Williams Getting Regular Lesson in Losing

Marmet Williams handles the losses a little better each time.

While this improving acceptance of failure doesn’t please Williams, a San Jose State guard, it is his only option to maintain good mental health.

Such is life for the Spartans these days.

In a little less than one full season in San Jose, Williams, a Times’ all-county selection at Mater Dei, has been involved in more losses than during his entire high school career. Granted, Mater Dei isn’t a typical prep basketball program. Still, San Jose winds up on the wrong end of scores at a dizzying rate.

“I was so used to winning,” Williams said. “It’s really been a downer.”

The numbers are downright sickening: 1-19, 0-12 in the Big West Conference. Losers of 12 in a row, the Spartans are, as if you wondered, firmly entrenched in the Big West basement.

Surprisingly, they haven’t clinched the bottom spot yet. But to illustrate the hopelessness of their situation, Cal State Fullerton and UC Irvine are the closest teams in sight and they have four victories.

“It’s been like a big shock,” said Williams, a redshirt freshman.

“I used to be mad after every game, but now I’m just fighting through it. Now, as soon we lose, I’m just looking toward the next game.”

Oh, how things have changed.

When Williams (6 feet 4 and 188 pounds) was at Mater Dei, his thoughts were usually fixed on the next championship celebration. After all, league championships and Southern Section titles are commonplace for the Monarchs.

Williams was an integral part of that success. As a senior, he averaged 13 points and eight rebounds after averaging 14 and eight the previous season.

San Jose has never been confused with the nation’s elite college hoops programs, although Williams was fully aware of that when he declined other scholarship offers to sign with the Spartans.

However, he believed the program was on the rise and that it afforded him the best opportunity to play immediately. A stress fracture in his left foot last season ended Williams’ season after only two games.

San Jose was 15-12 last season, its best finish since 1986-87. Although it’s business as usual this season, Williams, at least, is contributing. The team’s sixth man, he averages six points and three rebounds.

“I went into a little funk in the middle of the season but now I’m picking it up,” Williams said. “This isn’t my year to score, but I’m doing the other things well.”

In addition to refining his game, Williams’ early college experience has taught him much.

“(The losing) has helped me open my eyes to reality,” he said. “I did get spoiled at Mater Dei.

“Since we won all the time, everything was there for us. Big crowds, being ranked in the nation. It’s a different story at the Division I level. Playing here has showed me what basketball is really about.”

A lesson learned the hard way.

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Leading Rebel: A took awhile, but Tracy Titus (Loara High) is dominating basketball games again.

After spending much of her first three seasons watching others play, Titus, a senior center at Nevada Las Vegas, is among the Big West leaders in several categories. Moreover, Titus--a former Times’ county player of the year--has recently emerged as a conference player of the year candidate.

She averages 14.9 points, which is second on the team and seventh in the conference. Her average of 9.1 rebounds and 2.1 blocks lead the team and are fourth and second in the Big West.

In her last seven games, Titus (6-2) has averaged 16.7 points and 11.6 rebounds. The conference twice selected Titus its player of the week.