The Art of Dropping 52

Before my current writing life, there was The Hilltop, Howard University’s and the Nation’s Oldest Black Collegiate Newspaper, where many of the questions and themes I still explore first found their voice. What follows are my early published works, preserved in their original form.

From The Hilltop Archives

Originally published in The Hilltop, Howard University — February 7th, 2003

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The Art of Dropping 52

It's been two weeks and Ron Williamson still couldn't explain how he scorched the Aggies for 52-points. 

 

"It was just one of those nights when everything was going right," Williamson said.

 

This wasn't the first time in his career that he's had the hot hand. 

 

In his fourth year, Williamson has scored above the 40-point mark three times. His first time was against Georgetown in 2001 when he scored 41 and he again went for 41-points the following season against, appropriately, Hampton University.

 

Along with 52-points, he was in a zone from behind the arch and hit 11 three-pointers.

 

It was a record setting night for Williamson.

 

So how did he do it?

 

Williamson has the same pre-game routine that he follows before each home game. He said that he tries to eat dinner early so he can make it to the court at 5:30 to warm up and watch the women play. 

 

However, his schedule was a little off that day. 

 

Instead, he was in a hurry and he arrived at Burr at 5:45. 

 

He only had a few minutes to eat a sandwich he picked up at the deli. 

 

"I only ate half of the sandwich and warmed up. I was in a hurry," Williamson said. 

 

At game time, he said that he was busy concentrating on the game at hand.

 

"I was trying to get mentally prepared, visualizing my shots and formations," Williamson said. "We always have a pre-game prayer and then we say no substitute for hard work." 

 

Williamson is the last voice his team hears before they hit the floor. 

 

He leads the team by saying, "One, two, three, family."

 

However, Williamson stepped out of character.

 

His teammates waited but he said nothing. He said that he was so preoccupied with the game that he forgot.

 

His teammates doubted him, but after the first half, they understood his reasoning.

 

Williamson scored 26-points on 9 of 11 from the field and made six of his seven shots form three-point territory.

 

The first shot usually determines the performance of the game.

 

"My first shot was a pull up in the lane that I missed," Williamson said.

 

After, he went on a tear.

 

"The second was a three that hit the front rims then the back rim and went in. I shot another three that banked in. My shot felt good and I got in a rhythm. I hit two more and then missed a three. But the miss felt good," Williamson said.

 

By the end of the first half, Williamson didn't know he had 26-points and the record was far from his mind.

 

The second half continued where the first left off. 

 

It seemed like nothing could stop him except the dark.

 

The lights in the gym went out and left officials stopping play.

 

The fifteen-minute delay didn't phase Williamson at all.

 

"After the lights went out, I still felt loose," Williamson said. "My shots just kept dropping. I was like let me see if I throw this up will it drop. It wasn't until I looked up at the scoreboard and saw I had 39. There was still ten minutes left."

 

Teammate Kyle Williams is the one who told Williamson that he was close to the record. Their conversation made Williamson push to break it.

 

"I think I hit a free throw to make 40. Then a lay up to make 42 and another three to make 45," Williamson said.

 

He said that he was satisfied that he broke the record.

 

But there was still five minutes left to play.

 

"I knew the coaches were going to take me out," Williamson said.

 

The only problem is that they didn't. 

 

Williamson continued to score and within two minutes, he hit 52.

 

His teammates were on the bench rooting for him to hit one last three. 

 

"I wanted 55 bad," said Williamson.

 

They ran the same play for Williams in an effort to hit that last three but to no avail.

 

"People expect me to drop fifty every game. It doesn't happen that often in college. You just don't drop fifty every night, it's once in a lifetime," Williamson said. "I'll get 15 or six and help the team out that way and somebody else will step up. We go out with the same game plan."

 

Now teams are gunning for Ron Williamson, especially in the MEAC. On defense, opponents will single out Williamson as the shooter and double-team him, leaving teammates with open looks. 

 

Defenders will tell Williamson that he won't drop fifty against them. 

 

"I am the focus now. I want to start driving more and dishing off to the open man," Williamson said.

 

He was named MEAC Player of the Week for January 28. His 52-points are the most points by a Division I player since the 61 Eddie House of Arizona State dropped against UC-Berkley in December of 2000. It also broke the school record,43, that teammate Williams, had against Coppin State last season. 

 

Williamson tied the MEAC record for points in a single game set in 1978 by Ken Simmons of UMES. 

 

Also, his 11 three-pointers tied his own MEAC record he set against Georgetown in December of his freshman year.