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Sophomore sub Williams rescues Flyers

Paul Williams

By Tom Archdeacon, Staff Writer 10:51 PM Saturday, November 28, 2009

Other guys on the team are the marquee names, make the ESPN highlights, and have become beloved crowd favorites.

Paul Williams is rarely heralded and has never started a game for the Dayton Flyers.

But the sophomore guard sure has finished a few. And because of it, UD’s record is now 3-2 when it just as well could be 1-4.

The Flyers appeared headed for a monumental upset Saturday, Nov. 28, at UD Arena. In what would have been their worst home loss since Eastern Kentucky stunned them in the 2004 season opener, they were down by 18 to Towson with  9:30 left. But after 30 minutes of rushed shots, turnovers and defensive lapses, the Flyers suddenly regained their senses and won, 74-69.

Afterward every player talked about the team showing “heart,” but no one displayed it more in the final three minutes than Williams.

He made what UD coach Brian Gregory called “the play of the game,” driving the baseline and dishing the ball to Chris Wright for a dunk that invigorated the team and the crowd and cut the margin to two.

With the Tigers reeling, Williams helped finish them off, playing smothering defense, hitting a 3-pointer with 31 seconds, pulling down a defensive rebound between two 6-foot-8 players, getting fouled, and making a final free throw to seal the comeback.

Ten days ago, he was the savior in UD’s late-game surge past Georgia Tech in Puerto Rico. His 13 points included the go-ahead 3-pointer and a 4-for-4 effort from the free-throw line in the final minute of a four-point victory.

That he still isn’t a poster child here doesn’t faze him: “I can do it, but I know you got to wait your turn. Other guys have been here a while, so early on I try to put the ball in their hands and let them do their thing. ... I just wait ’til they need me.”

They certainly did Saturday and he stepped up, beginning with that play Gregory saluted.

“I saw Chris the whole time, but the corner was open, too,” Williams said. “I drove to the basket and I was up in the air a long time and I was thinking, ‘Corner or Chris? ... Corner or Chris?’ If we hit the three, we cut the lead to one, but Chris’ was a sure two.”

Gregory believes Williams’ late-game savvy stems from playing in big games at Renaissance High in Detroit and from his friendship with Jordan Dumars, the son of Detroit Pistons legend Joe Dumars.

“When Paul isn’t in Dayton he’s usually with Jordan,” Gregory said. “That’s brought him around Joe, so he’s seen the right way to do things.”

Williams said whenever he and Jordan are together, they have shooting competitions: “I’ve got confidence in my shot. That’s why at the end today, there was no debate. I was shooting that one.”

He had waited long enough. His team needed him.

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