Verlin Williams has one more game before he closes out his high school basketball career.
The 6-foot-4 forward/center from Fairport Harding High School was selected to play in the 2016 Ohio Varsity Senior Shootout, presented by ScoreStream.com, which will be played on Sunday, April 3, 2016.
“To be selected to play in the all-star game is truly an honor,” Williams said. “It means a lot to have your talent recognized by others.”
Over the past four years, Williams has been one of the top small school players in Northeast Ohio.
He was the Skippers’ Defensive Player of the Year in 2014 and team MVP in 2015. He also was named Honorable Mention All-Ohio as a junior.
On April 3 he hopes to showcase those skills for the Marines All-Stars.
“I hope to demonstrate my skills at a high level to represent my team and better yet, my village,” he said.
Williams is very excited to play in the game, which is an official fundraiser for The Wounded Warrior Project.
Each team will represent a different branch of the military and wear camouflaged uniforms in their respective branch’s colors.
“Knowing that proceeds go to The Wounded Warriors Project as a result of myself and other ball players doing what we love made it even more compelling to (play),” he said.
Williams, who carries a 3.6 grade point average and is a member of the National Honor Society as well as an all-Ohioan in football, expects to continue playing basketball in college.
The Senior Shootout will leave him with one more positive memory of his year’s on the high school hardwood.
One of his fondest memories of his four years as a Skipper came in the final game of his junior season. He scored 27 points, pulled down 13 rebounds and had four steals.
“I'll remember the game against Independence my junior year the most,” he said. “What I'll miss the most are all of the Fairport fans, especially the ones that stayed with us through bad seasons.”
The boys’ all-star game will tip-off at 5:00 p.m. The girls’ game is scheduled to begin at 7:00 p.m.
