Blake Boys' Basketball Scores
its First Conference Victory
By Matt Thomas
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Williams and Davis combine for 52 points in win
If you don't know who Blake Williams is, you're probably not alone. Williams - a senior at Blake - is one of the best kept secrets in the state.
He plays for a Class 2A school and in the slightly less publicized Tri Metro Conference, but his on-the-court performances speak volumes.
Through 13 games he is averaging 28.3 points per contest, he has gone over the 40-point plateau twice and has yet to be held to under 20 points in any single game.
Even college recruiters who have been late to the table are starting to take notice.
"He's got a number of options, but because he's such a late bloomer, we're getting late interest," head coach Nick Rathmann said. "You have to find a school that's looking for that type of player with their one scholarship that they have left. Dartmouth is probably the leader right now."
With several college coaches in attendance, Williams poured in 28 points and grabbed nine rebounds as the Bears recorded their first conference victory with a 78-66 triumph over St. Paul Academy on Jan. 16.
Williams and the Bears started slowly in the first half, as they hit just four of their first 14 shots from the field and fell behind 13-9.
Williams finished the first half with 11 points, but the Spartans still led 29-25 at halftime.
In the second half the Bears used a 20-4 run to turn a 34-27 deficit into a 47-38 lead.
"We just made fewer turnovers and got better shots," Rathmann said. "We weren't rushing stuff and we just kind of relaxed."
The second half surge was thanks in part to the play of Williams and junior guard Stewart Davis.
Davis scored a season-high 24 points, including 17 in the second half, on a nine of 14 shooting night.
Davis has recently emerged as a quality No. 2 option on offense for the Bears. In the first seven games of the season Davis averaged only 7.7 points per game. In the last six games, Davis is averaging 19.7 points per game.
"Blake was our only offense early on this year, but Stewart is coming along," Rathmann said. "He's got a nice shot and nice touch. He's learning to go to the hole and he's a really hard worker."
While Davis' contributions have been vital to the Bears' success this season, when teams prepare to play Blake, they prepare to try and stop Williams.
So far nobody has been able to come up with a blueprint on how to stop the six-foot, four-inch guard. Williams likes to take the ball to the basket, but has an improved outside jump shot that has helped him this season.
Just a couple of games into this season he passed Ryan Cathcart as the school's all-time leading scorer. After his 28-point performance against St. Paul Academy, Rathmann said his performance that night was just the tip of the iceberg.
"He had 28 and it clearly wasn't even one of his better games and he walks away with 28," Rathmann said. "He's got a legitimate shot at 1,800 career points and that's pretty impressive no matter where you are at."
With Williams and Davis clicking on all cylinders, Rathmann is looking for a third player to step up and contribute more consistently.
Against the Spartans it was junior guard Andy Ellwein stepping into that role with 14 points, including two three pointers in the second half when the Bears were pulling away.
Other players who have contributed throughout the year include sophomore guard David Nash, freshman guard Jerrett Williams, junior guard Jim Yablonski and senior forwards Charlie Lannin, Ryan Jach and Matt Gallivan.
Two days after the 12-point victory over the Spartans, the Bears fell to defending Class 3A champion DeLaSalle 67-57.
Williams and Davis combined for 51 of the Bears' 57 points. Williams netted 29 while Davis recorded 22.
The Bears will host Holy Family Catholic today before traveling to Breck on Friday, Jan. 26.
Reprinted with permission LakeShore News
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