Area trio to appear in East-West All-Star games

By Allen Etzler
Published in Sports on July 20, 2014 9:44 AM

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By ALLEN ETZLER

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Charles B. Aycock alum Michael Williams didn't know what to expect when he got called into Tod Morgan's office in June.

But when he found out he'd get the chance to showcase his skills in the N.C. Coaches Association East-West All-Star boys' basketball game, excitement rushed over him.

"I'm excited because it means I get to represent Aycock one last time," said Williams, who will suit up Monday evening at the Greensboro Coliseum.

Williams is one of two local athletes selected to take part in this week's All-Star festivities that conclude Wednesday. He'll be joined by N.C. State football signee Marcelias Sutton and Rosewood High head football coach Robert Britt.

Expected to sign with Delaware State University within the next few days, Williams is just one of 10 players from eastern North Carolina to play in the game. He'll get the opportunity to show where he has improved in the offseason, as well as how he'll fit in position-wise at the next level.

At 6-foot-5 with an 80-inch wingspan, Williams was forced to play in the post for much of the season for CBA. He figures to play more of a small forward or extended power forward in college.

"He fits right in with the pick-and-roll, pick-and-pop style of play," Morgan said. "He can do a lot of different things on the court, but he's just got that kind of play style."

Williams is just the fourth player from Aycock, and first since Joseph Pryor in 1995, to be selected for the basketball game. He's the third player Morgan has coached in the last three seasons to get selected for the annual contest.

"It's a big deal for the program," Morgan said. "It's a honor and reflects well on him, but it also shows we're doing good things here."

Britt will coach the defensive line for the East team Wednesday. It's his first appearance in an East-West All-Star game and it's a stamp of approval on any coaches career.

"It's a staple in any coaches career to be recognized by your peers and to be able to coach athletes of that caliber," said Britt, the second RHS coach to serve on the East staff during the summer classic.

But it's also a big time commitment.

Britt had to meet three times with the other coaches on the staff to scout and watch film on the nominated players and then make selections for the team. This past week, he ran two-a-days with the players to get them up to speed on the offensive and defensive schemes they're going to run.

Coming in and coaching up athletes he's never before with just one week of preparation is tough. However, Britt is excited to work with a new crop of athletes that he gets the opportunity to bond with over the next few days.

"It'll be tough to build a relationship that quickly being blind to their personalities," Britt said. "But I'm excited to meet some new kids and to hopefully be able to keep up with them as they go on to college."

Sutton, the 15th Tiger in program history to play in the All-Star game, will likely see time on both sides of the ball. He won't be at the defensive end position he played last season for James Kenan, but safety instead.

The highlight-reel running back will also likely be a fixture in the back field. He's one of few running backs going into the game with knowledge of the double-wing offense the East will run. 

James Kenan ran a similar offense last season that saw Sutton flourish last season during the team's run to the 1-AA state championship crown.

This year's event will be the 65th anniversary of the inaugural East-West All-Star games founded by Bob Jamieson, a former coach at Grimsley High School and Smith Barrier, the longtime Sports Editor of the Greensboro Daily News. The games help fund the N.C. Coaches Association coaching clinic.