles won 24 games last season and went to the second round of the NCAA Tournament before losing to national runner-up Georgia Tech, but seem poised to go further this year with the help of their freshman big man. Williams is already close to halfway to the school record for blocked shots in a season through just 13 games, though he has played in just ten due to suspensions for violation of team rules.
Ted Sarandis, who has called Boston College games on the radio for several years now and followed the program for longer, says that the Eagles have “never had a five man like Sean Williams.” While his shot-blocking has received plenty of notice thus far, he did plenty of other things to help the Eagles knock off local rival Providence in front of a packed Conte Forum on Saturday night. Williams posted his first career double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds to go with his 3 blocks. Seven of the rebounds were on the offensive end, and he was 7-7 from the field. Included was a slam off of a rebound that brought the crowd to its feet in the second half.
It’s safe to say that Friars head coach Tim Welsh was impressed.
“He’s going to be very good. He’s got a live body, he’s active to the rim, he knows his role out there,” Welsh said after the game. “He has a kind of (Emeka) Okafor look to him, where he’s got a live body, long, just attacks the rim.”
That’s some high praise, and the Eagles probably wouldn’t mind if he could match what Okafor did in his three years at Connecticut. Like Okafor, Williams isn’t a player the Eagles need much offense from right now, as he has veterans around him that do a lot of that. Instead, Williams can change games in other ways and help the veterans do their work. He’s a terrific athlete, and that along with his size and wing span make him dangerous at both ends of the floor.
Williams earned Big East Rookie of the Week honors last week, as he helped the Eagles knock off defending national champion Connecticut earlier in the week with eight points, six rebounds and three blocks. On the season, he is averaging just under 3 blocks per game, which places him fourth in the Big East in that category.
“I play hard, every game I come out there to play a role and do as well as I can,” Williams said after the game. “I understand my role on the team. When I come in, coach wants me to offensive rebound.”
The Eagles have received rebounding and then some from Williams, and he hasn’t done it all against no-names. In the John Wooden Classic, Williams swatted away six UCLA shots, including four in the second half, to help the Eagles pick up a win over the Bruins. He added four against Massachusetts, and although he only had six points against Kent State, he got two key baskets to help the Eagles’ comeback in that game. Williams’ frontcourt mates have certainly been impressed and know his value to the team.
“The sky’s the limit for him,” says junior forward Craig Smith, who also calls Williams “one of the best freshmen in the country by far”. “He’s a tremendous player, you’ve seen it tonight. He brings us a lot of energy off the bench. It’s great to be a teammate of his.”
Sophomore Jared Dudley, a player known for his great feel for the game, sees the potential Williams has as well.
“I can see him one day leading the country in blocked shots,” Dudley said. “He can definitely have 2-3 points and have 7 blocks, and that probably will happen once or twice this year.”
Williams arrived with high credentials despite playing just one year of basketball in high school. In his one year at Mansfield High School, he earned numerous honors, including the District 4-5A Defensive Player of the Year and was selected as the district’s top newcomer. He played with the Dallas Mustangs on the spring and summer travel circuit, which got him more exposure playing along with several of the top prospects in the class of 2005 from that area as he was the only rising senior on the team. He said that head coach Al Skinner is what attracted him to Boston College more than anything else.
The one thing Williams must do more than anything else is keep his head. His two suspensions speak to that, as each one was a missed opportunity to get valuable game time. While his shot-blocking looks great, he’s still learning the game and like most young shot-blockers, one thing he has to work on is not trying to block everything. The Eagles don’t need him to score, though he has done some of that and with great efficiency thanks to his offensive rebounding.
The Eagles surprised everyone last year by winning 24 games, and projections for this season were high with four starters back. Add in Williams and his potential to change games with his shot-blocking, and this is a team that has a chance to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament. That, along with how it would feel to accomplish that, isn’t lost on the freshman.
“We’re trying to do something special this year,” he said.
