Crim: Shift in Williams’ game helps Hawks become more dynamic, continue climbing GLVC standings

QUINCY — Cymirah Williams doesn’t try to hide her excitement. Her ever-present smile seems to grow broader with every victory by a resurgent Quincy University women’s basketball team.

“To see how everyone on campus is showing so much love, recognizing how good we’re doing and the road we’re going down, it’s something to love,” she said. “It’s great to be surrounded by people that genuinely want to see you strive and be great. There’s nothing better than that.”

The Hawks have been impressive since falling 73-60 to Fort Hays (Kan.) State on Dec. 20 in the first of two games played in the Big Island Classic in Hawaii, their fourth loss in five games that dropped their record to 6-5.

They have since rattled off 10 consecutive victories, the longest streak since the 2013-14 team won 12 in a row during a 23-win season that saw it advance to the second round of the NCAA Division II tournament.

The run has enabled QU to climb to third in the Great Lakes Valley Conference, a half-game behind second-place Drury and a game behind leader Lewis. The Hawks already have ensured their first winning season since 2015-16 with eight regular-season games remaining.

Improved depth has been a major factor in this season’s turnaround, beginning with two graduate transfers — guard Nicole McDermott and forward Taylor Haase — who played for second-year coach Courtney Boyd at Clarke (Iowa) University and were part of the 2023 NAIA national championship team.

McDermott leads the Hawks in scoring (15.0 ppg) and steals (28) and is second in rebounding (7 per game). She is part of a deep backcourt that includes sophomore Mariann Blass (12.3 ppg) and seniors Karsyn Stratton (9.8 ppg, 6.1 rpg) and Janiece Dawson (5.4 ppg). McDermott and Stratton lead the team with 66 assists apiece.

Junior point guard Mikayla Huffine, who started all 28 games a year ago, has been coming off the bench to spell Stratton after missing the first half of the season. Taya Stevenson, a 5-foot-8 senior, has played valuable minutes at guard and forward.

Meanwhile, Haase and junior Chomp Danso give QU two 6-footers inside. They are combining for nearly 18 points and more than 11 rebounds per game. The Hawks are outrebounding opponents by 13 per game.

“We have become more dynamic,” Boyd said. “We feel better about how each player at each position complements each other. You have to scout every single one of our players.”

And then there’s Williams, a senior in her third season with the Hawks after transferring from Butler (Kan.) Community College.

The 5-foot-11 forward from Oklahoma City has taken on a slightly different role. While she is leading QU in rebounding for the third straight season at 9.4 per game, which is third-best in the GLVC, she no longer must shoulder the burden of scoring at a prolific pace for the Hawks to win.

Williams averaged a team-leading 14.4 points per game last season despite being the focus of opposing defenses. She scored in double figures in 24 of 28 games, with a high of 30 against Illinois-Springfield, and registered 12 double-doubles (points and rebounds) for a team that finished 10-18.

“She always had to be on,” Boyd said. “We ran a lot of things through her. If it wasn’t for C and Mariann, we wouldn’t have won the games we did because they were the ones that were able to consistently score for us.”

Williams is still a major scoring threat. She can hit jumpers from the perimeter or use her quickness to beat defenders in the paint or along the baseline. She has reached double figures 11 times, with a high of 17 against Western Washington, and is averaging 9.9 points per game.

It’s just that she doesn’t have to be the scorer.

“The pressure has been taken off of her because of the scoring around her,” Boyd said. “She feels more in rhythm and doesn’t have to force as many shots. Her shooting percentage is better. She’s had a lot more assists. She’s been able to steal the ball and have a few more blocked shots.

“For her to do what she did for us last year, to carry us through all those tight games and win us 10 of those and then come into this year and honestly be a similar player but be able to fill the stat sheet in a little bit different way, says a lot about her growth.”

Williams is enjoying her role. With Danso or Haase anchoring the low block, and with defenses trying to stop McDermott from slashing to the basket and Blass from getting open looks from 3-point range, she has more freedom to pick her spots on the offensive end.

“I don’t feel like I have any pressure on me,” she said. “We have the people with the talent to make everything easier for each other. Offense will always come to me. I don’t have to have the ball in my hand to make something happen.”

The biggest difference has been defensively, where she continues to be the team’s most dominant rebounder despite playing farther from the basket at times.

“That has been my top priority,” Williams said. “Being in the post, you don’t really do much down there. But when you’re guarding point guards, shooting guards, I wasn’t used to that. I’ve been doing way better, and I’m proud of myself for that.”

Boyd has been impressed.

“Offense comes second nature for her. It’s a really easy part of her game,” the coach said. “Defensively, she’s taken it to the next level, and she’s become a much better player because of it. She’s guarded the four. She’s guarded the five. There are times where she’s had to guard the three.

“She’s seeing the game in a different way. She understands that it creates easier options on offense and puts her in a better spot to rebound on both ends of the floor.”

QU (16-5, 10-2 GLVC) hopes to extend its streak when it returns home this week to face Missouri S&T on Thursday night and Drury on Saturday afternoon. The Hawks beat S&T 85-50 on Dec. 7, two days after dropping a 91-82 decision at Drury, their 17^th consecutive loss to the Panthers.

The Hawks are looking to finish the regular season strong after losing six of their final seven a year ago to miss the GLVC postseason tournament.

Different season, different team.

“It’s great to win, but at the end of the day we’re trying to go somewhere,” Williams said. “It’s not just the conference; we’re trying to go to the region, to the nationals. This is my last go-round, so I’m pouring my all into it every day I step on that court.

“I think all the seniors are feeling like that. We’re also trying to enjoy it. The bigger picture is to enjoy this experience because our time is ticking.”

The smile says she is.