Jonathan Williams Jr. submitted one of the greatest performances in the 40-year history of the Chelsea Youth Basketball League last Friday night at the Williams School Gymnasium.
A dynamic, 5-foot-5-inch point guard, Williams scored 32 points, including the go-ahead basket with 30 seconds left to lift the Spurs to a thrilling 46-44 victory over the Knicks in the Senior League championship game.
After Williams swished a free throw with 13 seconds left to give the Spurs a two-point lead, the Knicks’ superb guard and Jonathan’s AAU teammates, Jake Bellacini (30 points), drove the length of the floor and just missed on a floater at the buzzer.
Williams, whose father, Jonathan Williams Sr. is the Spurs head coach, may be the best scorer and ballhandler to ever play in the popular league, taking his rightful seat among the great CYBL guards such as Greg Hancock, Greg Carter, Leo Chafin, and Bobby Mullaney.
A 14-year-old eighth grader, Williams was unstoppable in the championship game.
He dribbled past and through defenders, dazzled from long range, outjumped taller opponents for rebounds, and had several steals, including the one that produced the game-winning basket.
Williams averaged 25 points per game this season for the Spurs. He is also a lockdown defender who creates problems for opposing guards with his quickness.
Jonathan Williams Sr. was caught up in the excitement of the close game and didn’t realize his son had scored two-thirds of the Spurs’ total points.
“I didn’t even know he had 32,” said Mr. Williams. “He had 37 in a previous game. I’m proud of him. I think he has great vision on the court and he’s a terrific facilitator. But his best quality is his defense.”
An Early Start in Basketball
Jonathan Williams Sr., who excelled in basketball for the Madison Park High School Cardinals, said there was a hoop in the family home as soon Jonathan Jr. was born. Jonathan Jr. joined his first organized team in the fourth grade as a member of Yamir Rodriguez’s Mass Warriors’ AAU contingent. He played football for one year with the Mission Hill Buccaneers.
Mr. Williams was in his first full season as the head coach of the Spurs, with the previous seasons having been derailed by COVID.
“I tell him to keep playing every day,” said Mr. Williams. “You have to keep working to be as good as you want to be. He’s always staying involved in the game.”
Yamir Rodriguez wasn’t surprised that Jonathan Williams Jr. played his best when it mattered most.
“He’s a great young basketball player with a very bright future,” said Rodriguez.
Jonathan Williams Jr. will be playing high school basketball next season and there are many schools, including Chelsea High, that would love to have him in their program.
But Jonathan Williams Jr. can now look back at his Chelsea Youth Basketball League days and the championship game especially, knowing that he left everything on the court. A pandemic got in his way for a couple of seasons, but Jonathan Williams Jr. is back, better than ever, and ready to write the next chapter in his rising basketball career.
“It feels great to win the title with my teammates,” said Jonathan Williams Jr. “It’s a dream come true for me. I ‘ve wanted to do this since the sixth grade, but COVID shut it down. I’m glad we were able to do it now.”