Williams makes future part of present, St. Al’s standout enjoys scoring explosion, while Cards keep winning
Harold Jermaine Williams was introduced to a reporter last summer. At that time, it was learned that the St. Aloysius High School basketball standout not only was named the Most Valuable Player of the Jersey City Recreation All-Star game, but was also named to an Eastern All-Star team that traveled through Belgium, Holland and France.
When Williams was introduced to the reporter, he said that he went by a few names. Of course, there was his given name of Harold. But he preferred to be called by his middle name, Jermaine. And then, we heard the nickname.
“I’m known as ‘The Future,'” Williams said at the time. “I’m ‘The Future.'”
With the season that Williams has enjoyed with the Cardinals, it’s safe to say he might have to change the name to protect the innocent. Because he’s no longer the future. Williams represents the present. In a very huge way.
Williams is Hudson County’s leading scorer this winter, averaging close to 25 points per game. The 6-foot-5 silky smooth southpaw has developed his entire game this season, to the point where he plays practically every position and does practically everything possible.
“The area where I think he’s really improved has been his outside shooting and his ball handling,” said veteran St. Aloysius head coach Tony Romano. “Before this year, he played basically inside for his first few years. But this year, he’s played every position at some point. That was something he could not do.”
His versatility has led to a drastic increase in his scoring, never more evident than in the last week, when Williams enjoyed a scoring explosion. He scored 39 points in a victory over Hi-Tech of North Bergen, then added 29 points in a win over Hawthorne Christian. Before that, Williams had two 18-point performances against Green Meadow of New York and St. Joseph of the Palisades.
And for his efforts, Williams has been selected as The Hudson Reporter Athlete of the Week for the past week.
The improvement in his game hasn’t caught Williams by surprise, because he’s a very confident young man.
“My mother always told me to be confident in whatever I do,” said Williams, who doesn’t like to be perceived as being cocky. “Just be real confident and fear no one. But always have a sense of sportsmanship. What helps me is that I believe that there’s nobody better than me. A lot of people don’t understand that about me, but that’s all right.”
Words like those sometimes frighten Romano.
“I think there’s a fine line between confidence and being cocky,” Romano said. “If he steps over that fine line, we’re there to put him back in his place. But he’s such an enthusiastic kid, full of energy, that you don’t want to hold him back. Plus, he’s a real coachable kid. If he were a troublemaker, then I would worry. But he’s far from it.”
Although the performance hasn’t surprised Williams and his coach, the point totals certainly have.
“I didn’t expect to score 39 in a game,” Williams said. “I never thought it could be me, not in a million years. I’ve always admired my good friend Jason Bush (the former Ferris standout, now playing at Montclair State) and he’s the one who could score that. I couldn’t have dreamed it would be me.”
“I would have to say that he’s gone beyond his potential,” Romano said. “I was hoping that what he accomplished last summer would have some sort of a carryover, but you never really know. But Harold’s come through with flying colors.”
Romano is also impressed by the way that Williams has emerged as the team’s leader as well and credits much of the team’s impressive 14-3 record to Williams’ performance.
“Just his leadership alone has meant so much to the program,” Romano said. “He’s a tremendous leader and tries to encourage the other kids to play basketball year round. The other kids look to him and follow what he does. We’ve had other kids who have stepped up and played well this year, but there’s no question that he’s the first option.”
Added Romano, “Harold’s done a lot of other good things for us as well. He’s rebounding well and gets about 10 rebounds per game. He’s done a good job on defense, getting a lot of blocked shots. He had some games with about eight blocks, because he has good wing span and great timing. And he contests a lot of shots with his height. He’s really had a great season for us.”
Williams believes that his impressive summer just led to the great high school campaign.
“It definitely boosted my confidence a lot,” Williams said. “Doing well overseas was the test, but coming home and playing well was passing the test. I felt I had to prove a lot of people wrong, because they look down to St. Aloysius, saying that St. Al’s can’t compete. And they look down to me. I think I’ve been able to change a lot of people’s minds. I’ve proven that I can play.”
Williams is also proving to the college recruiters that he can play as well. He has already received visits from Montclair State, where his buddy Bush is starring, and New Jersey City University, along with Green Mountain University, an NCAA Division II college in Vermont.
“I think I’m a better player,” Williams said. “On a scale from one to 10, I’m an eight. Last year, I was a five. I have to give myself an eight, because there’s always room for improvement. But I’ve been getting the shots and the shots are falling. And the team is playing well, which always helps. I feel happy with the way things are going.”
And obviously, so are the rest of the Cardinals, who are making their second straight trip to the NJSIAA Parochial B North playoffs. At St. Al’s, “The Future” looks bright. But “The Present” doesn’t look half bad either