A2SportsFront 12-8-11
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Thursday, December 8, 2011 Page 1-C O UR SPORTS www.a2journal.com Coming OU t party Huron grad Dante Williams adopts new role at Oakland By Mike Larson A2 Journal Dante Williams has never been a role player . As a basketball star for Ann Arbor Huron, Williams was often one of the best players on the floor , regardless of who the River Rats were playing. He won three varsity letters as a member of the Huron basketball team, he was a Dream Team honor- able mention and an all-state honoree. Now, though, as a fresh- man for Oakland University , a Division I school in Rochester , Mich. (6-2 overall, 2- 0 Summit League), Williams is discovering the finer points of playing limited minutes. “I get in where I can,” he said last week after Oakland defeated come in at 6’5” and we have a lot of guys around 6’10” but w e don’t have anyone in between,” the coach said. “Dante comes in for us and fills in that void we have for a player between 6’6” and 6’9”. He’s a long athlete and he makes alot of good plays.” Kampe also said that Williams’ is the rare player that can contribute without having to score a lot of points . “We need Dante to rebound and play defense,” Kampe said. “He doesn’t need to have the ball to help this team. We consider him a ‘glue guy.’ The kind of guy that can hold the tea m together without being a big scorer. “On this team, his role isn’t to score. In two years, his role will to be the stud. And he’s got a chance to do that. But right now, this team has some strong senior players, and Dante will have to make the most of the minutes he gets.” That doesn’t seem to bother Williams, who is doing what he can with every minute. “I just love to play ,” he said. “I love to play for Oakland and I love to play for coach Kampe. It’s nice to start as a freshman, because I still have three more years to play . If I go out there and score zero points or if I score 15 points, it doesn’t matter as long as we win.” Kampe said At a glance: Dante Williams Postion: Forward Height: 6-6 Weight: 171 Year: Freshman Hometown (High school): Ann Arbor (Huron) Major: Biology Parents: Roy and Terri Williams Thoughts on OU’s upcoming game with Michigan: “I’m from Ann Arbor, so I know it’s going to be huge. But we’ve just got to look at it as any other game.” Photo courtesy of Oakland University Athletics Former Huron standout Dante Williams attempts a free throw for Oakland University. As a freshman, Williams has already cracked the starting line- up for the D1 Golden Grizzlies.
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Thursday, December 8, 2011Page 1-C
OURSPORTSwww.a2journal.com
Coming OUt party Huron grad
Dante Williams
adopts newrole atOakland
By Mike LarsonA2 Journal
Dante Williams hasnever been a role player.
As a basketball starfor Ann Arbor Huron,Williams was often oneof the best players on thefloor, regardless of who theRiver Rats were playing.
He won three varsityletters as a member of theHuron basketball team, hewas a Dream Team honor-able mention and an all-statehonoree.
Now, though, as a fresh-man for Oakland University,
a Division I school inRochester, Mich. (6-2 overall, 2-
0 Summit League), Williams isdiscovering the finer points of playing limited minutes.
“I get in where I can,” he saidlast week after Oakland defeatedSouth Dakota 101-83. “It’s likecoming in as a freshman in high
school. I look up to the older play-ers like Drew (Valentine), Reggie
(Hamilton) and Travis (Bader). Iwant to be just like them.”
Against South Dakota, Williamsscored four points and grabbed four
rebounds in 15 minutes of playingtime.
Although Williams isn’t playing theentire game, he is far from a bench-
warmer.In fact, as a freshman, Williams has
stepped into a starting role for Oakland,the Summit League’s back-to-back
champions.According to OU coach Greg
Kampe, William’s size and tenac-ity two of the big reasons he hascracked the starting line-up.
“We have a lot of guys who
come in at 6’5” and we have a lotof guys around 6’10” but we don’thave anyone in between,” thecoach said. “Dante comes in forus and fills in that void we havefor a player between 6’6” and6’9”. He’s a long athlete and hemakes alot of good plays.”
Kampe also said thatWilliams’ is the rare player that
can contribute without having
to score a lot of points.“We need Dante to rebound
and play defense,” Kampe said. “Hedoesn’t need to have the ball to help this
team. We consider him a ‘glue guy.’ Thekind of guy that can hold the team together
without being a big scorer.“On this team, his role isn’t to score. In two
years, his role will to be the stud. And he’s got achance to do that. But right now, this team hassome strong senior players, and Dante will haveto make the most of the minutes he gets.”
That doesn’t seem to bother Williams, who isdoing what hecan with everyminute.
“I just love toplay,” he said. “Ilove to play forOakland and Ilove to play forcoach Kampe.It’s nice to startas a freshman,because I stillhave three moreyears to play. If Igo out there andscore zero pointsor if I score 15points, it doesn’tmatter as long aswe win.”
Kampe saidWilliams’ attitude
has been good, considering that he has gone frombeing a go-to-guy in high school, to being a roleplayer for the Golden Grizzlies.
“He’s adopted his role,” Kampe said. “It can
be hard for some guys, but Dante’s doing a good job. He knows if he rebounds and defends, he’llget minutes. It’s easy to do what we ask when youknow it dictates your playing time.”
In eight games this season, Williams is averag-ing 2.5 rebounds and 1.3 points per game.
“It’s a great place to play basketball,” Williamssaid of Oakland. “It’s not a huge school, but westill get to play big games. And the fans are amaz-ing. The Grizz Gang (the OU student section) isawesome. We could be playing a regular SummitLeague game or a game against Tennessee,either way, the fans are going to go crazy.”
Oakland is currently on a 6-game winningstreak.
Contact staff writer Mike Larson at (734) 429-7380 or [email protected]. You can alsofollow him on Facebook at @Milarso on Twitter.
“We need Dante to rebound and play defense. Hedoesn’t need to have the ball to help this team. Weconsider him a ‘glue guy.’ The kind of guy that can
hold the team together without being a big scorer.”GREG KAMPE
Oakland University head basketball coach
At a glance:
Dante WilliamsPostion: ForwardHeight: 6-6
Weight: 171Year: FreshmanHometown (High school):Ann Arbor (Huron)Major: BiologyParents: Roy and TerriWilliamsThoughts on OU’supcoming game withMichigan: “I’m from AnnArbor, so I know it’s goingto be huge. But we’ve justgot to look at it as any othergame.”
Photo courtesy ofOakland University
Athletics
Former Huronstandout DanteWilliamsattempts a freethrow forOaklandUniversity. As afreshman,Williams hasalready crackedthe starting line-up for the D1GoldenGrizzlies.
