Boys Basketball: Elgin’s Arie Williams brings style and substance

Updated: February 6, 2012 11:17PM

Wearing his trademark headband, Arie Williams brings plenty of charisma every time he steps on the court as Elgin High’s point guard.

The 5-foot-8 junior is no stranger to being one of the smallest players on the floor, but he rarely gets lost in the crowd thanks to a well-polished set of skills and an energetic style of play.

While senior teammate Kory Brown is the undisputed leader for Elgin, the role Williams plays can’t be overstated. In his third varsity season, Williams provides a steady hand and a positive attitude for the Maroons, who own a 16-3 record despite being in the midst of a two-game losing streak they’ll look to snap Tuesday at DeKalb.

“Arie has a very bubbly and effervescent personality,” Elgin coach Mike Sitter said. “Teachers tell me how much they like having him because he just makes the classroom atmosphere that much better, and it carries over to the basketball court. His smile is about 1,000 watts and it kind of lights up the entire team when he flashes those pearly whites.”

Following in the footsteps

Williams came to high school with big shoes to fill after his older brother Armani Williams climbed to No. 2 on Elgin’s all-time scoring list with 1,744 points during a prolific four-year varsity career from 2004-08.

While Armani was a lanky shooting guard who made a school record 336 three-pointers at Elgin, Arie fills a much different role as the primary ballhandler for the Maroons. One trait the brothers share, however, is a willingness to lift a three-pointer from just about anywhere if unguarded.

“They both think as soon as they cross half court they’re in shooting range,” Sitter said. “That must be genetic.”

Arie Williams credits his older brother as his biggest basketball influence, and as a seventh grader he posted a video montage of Armani’s highlights on You Tube in hopes of attracting college recruiters. Armani eventually signed with Division I Texas-Arlington and is now a junior at Division II Abilene Christian after transferring prior to this season.

“It’s pretty good coming in knowing you had an older sibling that took the role and was a very important player at Elgin High School,” Arie Williams said. “But you also have to make your own mark and you can’t just live under your older brother’s name. You’ve got to make it known you’re there and you can play.”

Making his own impact

Williams is on pace to join his brother, Brown and 15 others in Elgin High’s 1,000-point club sometime next year, but his contributions extend far beyond his scoring ability.

Always the youngest starter in Elgin’s lineup, Williams has consistently played beyond his years as a savvy floor leader for the Maroons.

“He really wants the ball in his hand, but to his credit what I’m most impressed with is how he plays when the ball is not in his hand,” Sitter said. “I’ve had point guards in the past struggle mightily when they don’t have the ball because they don’t know how to come off screens or set screens. Arie is really good in terms of moving around, spreading the court and flashing to the open spot and doing the things you want off guards to do when he doesn’t have the ball.”

Some added muscle in the offseason has helped Williams finish at the rim and elevate on his jump shot better this year according to Sitter. As a result Williams has taken over as Elgin’s second scoring option behind Brown with 13.7 points per game.

Williams also has a team-high 34 three-pointers on 77 attempts to go with 1.5 assists per game, and his 1.8 steals per outing reflect the major strides he’s made defensively.

For Williams, running the offense for a high-profile team almost comes as second nature. He grew up playing AAU ball with St. Charles East’s Kendall Stephens, South Elgin’s Jake Maestranzi and Bartlett’s Lance Whitaker on a team that won four AAU state championships.

“On the floor you’ve got to be able to handle the ball and take control,” Williams said. “I’ve been fortunate to travel around the country and play with and against some top-notch players, and I think that has helped.”

Looking to the future

Williams will be the only returning starter for the Maroons next season, and beyond that his future remains undetermined. He has visited a couple Division II schools, and Sitter has fielded calls from several Division III coaches expressing interest in Williams.

Regardless of where Williams lands, his coach is confident he will excel.

“Obviously it’s his vertical height that’s keeping him back,” Sitter said. “He’s 5-8 right now, and if he was 6-foot I honestly think he could play in the Big Ten with that shooting range and basketball IQ.

“He’s one of those kids who just wants to achieve and play at the highest level possible, so he’ll just keep working his butt off and see what he can do.”

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