R.J. Williams started his weekend by leading St. Frances to a huge win over No. 1 City on Saturday. The Panthers' senior point guard ended it by finalizing his plans for college.
After scoring a game-high 26 points in St. Frances' 78-66 win over the Knights, Williams was offered a scholarship by Loyola on Sunday. He committed to the Greyhounds later that day.
"It feels great – a big win and then finding a team that fits me and a place that I can play at and possibly start," Williams said. "I can bring a good part to this team, and [hopefully] be a big piece they're missing. I think I can fill that and help them out a lot next year."
Williams, a 5-foot-8, 150-pound senior, was also recruited by St. Francis (Pa.) and Stony Brook. The Panthers' leader has averaged 20 points and nine assists this season in leading St. Frances to a 6-0 record. ESPN.com ranks him the No. 142 senior point guard in the country.
"He's clearly the best point guard in the area," said Nick Myles, St. Frances' athletic director and an assistant boys basketball coach. "He's doing what you want a point guard to do. He's scoring at a high level, getting his assists and just pushing our guys to become better players."Myles said Loyola coach Jimmy Patsos and Greyhounds assistant Luke D'Alessio did "a wonderful job" recruiting Williams. Patsos was on hand for St. Frances' 72-50 rout of Digital Harbor earlier this month. In that game, Williams controlled the tempo and stifled the Rams, finishing with 13 points, eight assists and two steals.
The Greyhounds coaches "really liked his skill set and think he brings something different to Loyola basketball than they've had in a while," Myles said.
Williams' commitment to Loyola makes it the second straight year the Greyhounds have landed one of the Baltimore Catholic League's best players. Former Cardinal Gibbons guard Dylon Cormier, a Baltimore Sun first-team All-Metro selection last spring, is a freshman at Loyola. Williams and Cormier were teammates with the Mount Royal youth program in middle school.
"I always wanted to play with him again, but never got a chance because we played for two different schools and two different AAU teams," Williams said. "But me and my parents and my brother talked about if they made the offer, what would my answer be. And I'd really love to go to the school, so I just took the chance and took the offer."
Baltimore Sun photo of R.J. Williams by Karl Merton Ferron / Dec. 10, 2010