I was talking with a handful of Division III coaches during the Massillon Washington Vs Centerville game and almost every one mentioned how impressed they were with Williams on Friday. The explosive combo guard had numerous transition buckets as his athletic advantages were on full display in the open court. Williams will have that advantage at the college level as it’s tough to find guards with his acceleration on the ball. While those Division III coaches were certainly impressed with Williams, that also means scholarship programs should also be taking a look at this state champion guard.

A state champion, Williams had a monster playoff run as the combo guard provided excellent value for Massillon all season long. An explosive athlete off two feet, Williams can play above the rim at both ends of the court with his blocked shots helping swing the state title game. I like Williams low center of gravity on drives that when combined with his explosiveness makes him a very tough undersized guard to stop from scoring at the rim. Massillon has a strong core returning next season so they should be looking to defend their title next season.

I was extremely impressed by Williams on both ends of the court as he made plays in a variety of ways. A stocky guard, Williams has strong legs and lower body strength to play off two feet and finish through traffic. His frame also allows him to rebound much better than other guards his height and he even had a couple of blocked shots defensively. Add in some timely shot-making and free throw shooting and Williams ended up leading all scorers with 20 in the contest.

I’ve talked recently about how impressed I was with Massillon Washington when I saw them at the Battle at the Berkey with a dominant win. Their depth stood out and that’s proven by the fact Williams comes off the bench but is still a player college coaches need to know about. A player who plays on balance, can knock down open shots and can hit kickout passes to shooters, Williams is a perfect complimentary piece for a Tigers program that could have like seven different guys lead them in scoring on any given night.

 I was impressed with Williams ability to play on balance, knocking down four 3-pointers in the first half. Williams gets great dip before he catches passes, allowing him to get good lift on his release and arc on his shot. A stocky framed guard with broad shoulders, Williams played off two feet and was able to make live dribble passing reads. Very impressed with Massillon as a team and Williams was one of their top individual performers. 

– Baseline righty take and score

– Can finish with either hand on either side of the rim

– Drive free throw line with dump pass over top for the assist

When you see a guard wearing the jersey #50, the opposition should know they’re going to be in for a dog fight. That’s exactly what Williams turns a basketball game into. He is consistently up on defense creating havoc with his speed, physicality, and ball pressure. On the offensive end, Xavier sets the table for his teammates and usually makes the right decision with the ball. To be honest, I was most impressed with his communication amongst his teammates, on and off the court, throughout the game.