University of North Carolina Athletics
Droschak: Jawad Williams is "The Glue"
December 29, 2004 | Men's Basketball
Dec. 29, 2004
by David Droschak, TarHeelBlue.com
CHAPEL HILL - Gary Payton is The Glove. Jawad Williams should be called The Glue.
That's exactly what Williams has become during North Carolina's 10-game winning streak.
The senior from Cleveland sifted through the commotion of a game filled with five technical fouls Tuesday night to score 25 points in 24 minutes, making 9 of 12 shots to boost his ACC-best shooting percentage in a 96-75 victory over North Carolina-Wilmington.
"He's the guy who is going to slip under the radar, not a lot of people talk about him," center Sean May said. "They talk about me, Raymond and Rashad, but Jawad is playing better than any of us right now."
There's no doubt Williams is off to a remarkable start, similar to last season before the injury bug hit, leaving a gaping hole in North Carolina's offense.
He was shooting 57 percent from the field before suffering a concussion against UNC-W. Williams wasn't the same the rest of the year as his shooting percentage dropped along with his confidence around the rim.
He didn't escape unscathed this time around either, biting his tongue in the final seconds, making him unavailable to comment on his great night.
No problem, he let his performance do the talking.
The 6-foot-8 Williams had 14 points at the half, then scored the first seven of the second period and another UNC rout was on.
"He's playing unbelievable to me," May said. "He's not taking bad shots and he's not looking for his shot. He's just playing."
Most teams that make a Final Four run have a glue guy, an unselfish player who is still good enough to make a difference. UNC fans should remember the likes of George Lynch and Jimmy Black, two players who fit that bill.
Coach Roy Williams said his quiet senior leader has been great since camp opened in mid-October.
"He was our most consistent performer in the preseason and he has continued to play exceptionally well," the coach said. "He was having a great year last year when he was healthy."
North Carolina (10-1) has piled up the points during its winning streak, scoring 90 or more seven times. But leaving Williams alone is no longer an option for opponents.
After Tuesday night's game, Williams is 64 of 86 from the field in his last nine games. That's over 75 percent. And he's shooting 42 percent from beyond the arc.
It's also good to see Williams back in a comfort zone after having to play out of position for most of his UNC career - and not heading to the hospital after a game with the physical Seahawks.
"When I was at home thinking about this game I remembered that they knocked Jawad out," May said. "They hit you any time they can. If they can find a place to bump you they will.
"It's good experience for us to play a team like that. We're going to play teams that are better than them but just as physical and they're going to try to get us out of our game. We can't lose our composure."
