Williams making early impact for CB Aycock

By Andrew Stevens
Published in Sports on November 29, 2013 1:51 PM

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PIKEVILLE -- Michael Williams hasn't wasted a single second and he's thrived on big moments during his senior season at Charles B. Aycock.

His buzzer-beating 3-pointer lifted the Golden Falcons past Southern Nash, 57-55, on Monday evening.

Last Friday, the 6-foot-5 forward pumped in 31 points and pulled down a career-high and school-record 29 rebounds against county rival Goldsboro.

Countless hours of relentless work in the gym during the summer have factored into his strong start. He has improved his footwork and agility, and developed the ability to dribble past defenders on the perimeter.

His speed keeps smaller ball handlers in front of him defensively.

"I really did a lot of running and a lot of ball handling," said Williams, who averages 21 points a game. "I did a lot of ladder drills to improve my footwork and my quickness so I can get by defenders and into the lane."

Williams' versatility provides first-year CBA head coach Tod Morgan with freedom on how to use his standout forward on both ends of the floor. Despite his size, Williams is a consistent outside shooter that defenses must respect. His willingness to rebound also allows him to play in the paint both offensively and defensively.

"Mike's quickness and basketball IQ for a guy his size definitely is a plus," Morgan said. "As a coach, I can move him around on the court (and) allows me to be more creative with how we use Mike on the court."

Williams' impact on the Aycock program stretches beyond the box score. He has shown leadership toward the younger players and demonstrated complete trust in Morgan.

The positive attitude and maximum effort has been noticed.

"I feel like I have to lead by example," Williams said. "If I'm down then everybody sees me because I'm a leader. I try to keep everybody up in practice and in the game, and have intensity. If they see me do it and working hard then they're going to want to do it"

The list of college recruiters watching Williams has grown since Morgan's arrival in Pikeville. Williams is drawing attention from Fayetteville State, Chicago State, Tennessee State, Pfeiffer, Methodist, Barton and UNC Pembroke -- just to name a few.

Williams prefers to stay close to home, but could be a focal point for any college program.

"I am working with Mike to develop a plan for his recruitment," Morgan said. "I have been in contact with many college coaches and I feel there will be more and more schools interested as the season progresses. I truly believe Mike can play on that level if he continues to work hard each day in practices and in games."