Brian (Big Baby) Williams was prepared for an early exit and a ride in heavy traffic. Instead, he got a quick change and a chance to win two titles in one night in the same gym.
The former Tennessee standout from The Bronx had to play the Watson Classic championship game at the Baychester Community Center with DDN/Sean Bell and find a way to make his BSC club’s Tri-State Classic title contest just a few hours apart in Harlem.
“I was going to leave in the third quarter anyway,” Williams, a Bronx native, said.
He didn’t have to.
Rain moved the Tri-State Classic final to Baychester immediately following the Watson contest. Williams took full advantage. After his Sean Bell team dispensed of MOE, BSC went on to rout D’Crew, 102-82, to claim the Tri-State title Friday night. The crown is Williams’ third this summer as he also took home the Pro City chip with The Franchise.
“I’ve been playing streetball since I was like 12,” said Williams, who had 11 points. “I always get to the championship and lose. To win is a blessing.”
Winning both sets up an interesting dilemma for Williams. He will have to choose between playing with Sean Bell and BSC as they face each other in the Nike Tournament of Champions play-in game 7 p.m. Saturday at Rivington Court on the Lower East Side. It’s a problem Williams welcomes.
“I’m going to have to look at the rosters,” he said with a smile. “Whoever has the better roster, I’ll go with them.”
BSC, which includes many members of Team 914, pulled away for good going into halftime. D’Crew got within 44-43 with 55 seconds left before the break, but watched BSC score 10 straight points in the final minute. Williams capped the spurt with a two-handed slam to give his team a 54-43 lead after two quarters. Aaron (The Problem) Williams scored 22 points and MVP Kirk Williams had 20. Jarrid Frye chipped in 21.
“When they came in with fresh bodies, we were a little tired, “Aaron Williams said. “We just picked it up and played better defense. … We just turned [it up] a little bit in the second quarter.”
Aaron Williams was relieved earlier in the day when he found out the Dyckman title game with his Team 914 squad was moved to Saturday at 7 p.m. It avoided a conflict of two games in one night for him and a number of his teammates. Winning doesn’t eliminate all the problems. They will now have to choose between winning Dyckman and playing in the play-in game at the TOC.
“We got a talk about that now and see what were going to do,” Aaron Williams said. “This is two different teams. 914 is my main team; this is like a little brother.”
WATSON FINAL
DDN/Sean Bell 82, MOE 65: Kavon (Happy Feet) Lytch-Jones scored 12 points and earned MVP honors for Sean Bell. Darren Phillip tallied 14 points, Tu Holloway had 13 and Corey (Homicide) Williams and Brian Williams had 11 apiece. Former St. Raymond and West Virginia star Darryl (Truck) Bryant scored 11 points for MOE.