Auburn Riverside junior McKenzi Williams performs a ritual before every home game this season.
She touches her finger against pursed lips and points it toward the ceiling.
Williams’ father, Ralph, died Oct. 22 when he suffered a heart attack while playing basketball at work.
“That makes it tough because every time I step onto the court I automatically think about him, but that just motivates me more to do my best and play for him,” Williams said. “Every time I get onto the court, I just play with theexpectation that he’s watching me and I’ve got to make him proud.”
The Ravens’ point guard credited her father for getting her involved with sports at a young age. She said he always believed in her abilities, as well. Those are among the reasons why Williams is dedicating the season to him.
Classmate Olivia Denton, a shooting guard who has been teammates with Williams since they were in seventh grade at Baker Middle School, said the team is there to support her.
“Hearing about it definitely broke my heart because I know how close McKenzi is with her dad,” she said. “A lot of it was bringing the team together even more. I think being there for her has helped her through a lot of it.”
That chemistry – and talent – has been apparent early this season. Although Auburn Riverside is one of the youngest teams in the area with only two seniors on the roster, the Ravens have a 8-0 record through Monday.
Third-year coach Derek Pegram said Williams deserves plenty of credit for helping his youthful team achieve success through her leadership skills.
“That girl is a clown,” he said. “She keeps everything light before a game. She keeps everyone loose with her attitude.
“She’s very confident in her ability and I think that rubs off on others.”
Denton acknowledged that she initially did not like that. Before they were teammates at Baker, Denton lived in Federal Way and played for a rival youth team. Denton said her move to Auburn led to them “squashing” that.
“We’re just inseparable because we’ve always been with each other,” she said. “It’s never been competition. We’ve always been happy for each other.”
Particularly on the hardwood.
“On the court, we have mental telepathy,” Williams said. “We just lock in together.”
Williams is a prolific scorer who averaged 18.3 points per game through the team’s first seven contests. She is also a sprinter, competing in the 800-meter relay and long jump for the school’s track and field program, and uses a quickfirst step to break down defenders.
“It’s tough for teams to simulate her speed in practice,” Pegram said. “I think a lot of her success comes from teams not being prepared for how fast she really is.
“We give McKenzi a lot of freedom in our offense. A lot of our sets are designed around her.”
Williams, who has drawn interest from Fresno State and New Mexico, has honed her skills with Tree of Hope on the summer AAU circuit. Since she was in eighth grade, Williams said she has traveled to the East Coast for tournaments.
“I’ve played against some of the greatest girls I’ve ever seen play,” she said. “It’s such an honor to go out there and get that kind of experience. It mentally prepares you for college and what it’s going to be like when you get there.”
But Denton said Williams understands that the Ravens’ past success has come through blending the ability of several players.
“She’s definitely my favorite person I’ve ever played with,” Denton said. “She’s such a team player, she likes to get everyone the ball and she loves to give everyone an equal opportunity. She never stops playing hard.”
That extends to learning. An avid reader – Williams particularly enjoys Ray Bradbury’s 1953 novel “Fahrenheit 451,” which presents a future American society where books are outlawed – she likes to ruminate over concepts that requireher to think. That is not a much different concept than what she faces as she sets Auburn Riverside’s offense on the court.
“I feel like as the point guard it’s kind of my responsibility to listen to what my coach says and translate that onto the court with my team,” Williams said. “He’s the brains behind it all. I just put my trust in him and I go out and do whatI know how to do.”
Denton said they do that with the intent of returning the Ravens to state for the first time since 2011. Auburn Riverside won state championships in 2007-08 and ’10.
“It was us wanting to continue on that tradition,” Denton said. “Our goal since we came in freshman year was to make it to state; win state. Do everything we could to be the best guards we could be to finish this off.”
For Williams, raising a finger toward the sky would connote more than a championship, though. It would be for her father.
“I know he would be so proud right now looking down on me and watching me play,” Williams said. “He’s always supported me and always believed in me. I want to do it for him.”
