Former Bishop Ford star Chaz Williams has found a new home. After spending his freshman year at Hofstra University, the point guard is off to the University of Massachusetts.
“Now I know where I’m going to be laying my head next, what coach I’ll be playing for, what guys I’ll be calling my brothers,” Williams said. “It’s like a burden off my chest.”
After receiving his release last month, the 5-foot-9 speedster instantly drew interest from Big East programs Rutgers, Seton Hall and Providence, as well as LaSalle of the Atlantic 10.
But almost immediately after arriving in Amherst two days ago, Williams knew where he’d resume his college career. He verbally committed last Friday afternoon and expects to sign soon.
“Coach [Derek] Kellogg is a great coach, everyone on the team is cool, I felt like I was home when I went up there,” Williams said. “I felt like I had already been there for two years.”
Williams said he had a great time on the only official visit he took. He already knows Jesse Morgan, a 6-foot-5 combo guard from Philadelphia after playing with him on the Jersey Shore Shots and Kellogg’s offense compliments Williams’ strengths.
“He likes to get up and down, they run a dribble-drive offense that fits my style perfectly,” Williams said.
Williams was the face of the Bishop Ford program for three years, leading the Falcons to back-to-back appearances in the CHSAA Class A intersectional title game, averaging 25.9 points per game as a senior. The Falcons won the title in 2008. As a freshman at Hofstra, he averaged 9.8 points and 4.2 rebounds per game.
Williams is the second former New York City high school standout to transfer from Hofstra, following Halil Kanacevic, a 6-foot-8 freshman power forward out of Curtis HS who will play at St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia.
“It was a tough decision,” Williams said last month. “Hofstra’s a good program and I’m going to miss my teammates. Me and my family thought it was best to take my career elsewhere.”
Elsewhere turned out to be UMass.
