By Todd Fertig
TopSports.news
Highland Park boys basketball coach Mike Williams notched his 100th career victory in an 81-42 romp at Topeka High Friday night.
Following the contest, Williams received the game ball from Trojans coach Geo Lyons and a plaque from Highland Park athletic director Boshner Whitaker to commemorate the accomplishment.
Highland Park coach Mike Williams receives a plaque commemorating his 100th win from Hi Park athletic director Boshner Whitaker after Friday's 81-42 win at Topeka High. [Photo by Todd Fertig/TSN]
Highland Park coach Mike Williams celebrates his 100th career victory with his Scots after Friday's 81-42 win at Topeka High. [Photo by Todd Fertig/TSN]
Williams took over the Scots program in 2018, a season in which they won just three games. His son, Mikey, a senior on the current Scots team, recalls those difficult days.
“It was hard on him,” Mikey Williams said. “He would come home and tell me, ‘I wish things were different, but I’m never going to give up.’ So, I just watched him keep working to get to this point. It’s just a testimony to who he is as a person.”
Senior MIkey Williams slams down a dunk in Friday's 81-42 Highland Park win at Topeka High. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
The younger Williams threw down several impressive dunks to spark the Scots. He finished with 19 points on the special night.
“When I got into coaching, I didn’t know it would come to this point,” coach Williams said. “I got into it to coach my son. I wanted to impact him, and then some things changed. Some coaching positions came open and I was an assistant. You get into something because you love the game, you love teaching and working with young people. You want to impact the community.
“Then you look up and, through the grace of the Most High, you’re winning games and things are coming together.”
Williams said lessons learned during the losing seasons helped him harness his optimism and channel it into a coaching style.
“The crazy thing about it was, I never thought we would lose,” Williams said. “I always had belief. I’m a competitor. I’m a winner. Even in those years where we were losing, I didn’t think we were (losing).
“That’s what I want to get across to the guys. That you can manipulate situations through your focus, through your approach, through doing things right, day in and day out. Doing things together. And I think we’re finding that recipe this year, and I think we’re onto something really special.”
Mikey sat on the bench or in the stands during the early years of the climb. Now he is helping lead the 5-0 Scots. He remembers the players who went before him.
“When they finally went to state (in 2021) it was like a testimony to the guys who went before them,” the younger Williams said. “We want to keep going and put a banner up there so that the guys who went before us can see that legacy.”
Senior Ja'Corey Robinson (23) led all scorers with 24 points in Friday's 81-42 Highland Park win at Topeka High. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Jacorey Robinson led the Scots Friday, converting on a bunch of dunks and layups en route to 24 points. Da’Mykel Hales joined Robinson and Williams in double figures with 12.
The Scots’ coach didn’t focus on the score Friday.
“We don’t ever play opponents,” coach Williams said. “We’ve got to play for ourselves. We’re working towards something. The boys will look at me crazy if I wait until March 15 and now we’ve got a scouting report coming out. Or now our prep is different. We’ve got to prepare the same every day regardless of who we’re playing. And they’re buying in and they’re doing it.
“I’m not the easiest guy to play for. We practice a lot. I yell a lot. I demand a lot. And these guys are allowing us to challenge them and push them.”
Leading Topeka High, which fell to 0-6, were Elisha Guest and Jalen Aldridge, who each contributed 11 points.
HIGHLAND PARK BOYS 81, TOPEKA HIGH 42
Highland Park 22 23 30 6 -- 81
Topeka High 9 11 12 10 -- 42
Highland Park (5-0) – Wilson 1-2 0-2 2, Hales 4-9 0-0 12, Kelley 3-5 0-0 6, Williams 8-16 3-5 19, Robinson 12-14 0-2 24, Brown 2-4 0-0 4, Kingcannon 2-2 0-0 4, Howell 1-3 0-0 2, Bradley 0-3 0-0 0, Thomas 3-4 0-2 6, Montgomery 1-1 0-1 2, Drew 0-1 0-0 0. Totals: 37-64 3-12 81.
Topeka High (0-6) – Guest 4-14 1-1 11, McFadden 0-0 2-2 2, Aldridge 4-6 2-5 11, Campbell 2-4 0-0 4, Mallory 0-1 0-0 0, Redmond 0-1 0-0 0, Caddell 0-1 0-2 0, Dingle 1-1 0-0 2, Trotter 1-4 0-0 2, Villegas 3-5 1-1 7, Sanders 0-1 0-0 0, Humphrey 0-1 0-0 0, Arnold 1-4 0-0 3. Totals: 16-42 6-11 42.
3-point goals – Highland Park 4 (Hales 4), Topeka High 3 (Guest 2, Aldridge 1). Total fouls – Highland Park 14, Topeka High 9. Fouled out – Kelley. Technical fouls – None.
