Maryland’s Williams Will Transfer to Arizona

Brian Williams, who averaged 13 points and 6.5 rebounds as a freshman at the University of Maryland last season, announced Friday that he is transferring to the University of Arizona and will play basketball for the Wildcats starting with the 1989-90 season.

“I weighed my options, and I feel that’s the best place for me,” said the 6-foot 10-inch, 235-pound center, who called the Associated Press to announce his decision. “It was a difficult decision along the lines of it being a once-and-for-all decision.”

Williams, who attended St. Monica High School in Santa Monica, had stated previously that he wouldn’t return to Maryland. He said Friday that other schools he considered attending were UCLA, Duke and Loyola Marymount.

Williams said he plans to begin attending Arizona this fall. As called for by NCAA rules, he will sit out the 1988-89 season and have three years of eligibility beginning with the 1989-90 season.

As a high school senior, Williams was recruited by most major colleges in the country but eventually settled on Maryland over Temple. However, he said Arizona was another school that he had originally considered attending.

“We can’t comment on the matter,” said Tom Duddleston Jr., the assistant sports information director at Arizona, when asked about Williams’ announcement. “Hopefully, we’ll be able to comment soon.”