The Journey Continues – From West Indies to Flushing and now the A.A.U. circuit, McClancy graduate Williams trucks on

In many ways, Nyika Williams is already a typical New Yorker - always active, with an eye to the future - in just one year since he migrated to Flushing from St. Vincent Island in the West Indies.
Nearly every day, Williams, playing in the Real Scout/NY Panthers Classic A.A.U. tournament over the weekend, heads to St. John’s University to work on his game or his slender yet muscular 6-foot-8 physique. Every weekend he travels with the New York Panthers A.A.U. team to regional tournaments, hoping to continue to improve his understanding of a game he began playing just a few years ago.
As Williams waits to hear from the NCAA regarding his eligibility, he stays busy. Duquesne University may offer him a scholarship if his transcripts from St. Martin Academy Secondary are approved, and his SAT score, which he recently took, enables him to qualify. If not, Williams will continue to learn the game at Notre Dame Prep in Fitchburg, Massachusetts.
In other ways, the fast-paced lifestyle of the city is not for Williams. There is no substitute for the peace and tranquility home provided. He makes up for it by taking a day off here and there, strolling through the back streets of Flushing where he can hear birds chirping and the soothing sounds of quiet. He prefers to stay away from the crowded streets and large crowds. “Everything is fast, very fast,” he says. “Here, everything is open 24 hours a day, everybody is always moving.”
One day is all he has. He’s behind the curve. The same talented teammates and opponents he’s competing with for a scholarship have been on the court with a basketball in their palm from birth. “I’d like to have a breather,” he says, “but this basketball can be good for me, so I try my best.”
It’s been a whirlwind year for the soft-spoken and multi-talented Williams. He followed his brother, Burton, who he lives with, here last July, and immediately began playing the sport Burton taught him a few summers ago. Burton came over four years ago, and played at Queens College, graduating this past June.
But Williams’ journey had bumps along the way. He was deemed ineligible for the first two months of the season by McClancy because he enrolled at the school two days late. But after making his debut in late January, the team went 11-3, reaching the CHSAA Class A semifinals - largely due to Williams, who averaged 14.6 points-per-game.
But the playground-style A.A.U. game is another world; it’s more a showcase of skills, fancy dribbling, long 3-pointers and acrobatic slam dunks, than team ball. Williams can still impress with his uncanny agility for a big man and shot-blocking ability, but it’s vastly different. For one, after several games, Williams has been approached by college or prep school scouts with advice; in high school, they always went through the coach. “I try to filter out the good from the bad,” he said.
Burton’s presence has obviously helped. He, too, had trouble adjusting to the fast-paced lifestyle of New York City at first. He recalled how odd he found it that when he rode public transportation, New Yorkers got up before the train or bus had stopped. Now, he admits, he does the same.
“I try to tell him what I know and show him from my own experiences,” said Burton.
On the court, Williams seems relaxed. He can make an impact by blocking a shot, flying in for a thunderous two-handed jam, or knifing through the lane for a hoop. “I think he’ll be fine,” said Queens College Coach Kirk Peponakis, who serves as an advisor for the two Williams brothers. “He’s got a lot of athletic ability. The more he plays, the better he gets. He doesn’t even know the game.”