Andre Williamson, the SoCon Tournament and beyond
Appalachian State didn’t win the Southern Conference Tournament, but for silver-lining seekers the play of forward Andre Williamson fits the bill.
Williamson, a 6-7, 225-pound sophomore, solidified himself as a player that could have significant impact when the Mountaineers try again next season.
He led the Mountaineers in scoring for the first time this season in the 56-51 loss to Wofford in the SoCon final. He scored 12 points, one off his career high, and grabbed 12 rebounds and blocked four shots in the biggest game of the season.
Williamson was instrumental in bringing the Mountaineers back from an 18-point deficit in the second half. With the Mountaineers’ top scorers continually misfiring, he fueled a 14-2 run with eight points in little more than six minutes.
“Andre had a heck of a game,” Coach Buzz Peterson of the Mountaineers said.
“I just do what I can for my team,” Williamson said. “I know we have scorers and I come out and try to rebound and block shots. I pride myself on my defense.”
Williamson could take on more of a scorer’s role next season, and has shown an ability to take and make mid-range jump shots.
“Post players think they have to play and score with their back (to the basket),” Peterson said. “That’s not the case. You need to hit that 12- to 15-footer. If Andre shoots it on the way up, he’ll make it. If he waits until he gets up, he’s not going to make it. That’s something we’ll work on, the ability to hit that shot.
“He’s going to get better and better. He brings great athleticism, and I think left-handed post players are tough to guard. He’s very active in there. Of all our players on our team, he’s one that has a huge upside.”
PHYSICAL GAME
App State and Wofford have engaged in some hard-nosed football battles in the past, and Monday’s basketball game had some football-like qualities.
“I figured we’d have (officials) that have called in a Final Four and had experience and a lot of times, and I’ve been around this long enough I know, they’re going to let you play,” Peterson said. “So it’s going to be a physical game. I told our guys…you’re going to have to adjust your game to that situation. That was the disappointing thing for me, those first 10 to 12 minutes I feel like we got the punch delivered to us.”
Peterson said the entire experience was a lesson learned.
“These kids are going to remember this next year,” Peterson said. “Now they’ve been there, they know what it’s like. This experience will help them a lot, playing in that championship game.”
NCAA TOURNAMENT
Peterson nearly picked up where he left off back in 2000, when he coached ASU to an NCAA Tournament berth before moving on to coaching jobs at Tulsa, Tennessee and Coastal Carolina.
“It’s so hard to get there, I’ve been in that (league championship) game six times out of 12 years as head coach,” Peterson said. “It’s so hard just to get to that game. It hurts. You have to seize that moment and make sure you play at your best. For 20 minutes (Monday) we did not play at our best.”
POST-SEASON POSSIBILITES
With an RPI in the mid 90s, and 11 losses to go with 22 wins, the Mountaineers are probably a long shot to get to the NIT.
The Mountaineers could very well end up in the CollegeInsider.com tournament (CIT), which began last season and is geared more toward “mid-major” programs, or the College Basketball Invitational (CBI), in its second season.
But Peterson offered an idea for the NIT.
“I’m trying to get those guys to think about North Carolina can’t play in the Smith Center – I think they’re renovating or something – so, hey, why don’t we go to Bojangles Arena (in Charlotte) and play North Carolina and sell it out,” Peterson said. “I think that would be great.”