NATCHITOCHES – Adding size was on Rick Cabrera's agenda for his 2024 Northwestern State men's basketball signing class.
 
The second-year Demon coach did just that Friday with the addition of Kilgore College's Willie Williams.
 
A 6-foot-8, 235-pounder, Williams comes to Natchitoches after spending one year at Kilgore and one year at Coastal Bend College. During the 2023-24 season at Kilgore, Williams averaged 14.3 points per game on 58.9 percent shooting while grabbing 10.6 rebounds per game.
 
Additionally, Williams led the Rangers with 3.7 assists per game, accounting for more than 20 percent of Kilgore's assists in a 24-9 season that saw the Rangers reach the Region 14 semifinals.
 
"Willie Williams is a point forward who brings great versatility at that position," head coach Rick Cabrera said. "He displays an extremely high IQ for the game with the ability to make plays for himself and others. Willie has an elite ability to rebound the basketball, which he was top ten in the country. I'm looking for Willie to come in immediately and be an impactful player. His work ethic and toughness will be on full display the minute he steps on campus."
 
He scored in double figures 22 times, including a run of four straight games with at least 20 points from Dec. 6-Jan. 10, and added 21 games with double-figure rebounds.
 
Williams spent the 2022-23 season at Coastal Bend College, averaging 10.2 points and 8.6 rebounds per game. With the Cougars, Williams had 19 double-figure scoring efforts and 14 games with double-figure rebounds.
 
A four-year letterman at Houston's Westfield High School, Williams cleared 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds in his prep career, earning district Most Valuable Player honors twice as well as all-region honors twice.
 
In his senior year, Williams led Westfield to a 30-2 record, a No. 1 statewide ranking and helped the Mustangs reach the third round of the state playoffs. That followed a two-year run where Westfield went a combined 56-8 with Williams in the fold.