He had some of the most electrifying performances during the 2009-10 Hudson County high school basketball season, including a majestic 41-point outing against Memorial. He averaged nearly 19 points per game for one of the more surprising squads in the county, leading his Marist Royal Knights to 16 wins and a place of prominence among the elite teams in the area. For his efforts, he was selected as a Hudson Reporter All-Area Second Team honoree.
But for some reason, Marist senior do-everything guard Marvin Williams is not getting a host of attention from college basketball recruiters. He is 6-foot-1 and is physically strong. He has excellent grades and a solid attitude, both on and off the court. He’s a prolific scorer, a good passer, and a solid defender.
So what gives? Why is Williams still without a place to call home and play college basketball?
“I honestly don’t know,” said veteran coach Tony Romano, who begins his third season as the Royal Knights’ head coach after a lengthy career as the head coach and athletic director at the now-defunct St. Aloysius in Jersey City. “At this point, I’m very surprised by it all. He had a tremendous summer and did very well at [the prestigious summer camp] Five-Star. He played AAU all summer for one of the best programs in the state [Team IZOD] and did well with them. But not many college coaches have contacted me about Marvin. I don’t know if he can do more to get noticed.”
Williams doesn’t seem overly worried that his college chances are surprisingly limited.
“I’m not worried and I’m not surprised that much,” Williams said. “I just have to be patient. I think they’ll eventually come around. I just want to be an even better player this year. I feel like I have to play at a higher level of play, because other teams now know about me and know about our team. I’m prepared for that.”
Romano knows full well that the Royal Knights, who lost to North Bergen in the Hudson County Tournament semifinals last year, will not sneak up on anyone this time around.
“I don’t think there are any real secrets in Hudson County basketball,” Romano said. “We had a little bit of an advantage last year by being a bit of an unknown. But that’s not the case anymore. We’re in a super competitive league with a lot of teams in the mix. We just want to be one of those teams and do better than we did last year.”
It will be hard for the Royal Knights to improve more than they did a year ago, going from a five-win squad in Romano’s first season to the 16-9 team that flirted with the county’s best last year.
Another key player for the Royal Knights this season will be 6-5 senior forward Josh Treadwill, who was the team’s top reserve last year and has moved into a more prominent role this season. In fact, Treadwill has received more recognition from the college coaches than teammate Williams.
“I think it’s because there’s such a tremendous upside to Josh,” Romano said. “He’s probably the most talented kid on the team and he’s a hard guy to cover.”
Look for Treadwill’s numbers to improve this season. He averaged around six points per game last year.
Senior point guard Justin Rosa also returns. Rosa is a solid ball handler and floor leader.
“The kid is clutch,” Romano said of the 5-10 Rosa.
Senior James Matthews is a 6-2 swingman who can knock down open shots at will.
“He has the ability to be a lights-out shooter and never had a shot he didn’t like,” Romano said. “He can bang down threes and is our instant offense guy.”
Junior Brandon Walsh is the Knights’ top defender.
“He’s a very smart player,” Romano said of the 5-11 Walsh. “He’s a good shooter and our best on-the-ball defender.”
Senior Jarryd Horsley is a 6-7 center who has the ability to block and alter shots, but he needs to stay on the floor longer. Horsley has been plagued with foul trouble.
“It’s been a problem,” Romano said. “We’re trying to get him out of the habit of fouling. He feels he has to block every shot. We just need him to be a presence and block some shots. But he’s a great kid and he’s learning.”
Junior Al-Quan Jones is a 6-0 forward who has a nose for the ball.
“He can mix it up in there,” Romano said of Jones, who had a solid preseason scrimmage against Plainfield.
Junior Joel Elder is a 6-2 guard who is much improved and will play a larger role this season. Football and baseball standout Aaron Smith, a sophomore, will play basketball and bring his energetic play to the hardwood. Darryl Black is a 6-2 post player and Steve Tsurgranes is a 6-2 junior forward with good basketball savvy.
Romano is optimistic about his team’s chances this season. One thing’s for sure: They’re not going to be a big surprise this time around.
“We just want to be in the mix and be better than last year,” Romano said. “We did well in summer leagues, so I’m very optimistic.”
As for the senior leader?
“It’s a pretty big year for me,” Williams said. “I’m ready to go. I’m very anxious to prove myself to a lot of people.”
The proof is in the pudding. Williams doesn’t have to prove a thing. It’s a phenomenon why others haven’t taken notice of his explosive abilities. They sure will get a chance to do so this season.
“I’m just going to try to lead by example and everything else will follow suit,” Williams said. “I’m prepared for that.”
Jim Hague can be reached at OGSMAR@aol.com.