demarcus williams makes it official

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SoCalHoops Recruiting News

DeMarcus Williams: Officially
Signs With UW--(Nov. 17, 1999)

DeMarcus Williams (6'-9" Sr. PF) from Upland made it official yesterday, signing his letter of intent and delivering it to the University of Washington. Here's the official press release from the school:

Men's Basketball Team Lands 6-9 Prep Standout from California

Huskies sign DeMarcus Williams to letter of intent

Nov. 16, 1999

SEATTLE - Center DeMarcus Williams from Upland, Calif. signed a letter of intent and will attend the University of Washington, seventh-year men's basketball coach Bob Bender announced on Tuesday.

Williams is a 6-foot-9, 250-pound pivot from Upland High School in the Los Angeles area. He is a 1999 honorable mention high school All-America selection by Blue Ribbon basketball yearbook.

Voted to the Best of the Best All-Star Team at the 1999 West Coast All-Star Camp in July, Williams is rated the 12th-best prep center prospect in the West by the Pac-West Hoops recruiting service.

He selected Washington over recruiting competition from Pepperdine, UTEP, Saint Mary's, Wyoming, Cornell and Yale.

"We were really pleased and excited to have a chance this late in the recruiting period to sign a player of DeMarcus' ability," Bender said. "He has a great combination of power and athleticism. Defensively and rebounding, he will come in and make an impact immediately."

Williams plays center on his high school team, but is projected as a power forward at the collegiate level.

"This is the first time that we've had what I would describe as a true power forward in our program," explained Bender. "We had Mark Sanford and now Will Perkins who are very good athletes, but they aren't power guys and DeMarcus is that. He's a great student who completes the total package of what you want in a kid"

An honor roll student, Williams is currently taking a full courseload of Advanced Placement and college prepatory classes. He has already achieved a lofty qualifying score on the SAT.

Williams concludes Washington's three-man recruiting class that includes two guards from Tacoma, Wash. On Monday, Bender announced the signing of 6-1 Curtis Allen from Wilson High School and 6-3 C.J. Massingale who preps at Mount Tahoma.

"A need to go along with the two guards we signed was a big guy, especially an athletic big guy," said Bender. "We certainly got that in Williams. We addressed our needs very well with this class."

Following his senior season at Upland, Williams will join a Washington team that last year posted a 17-12 record and participated in the NCAA Tournament for the second straight season.

Washington does not have any remaining scholarships to offer for the spring letter of intent period runs from April 5 through May 15.

1999 Washington Men's Basketball Letter of Intent Signees

Curtis Allen, 6-1, 160, Tacoma, Wash. (Wilson HS)

C.J. Massingale, 6-3, 185, Tacoma, Wash. (Mount Tahoma)

DeMarcus Williams, 6-9, 250, Upland, Calif. (Upland HS)

1999 RECRUITING CLASS PROFILES

CURTIS ALLEN

Guard, 6-1, 160 Tacoma, Wash. (Wilson HS.)

• Averaged 19.8 points, five rebounds and five assists per game his junior season, helping Wilson High School earn a 1999 state tournament berth.

• Led Wilson to a second-place finish in the Washington Class 4A state tournament as a sophomore in 1998.

• Two-time All-Narrows League honoree.

• Second-team 1999 all-state selection by the Associated Press.

• An honorable mention national prep selection by Street & Smith's magazine.

• Rated the No. 7 point guard prospect in the West by Pac-West Hoops.

• Selected Washington over Clemson, Notre Dame, Oregon, Syracuse and Washington State.

C.J. MASSINGALE

Guard, 6-3, 185, Tacoma, Wash. (Mount Tahoma HS)

• Averaged 21.1 points, six rebounds, six assists and three steals per game during 1999 at Mount Tahoma High School

• Led Mount Tahoma to the 1998 Washington state Class 4A semifinals where they lost to Curtis Allen's Wilson High School squad.

• Named the Narrows League Most Valuable Player in 1999.

• Rated the No. 8 point guard prospect in the West by Pac-West Hoops.

• An honorable mention high school All-America selection by Blue Ribbon basketball yearbook.

• Selected Washington over Boise State, Saint Louis, Vanderbilt and Washington State.

DeMARCUS WILLIAMS

Center, 6-9, 250, Upland, Calif. (Upland HS)

• Rated the No. 12 center prospect in the West by Pac-West Hoops.

• Voted to the Best of the Best All-Star Team at the 1999 West Coast All-Star Camp in July.

• An honorable mention high school All-America selection by Blue Ribbon basketball yearbook.

• Selected Washington over Pepperdine, UTEP, Saint Mary's, Wyoming, Cornell, UC Irvine, Columbia and Yale.