Future Bear Williams eager to play before MSU fans

Missouri State signee Dorrian Williams (30), shown here in a game from last February, will play in front of his future hometown fans at this week's Tournament of Champions.

Dorrian Williams, one of three high school players who signed to join the Bears next season, is coming to town for the Bass Pro Tournament of Champions.

And the giddy MSU fans won't be the only ones fired up for the first impression. Williams is excited, too.

"Most definitely," the star for Oklahoma City Douglass High School said Monday. "To make an appearance at Missouri State is going to be fun."

Williams said he has never seen a game played at JQH Arena; he has only seen the Bears in person at a game in Oklahoma.

He did, however, watch MSU's victory against Wichita State on television Sunday with his family.

Williams said he texted friends on the team -- including Jermaine Mallett and Kyle Weems -- along with fellow recruit Andrew Wilson of Tulsa, Okla., with celebratory remarks.

Williams is a 6-foot-1 guard rated as a three-star recruit by Rivals.com and ESPN.com.

"He's doing what he's supposed to do and he's excited to let you guys see what he can do," Douglass coach Terry Long said.

Douglass (8-3) opens at 9:30 p.m. Thursday against Greater Atlanta Christian.

"It's always exciting when one of your recruits gets a chance to play in your home arena," MSU coach Cuonzo Martin said. "I think it's great for our fans and our players to have a chance to see Dorrian play, and his team is well coached and fun to watch."

As a junior, Williams averaged 11.2 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.6 steals per game for the Trojans, who went 29-0 and won the Class 4A state championship.

He has averaged 13.4 points, 2.6 assists and 3.1 rebounds this season.

"I'm just a person that wants to win," Williams said, "someone who doesn't mind playing defense and getting my team involved and doing whatever it takes to win."

Williams scored 30 points against Marcus (Texas) and 27 against Miller Grove (Ga.) this season. Both are ranked in the top 15 nationally by MaxPreps.

Williams said the T of C is a chance for the Trojans to regain the national ranking it had in the preseason.

"We don't really talk about (the national ranking) as a team, but we know it," he said. "In order to get the ranking back nationally, we've got to take care of business this weekend."

Long said his team felt like it should have won the Beach Ball Classic in Myrtle Beach, S.C., where the Trojans went 2-2, and Williams was named to the all-tournament team.

"We're starting to do things the right way," Long said.