championship game at Mohegan Sun Arena. (Copyright, Sports on CT-69, file)
With 51 seconds left in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s Division III state championship game at Mohegan Sun Arena, WCA junior Drew Williams heard something that he richly deserved.
The second-seeded Spartans were well on their way to capturing the school’s first state championship, 74-58 over top-seeded Bloomfield, and the supporters wearing gold and black let Williams know how big his effort was.
“MVP! MVP! MVP!” rained down on Williams as he sank two final free throws in a virtuoso performance.
Williams was subbed out to those chants, and he received hugs, handshakes and back slaps from coaches and teammates.
All Williams did was put together a performance worthy of an MVP.
Williams played 31 minutes and tallied a ridiculous double-double of 36 points and 18 rebounds. That’s a double-double more often seen from a big man, not a guard. Williams, listed on the CIAC roster at 5-foot-9, went 11-for-20 from the field and 14-for-16 at the foul line.
Williams saved his best for last, unloading 21 points on a stunned Bloomfield defense in the final quarter. It was the single greatest performance I have seen in person from an individual high school player. Williams deserved every single one of the MVP chants that were shouted at him.
Williams’ eruption was part of a bigger rampage by WCA. The Spartans, held to nine points in a rough third quarter, scored 32 over the final eight minutes. That’s four points PER MINUTE.
WCA turned defense into offense and put the game away in a dominating performance. After trailing 46-39 in the third quarter, the Spartans outscored the Warhawks, 35-12.
WCA had an historic season, and Williams’ MVP effort pushed it all the way to the top.
I’ll have more on WCA’s historic state championship in the coming days, so stay tuned.
