Huskies Help Williams Sever Old-School Ties

Each basket was an attempt at erasure. Each rebound a grab for redemption. Each time he handled the ball without making a mistake, each pass he made straight into the hands of a teammate, validated Jamaal Williams.

Williams, a senior forward led No. 13 Washington to an 81-71 win Saturday over New Mexico, Williams’ team once upon a time.

A 6-foot-6, 235-pounder from Corona, Williams produced a game-high 22 points, six rebounds, three assists and no turnovers in 35 minutes in the first game of the John R. Wooden Classic at the Arrowhead Pond. UCLA, ranked 16th, beat No. 17 Nevada, 67-56, in the second game to give the Pac-10 a sweep.

It was Williams who would tidy up the mess the young Huskies made of their offense in the second half by using his muscle and strong hands to pick up loose balls and sneak along the baseline to pick off offensive rebounds.

“I hope I’ve finally got New Mexico behind me,” Williams said. “I feel like I’ve closed a chapter and I can just finish my senior season in style.”

Fran Fraschilla had recruited Williams to New Mexico. When Fraschilla was fired after Williams’ freshman year, Williams wanted to leave and he wanted to play for family friend Lorenzo Romar at Washington. Washington counseled Williams to stay at New Mexico and play for Romar’s friend, Ritchie McKay. Williams did. It was an unhappy season.

“Let’s just say it didn’t work out,” Williams said Saturday. Throughout his sophomore year Williams found it difficult to perform in McKay’s more regimented offense, and before the season ended it was clear Williams was leaving. Last March the Huskies played an NCAA regional game in Albuquerque and Williams said he was booed.

“And then we get this game against New Mexico,” he said. “It’s like it never ends, the stories about me and New Mexico.”

Those stories could be over now. Washington (8-0) began the game strongly and jumped ahead, 13-2, in the first six minutes. It wasn’t until nearly 13 minutes were gone that anybody other than Tony Danridge scored for the Lobos (4-3). Danridge, a sophomore from San Bernardino, had a career-high 15 points, seven coming in the first 13 minutes.

But in the second half, the Lobos cut down their turnovers (14 in the first half, 22 for the game), ran with the Huskies and cut what had been a 20-point deficit late in the first half to one, 58-57, on Mark Walters’ three-point basket with 11:05 left.

Some 20 seconds later Williams took a pass from Brandon Roy on the run for a layup. “It didn’t matter how many points I had or even if I had any,” Williams said. “What mattered is that we won this game. I didn’t need to send any more messages. I think our success at Washington is my message.”

McKay avoided the subject of Williams, but he didn’t disguise his displeasure with the first half. “We turned it over way too many times and that surprised me,” McKay said. “... And then we had to expend so much energy just to get back in the game that we didn’t have anything left.”

Romar is still not ecstatic with his team. They are missing a consistent three-point shooter -- the Huskies were two for nine Saturday -- and with two freshman starters they are still looking for their personality.

But Williams isn’t looking for anything now except what’s ahead. “We’re going to be good,” he said, “and I’m really looking forward to the season after this game.”