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Derek Williams Signs NLI With Men's Basketball
Head Coach Matt Doherty Adds Point Guard



Matt Doherty Announced That Derek Williams Signed An NLI To Play For SMU




April 16, 2008


DALLAS (SMU) --- SMU Head Coach Matt Doherty announced that Derek Williams has signed a National Letter-of-Intent to play for the Mustangs beginning with the 2008-09 season. Williams was an All-Conference and All-Region point-guard as a sophomore in 2007-08 at Western Texas College.

"Derek will provide us with an experienced guard that can push the break, handle pressure, score and distribute the ball," says Doherty. "I will also look to Derek to provide leadership. With co-captains, Jon Killen and Derrick Roberts graduating, there is a leadership void that needs to be filled. He may be one of our players likely to fill that role."

Williams (6-1, 170) averaged 19.1 points, 4.5 assists, and 4.3 rebounds per game while earning All-Western Junior College Athletic Conference honors. He shot 48.5 percent from the floor, 32.8 percent from 3-point range and 70.9 percent from the free throw line. He scored at least 16 points in each of the final 14 games including 33 points in a 73-71 overtime win versus Odessa in the regular season finale.

"Derek is a scoring point who can get into the lane and finish or dish it off," says Western Texas College head coach Mark Berger. "He is a solid student with a 3.2 grade-point average and SMU's academics also fit what Derek was looking for in a school."

Williams, from Queens, New York, averaged 11 points, three assists, and three rebounds in his freshman season in Snyder, Texas.

This is good.

Welcome to the Hilltop.

Isn't this the kid who has to actually graduate from this JUCO to get in? Thought I read where he had to get his GED. Well, I hope he buckles down in the classroom and wish him nothing but success.

With a 3.2 GPA it sounds like he is doing pretty well. Glad to have him aboard.

Believe me, I'm glad we got him and I mentally noted the GPA. But I was just asking if this was the case with him because I thought I read he had to get his GED to get to the JUCO. Because of that, he has to graduate from his junior college to get in to SMU.

I don't know that he received a GED, I just think he was academically ineligible out of high school then, for some strange reason, went to an unaccredited prep school. maybe you go to an unaccredited school b/c they're paying your tuition...don't know but i do know this is good news to be able to admit a guy like this. now we need to make sure they stay eligible

he never graduated from high school.

I don't care if he graduated from grade school or if he makes the dean's list at SMU....I just want him to take care of the basketball, cut down on our turnovers and create scoring opportunities for the other guys.

Here is my source:

One of Diaz' most compelling stories, however, involved a young man who didn't play basketball in high school and didn't graduate in the traditional sense.

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But Derek Williams spent enough time at the Academy to both hone his athletic skills and learn that he needed an education in order to succeed in life.

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"(Williams) didn't have it easy; things were probably more difficult on him in his background than on a lot of guys," Diaz said.

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But Williams worked with Diaz to gain his Graduate Equivalency Degree (GED) and gain acceptance to Western Texas College, a junior college in Snyder, Tex.

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"He's getting some Division I looks," Diaz said, "and he's doing very well with his studies. He's probably going to go to a four-year college next, even if it's not a Division I program. He's going to go someplace."

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Thanks to Diaz, a lot of players in Queens and beyond are going places, mostly for the better.

With this announcement I would say that the old model has officially been buried...I beleive this young student will make the best of the opportunity to come to SMU.

Pair this guy up with a couple tutors and I bet his grades stay strong. SMU has the tools at the learning center for this guy to do well.

YEAH Mustangs.

I kind of want to sing that - " T/he wicked witch is dead" song but change it to Old Model

no one mourns the wicked

deep thoughts with abezontar