Designs on a title

• By ROBIN FAMBROUGH
• Advocate sportswriter
• Published: Jun 27, 2009 - Page: 10C

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Those who don’t know Brian Williams assume a rich basketball tradition is the only reason he chose to attend Glen Oaks High School.

As a student in the school’s architecture magnet program, the 6-foot-5 Williams has relished the challenge of designing things. As a junior, his class experimented with rocket designs.

The Panthers didn’t quite soar to the heights Williams had hoped for, advancing to the Class 4A semifinals before losing to Bossier.

Needless to say, the player voted the Class 4A Outstanding Player and The Advocate’s All-Metro MVP in 2008-09 has designs on a state title as his senior year approaches.

“Getting attention and winning individual awards are nice,” Williams said. “Not winning a state title left a bitter taste in my mouth. Everybody else on the team felt the same way.

“We talked about it for a while, but eventually we put it behind us. It was time for us to work to get better.”

Williams, who averaged 25.9 points and 13.6 rebounds per game, has been doing just that by playing with three summer AAU basketball teams.

The senior-to-be also made a key decision for his future when he committed to Oklahoma State on Tuesday. He has a 3.1 grade-point average and plans to be a business major.

“It’s good to get that part of recruiting over,” Williams said. “It takes some of the pressure off. Now it’s just about me working hard to get ready for my senior year.”

The pressure Williams puts on himself to get better remains a driving force.

“He’s a very dedicated young man,” GOHS coach Harvey Adger said of Williams. “Some players reach a point where they don’t improve or don’t think they need to get better.

“Brian has gotten better every year since he’s come to Glen Oaks. Each year we talk about things he needs to improve, and by the time the next season starts, he’s mastered those skills.”

To some, Williams’ game appears to be a contradiction. He is projected as a shooting guard or small forward on the college level. For Glen Oaks, he teams with junior-to-be Tre’ Drye to provide a solid front line.