Coaching Legacy of Lee Williamson (CH 2K8)

[superjames1992]

2013 Recruiting Class

UNC Greensboro's head coach Lee Williamson, after declining offers from Missouri State and several other mid-major programs, has successfully secured a promising recruiting class for this season, utilizing both available scholarships.

Erick Givens stands out as the top recruit. A 6'8" power forward from Charlotte, NC, Givens ranks as the No. 344 overall recruit and the No. 53 power forward nationally. Known for his impressive athleticism and one of the most notable vertical leaps in college basketball, Givens brings much-needed prowess to the Spartans' frontcourt. His substantial size and agility make him a formidable presence on the boards—a key area of improvement for UNCG following struggles in several critical games last season. Givens is set to compete with Quincy Dunnington for the starting power forward position. Regardless of the outcome, his skill set ensures significant playing time in the upcoming year.

Hatila Verdejo represents a more enigmatic addition. The 3-star prospect from Venezuela, standing at 6'7", provides ideal size for the small forward slot. While specifics of Verdejo’s gameplay are less documented, his recruitment addresses a gap left by last season’s lack of depth at the small forward position. Anticipations are high that Verdejo will earn considerable court time. With potential to exceed expectations, he might challenge for the starting role, currently held by Earnest Abdur-Rahim, who naturally fits better as a shooting guard.

Signed Recruits:
1. Erick Givens 6'8 222 (Charlotte, NC - #344 overall, #53 PF) 3*
2. Hatila Verdejo 6'7 210 (Venezuela - NR overall, NR SG) 3*

[superjames1992]

2013-2014 UNC Greensboro Roster

Starters
PG #3 Martynas Montrimas 5'11 170 (Lithuania) 71 overall SO
SG #33 Mathew Van Weerdhuizen 6'1 192 (Huntsville, AL) 73 overall JR
SG #21 Earnest Abdur-Rahim 6'4 196 (Chicago, IL) 70 overall SR
C #41 Quincy Dunnington 6'11 234 (Las Vegas, NV) 67 overall SR
C #54 Edwin Starks 6'11 229 (Washington, D.C) 73 overall SO

Bench
PG #25 Damian Konare 6'1 180 (Senegal) 68 overall JR
PG #15 Najeeb Barron 6'1 173 (Lexington, KY) 58 overall SR
SF #11 Hatila Verdejo 6'8 214 (Venezuela) 65 overall FR
SF #35 Geoffrey Polk 6'6 213 (Raleigh, NC) 57 overall SO
SF #34 Charles Zavackas 6'7 220 (Livonia, MI) 54 overall SO (RS)
PF #43 Erick Givens 6'8 231 (Charlotte, NC) 67 overall FR
PF #44 Linas Pranciiauskas 6'11 266 (San Diego, CA) 52 overall SO (RS)

Reserves
PG #4 Arturo Bing 5'11 178 (Philadelphia, PA) 54 overall JR (RS)
SF #23 Hans Rickert 6'8 267 (Fort Worth, TX) 54 overall SR
PF #42 Ron McCurry 6'9 224 (Lincoln, NE) 71 overall JR (Transfer Year)

Coaches
Lee Williamson: B- overall (7th year)
Jerard Freeman: C+ overall (1st year)
Everson Fulton: C+ overall (1st year)

2013-2014 Southern Conference Projected Standings (Overall Rating)

1. UNC Greensboro (77)
2. Charleston (72)
3. Georgia Southern (72)
4. Furman (71)
5. Appalachian State (68)
6. Wofford (67)
7. Chattanooga (66)
8. Davidson (63)
9. Elon (63)
10. Western Carolina (60)
11. The Citadel (60)

2013-2014 UNC Greensboro Schedule

11/7 vs. High Point
11/13 at North Carolina A&T
11/21 at #7 Wisconsin *Great Alaska Shootout
11/25 at CHATTANOOGA
11/30 vs. Virginia
12/4 at George Washington
12/7 at Oregon State
12/12 vs. FURMAN
12/20 at Miami (FL)
12/28 vs. Eastern Michigan
1/2 vs. WOFFORD
1/4 vs. CHARLESTON
1/8 at DAVIDSON
1/11 at ELON
1/15 at APPALACHIAN STATE
1/18 vs. THE CITADEL
1/20 at CHARLESTON
1/23 at FURMAN
1/25 at GEORGIA SOUTHERN
1/30 vs. ELON
2/1 at THE CITADEL
2/5 vs. DAVIDSON
2/8 vs. GEORGIA SOUTHERN
2/12 at WESTERN CAROLINA
2/15 vs. APPALACHIAN STATE
2/18 vs. WESTERN CAROLINA
2/26 vs. CHATTANOOGA
3/1 at WOFFORD

Note: Southern Conference games in ALL-CAPS.

Preseason Top 25 Poll (Overall Rating)

1. Texas (94)
2. Florida (95)
3. Georgia Tech (93)
4. Connecticut (93)
5. USC (96)
6. Maryland (93)
7. Wisconsin (91)
8. Syracuse (91)
9. North Carolina State (91)
10. Arizona (91)
11. UNLV (91)
12. Tennessee (91)
13. West Virginia (92)
14. Arizona State (91)
15. Dayton (87)
16. Kentucky (90)
17. California (87)
18. Duke (92)
19. Providence (87)
20. Oregon (88)
21. Georgetown (90)
22. Missouri (87)
23. Illinois (89)
24. Clemson (89)
25. Kansas (89)

[superjames1992]

vs.
High Point (0-1) vs. UNC Greensboro (1-0)
Fleming Gymnasium
Greensboro, NC
November 7th, 2013

The UNC Greensboro Spartans (1-0) kicked off their season with a commanding 83-60 victory over the High Point Panthers (0-1) on Wednesday evening. Leading from the outset, the Spartans established a substantial 47-27 advantage by halftime and never looked back.

Martynas Montrimas and Damian Konare shined in the win, propelling UNC Greensboro with their offensive prowess. Montrimas led all scorers with 19 points, sinking 7 of 11 shots. Close behind, Konare was nearly flawless from the field, going 7-for-9, including a perfect 2-for-2 from beyond the arc, for a total of 18 points. Edwin Starks also made a notable contribution, adding 12 points and grabbing 5 rebounds.

Despite their efficient scoring, with an overall shooting percentage of 63%, the Spartans faced challenges under the basket, surrendering 13 offensive rebounds to High Point and losing the overall rebound battle 32-28.

Coach Lee Williamson expressed satisfaction with the team's offensive execution but highlighted areas needing improvement. "It was a really well-played game for us, but we have to do better on the boards," Williamson stated. "I don't know if we just stopped giving effort there after going up big or what, but that was unacceptable, and we won't fare well against better teams with that kind of disparity."

High Point's Dominic Cable led his team with 14 points and 6 rebounds, while Moses Mascoll contributed 10 points in their effort.

The Spartans, now 1-0, will enjoy a five-day break before taking on North Carolina A&T, where they aim to build on their strong start to the season.

High Point Panthers at UNC Greensboro Spartans
Nov 7, 2013	1ST	2ND	SCORE
High Point (0-1)	27	33	60
UNC Greensboro (1-0)	47	36	83

High Point Panthers
STARTERS	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
Jeromy Domercant	32	3-4	0-0	0-0	4	4	1	0	2	6
Bill Eldridge	35	2-11	0-6	1-1	1	2	0	2	3	5
Turner Nicholson	31	3-15	1-3	0-0	2	5	0	0	0	7
Dominic Cable	29	7-12	0-0	0-0	6	3	1	0	1	14
Moses Mascoll	19	5-9	0-0	0-0	3	2	1	0	0	10
BENCH	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
Kim Billings	19	2-7	1-2	0-0	3	0	0	0	0	5
Terrance Webster	2	0-3	0-2	0-0	0	1	0	1	1	0
Clark Forbes	6	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	1	0	1	1	0
Berry Hannan	15	3-4	0-0	0-0	6	0	0	0	0	6
Angelo Morban	14	3-6	0-0	1-3	7	3	1	0	0	7
Aldrin Sharp	-- DID NOT PLAY --
Iker James	-- DID NOT PLAY --
TEAM TOTALS		28-71	2-13	2-4	32	20	4	3	7	60

UNC Greensboro Spartans
STARTERS	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
Martynas Montrimas	23	7-11	1-1	4-4	0	2	1	0	2	19
Mathew Van Weerdhuizen	29	3-8	1-4	0-0	1	1	2	0	1	7
Earnest Abdur-Rahim	20	1-2	0-1	2-4	4	1	2	0	1	4
Quincy Dunnington	26	4-6	0-0	0-0	6	0	0	1	0	8
Edwin Starks	26	5-10	0-0	2-3	5	2	0	1	0	12
BENCH	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
Damian Konare	25	7-9	2-2	2-2	2	1	2	0	1	18
Erick Givens	22	3-3	0-0	3-6	5	1	0	2	0	9
Hatila Verdejo	16	2-2	0-0	0-0	2	1	0	0	1	4
Najeeb Barron	3	0-0	0-0	1-2	0	0	0	0	0	1
Geoffrey Polk	3	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	1	0	0	0
Charles Zavackas	3	0-0	0-0	1-2	1	0	0	0	1	1
Linas Pranciiauskas	3	0-0	0-0	0-0	2	0	0	0	1	0
TEAM TOTALS		32-51	4-8	15-23	28	9	8	4	8	83

[superjames1992]

vs.
UNC Greensboro (2-0) vs. North Carolina A&T (1-2)
Corbett Sports Center
Greensboro, NC
November 13th, 2013

The UNC Greensboro Spartans (2-0) maintained their undefeated start to the season with a 66-50 victory over inter-city rival North Carolina A&T (1-2) on Thursday night. This win marks a sweep of the other two Division I basketball programs in Guilford County, following their earlier triumph over High Point University.

UNC Greensboro's head coach Lee Williamson praised the local rivalry matches, noting, "It's always great to play these local games. It's good for the fans and it's good for recruiting."

The Spartans took control early, establishing a 36-24 lead by halftime. Despite the victory, both teams struggled offensively. North Carolina A&T managed just 27 percent shooting from the field, while UNC Greensboro shot 36 percent, significantly down from their 63 percent shooting performance against High Point last week.

A recurring issue for the Spartans was their performance on the defensive boards, conceding 14 offensive rebounds after giving up 13 in their season opener. Coach Williamson expressed his frustration, emphasizing the need for improvement. "We're starting two 6'11" guys in the frontcourt. We have to rebound better. There is simply no excuse," he said, looking ahead to a challenging matchup against Wisconsin next week.

Mathew Van Weerdhuizen led the Spartans with 14 points, despite shooting only 5-for-14 from the field. Edwin Starks contributed 12 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 steals, while Martynas Montrimas also added 12 points. Quincy Dunnington posted a double-double with 10 points, 14 rebounds, and 3 blocks.

For North Carolina A&T, L.F. Azubuike was the standout, scoring a game-high 15 points and adding 5 rebounds and 5 assists.

Looking ahead, UNC Greensboro has a week to prepare before they face No. 7 Wisconsin in the quarterfinal round of the Great Alaska Shootout. "This will be a good opportunity for us to test our mettle against some really good teams and in an atmosphere that resembles March Madness," said Williamson. "We are obviously going to have to play really well to be able to compete with a team the caliber of Wisconsin, but either way, it will be a tremendous learning experience for us."

UNC Greensboro Spartans at North Carolina A&T Aggies
Nov 13, 2013	1ST	2ND	SCORE
UNC Greensboro (2-0)	36	30	66
North Carolina A&T (1-2)	24	26	50

UNC Greensboro Spartans
STARTERS	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
Martynas Montrimas	27	5-11	2-6	0-0	3	2	1	0	0	12
Mathew Van Weerdhuizen	29	5-14	4-13	0-0	2	0	0	0	0	14
Earnest Abdur-Rahim	22	1-4	1-3	2-2	4	3	1	0	1	5
Quincy Dunnington	27	4-8	0-0	2-2	14	1	1	3	0	10
Edwin Starks	27	3-11	0-0	6-6	8	1	3	1	1	12
BENCH	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
Damian Konare	20	1-4	0-0	3-4	1	1	0	0	2	5
Erick Givens	23	2-2	0-0	0-0	7	1	0	1	1	4
Hatila Verdejo	16	1-7	0-2	0-0	2	1	0	0	0	2
Najeeb Barron	2	0-0	0-0	0-0	2	0	0	0	1	0
Geoffrey Polk	3	1-2	0-0	0-0	1	0	0	0	0	2
Charles Zavackas	2	0-1	0-1	0-0	0	0	0	0	1	0
Linas Pranciiauskas	2	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0
TEAM TOTALS		23-64	7-25	13-14	44	10	6	5	7	66

North Carolina A&T Aggies
STARTERS	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
L.F. Azubuike	30	5-13	2-5	3-4	5	5	3	0	0	15
Fernandez Petrauskas	33	0-11	0-8	1-2	3	4	1	0	1	1
Donnells Baldwin	32	4-10	0-2	0-0	6	0	1	0	3	8
Wilson Ervin	28	2-18	0-8	0-0	6	1	0	0	2	4
Tobias Helms	22	4-10	0-2	1-2	8	1	1	0	0	9
BENCH	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
Donell Taft	16	1-2	1-1	0-0	3	1	1	0	0	3
Savoy Porter	10	0-2	0-0	0-0	2	0	0	0	0	0
Lorey Beauford	7	0-4	0-2	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Daon Dobbins	22	4-5	0-0	2-4	12	1	0	1	0	10
Scott Bakinde	-- DID NOT PLAY --
Martin McFarlin	-- DID NOT PLAY --
Deon Barron	-- DID NOT PLAY --
TEAM TOTALS		20-75	3-28	7-12	45	13	7	1	6	50

[superjames1992]

vs.
UNC Greensboro (2-1) vs. #7 Wisconsin (4-0)
Sullivan Arena
Anchorage, AK
November 21st, 2013
Great Alaska Shootout Quarterfinals

The No. 7-ranked Wisconsin Badgers (4-0) demonstrated their championship potential at this year's Great Alaska Shootout, defeating UNC Greensboro Spartans 90-64 on Thursday and handing them their first loss of the season.

The game remained competitive early on, with UNC Greensboro (2-1) staying within reach and trailing by just 7 points at halftime. However, the Badgers shifted gears in the second half, unleashing a scoring barrage of 53 points and pulling away decisively by outscoring the Spartans by 19 points.

Noel Samuel led the scoring for Wisconsin with 20 points. Brennon Wilkes came off the bench to contribute a career-high 19 points, and Taliek Queen added 18 points, showcasing the depth and firepower of the Badgers' lineup. Overall, Wisconsin shot an impressive 58 percent from the field and made 7 of 16 attempts from three-point range.

In contrast, the Spartans struggled from beyond the arc, converting just 2 of 16 three-point shots and shooting 44 percent overall. Martynas Montrimas led UNC Greensboro with 14 points, while Edwin Starks contributed 13 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 blocks.

Following this game, UNC Greensboro will look to regroup as they face Idaho State in the losers' bracket. Idaho State comes into the game following an 83-52 defeat to Boston College. Meanwhile, Wisconsin's victory sets them up for a semifinal showdown against Boston College, promising to be a highlight of the tournament.

UNC Greensboro Spartans vs. Wisconsin Badgers
Nov 21, 2013	1ST	2ND	SCORE
UNC Greensboro (2-1)	30	34	64
#7 Wisconsin (4-0)	37	53	90

UNC Greensboro Spartans
STARTERS	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
Martynas Montrimas	30	5-15	0-4	4-5	2	1	2	0	2	14
Mathew Van Weerdhuizen	32	2-8	1-6	0-0	3	2	1	0	1	5
Earnest Abdur-Rahim	21	2-6	1-3	2-2	1	1	1	1	0	7
Quincy Dunnington	31	3-6	0-0	0-0	5	0	1	0	3	6
Edwin Starks	29	5-8	0-0	3-4	8	3	1	3	2	13
BENCH	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
Damian Konare	18	3-5	0-2	3-4	1	0	1	0	1	9
Erick Givens	20	4-6	0-0	0-0	3	0	0	0	1	8
Hatila Verdejo	19	1-3	0-1	0-0	2	0	1	0	0	2
Najeeb Barron	-- DID NOT PLAY --
Geoffrey Polk	-- DID NOT PLAY --
Charles Zavackas	-- DID NOT PLAY --
Linas Pranciiauskas	-- DID NOT PLAY --
TEAM TOTALS		25-57	2-16	12-15	25	7	8	4	10	64

Wisconsin Badgers
STARTERS	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
Clark Asseo	21	2-7	0-2	1-2	4	8	1	0	0	5
Taliek Queen	30	6-9	3-4	3-4	3	1	0	1	2	18
Noel Samuel	31	7-12	3-5	3-4	2	3	0	0	1	20
Dwight Whelchel	29	3-5	0-0	2-2	3	5	1	1	0	8
Eto Ward	29	2-5	0-0	1-2	8	2	1	2	3	5
BENCH	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
Brennon Wilkes	22	8-12	0-2	3-3	2	2	1	0	1	19
Maury Goia	19	3-5	1-3	0-0	1	2	3	0	2	7
Giovanni Diame	13	4-5	0-0	0-0	4	1	1	0	0	8
Grant Hannan	6	0-0	0-0	0-0	1	0	2	0	0	0
Daron Famutimi	-- DID NOT PLAY --
Antwcan Lhota	-- DID NOT PLAY --
Ralfeal Ellis	-- DID NOT PLAY --
TEAM TOTALS		35-60	7-16	13-17	28	24	10	4	9	90

[superjames1992]

2013 GREAT ALASKA SHOOTOUT
Sullivan Arena - Anchorage, AK

Quarterfinal Round Scores:

Boston College 83, Idaho State 52
#7 Wisconsin 90, UNC Greensboro 64
San Francisco 84, Denver 65
Oklahoma State 100, Prairie View 65

Semifinals Matchups (Winners' Bracket):

Boston College vs. #7 Wisconsin
San Francisco vs. Oklahoma State

Semifinals Matchups (Losers' Bracket):

Idaho State vs. UNC Greensboro
Denver vs. Prairie View

[superjames1992]

vs.
UNC Greensboro (2-2) vs. Idaho State (3-3)
Sullivan Arena
Anchorage, AK
November 22nd, 2013
Great Alaska Shootout Semifinals - Losers' Bracket

Idaho State (3-3) scored a big win tonight against UNC Greensboro (2-2) to advance to the third place game in the Great Alaska Shootout. The Spartans led 37-32 at halftime, but Idaho State scored 57 second half points to beat the Spartans in an 89-81 shootout.

Idaho State dominated offensively, shooting 64 percent from the floor on the night. The Spartans shot well, but simply couldn't keep pace with the Bengals' blistering shooting in the second half.

Tonight was the second straight game in which UNC Greensboro has given up at least 50 points in the second half. Wisconsin also scored 53 points in the second half of yesterday's game.

"We have to play better defensively," said Spartans' head coach Lee Williamson. "Idaho State was really hot shooting, for sure, but we also gave up too many easy buckets around the basket."

Erwin Grundy was dominant for Idaho State. The 6'10" senior center scored 33 points to go along with 8 rebounds and 5 assists. He was also extremely efficient, going 15-for-19 from the field.

Wilson O'Brien was no slouch for Idaho State, either. He tallied 14 points and 12 rebounds. Roy State also scored 18 points and Mattt Haywood added 10. Everett Hester also facilitated the offense well for the Bengals with 6 points and 12 assists.

Mathew Van Weerdhuizen had a fantastic game for UNC Greensboro, despite the loss. The junior guard scored 26 points on 8-for-11 shooting, including 6-for-8 from three-point range. Edwin Starks added 11 points and 10 rebounds and Hatila Verdejo also scored 11.

UNC Greensboro will face Prairie View tomorrow in the seventh place game. Idaho State will face Denver in the fifth place game tomorrow.

UNC Greensboro Spartans vs. Idaho State Bengals
Nov 22, 2013	1ST	2ND	SCORE
UNC Greensboro (2-2)	37	44	81
Idaho State (3-3)	32	57	89

UNC Greensboro Spartans
STARTERS	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
Martynas Montrimas	28	1-7	0-2	3-4	2	7	0	0	1	5
Mathew Van Weerdhuizen	31	8-11	6-8	4-4	1	0	1	0	1	26
Earnest Abdur-Rahim	20	4-11	0-2	0-2	2	0	2	0	0	8
Quincy Dunnington	27	4-7	0-0	0-0	7	2	0	1	0	8
Edwin Starks	31	5-11	0-0	1-2	10	0	2	0	0	11
BENCH	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
Damian Konare	20	2-4	1-2	1-2	0	4	0	0	1	6
Edwin Givens	22	3-7	0-0	0-0	2	0	0	0	0	6
Hatila Verdejo	20	4-8	1-2	2-2	2	1	1	0	2	11
Najeeb Barron	-- DID NOT PLAY --
Geoffrey Polk	-- DID NOT PLAY --
Charles Zavackas	-- DID NOT PLAY --
Linas Pranciiauskas	-- DID NOT PLAY --
TEAM TOTALS		31-66	8-16	11-16	26	14	6	1	5	81

Idaho State Bengals
STARTERS	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
Everett Hester	36	2-3	1-1	1-2	3	12	4	0	1	6
Roy Staten	34	7-15	4-8	0-0	1	3	0	0	1	18
Mattt Haywood	35	4-8	0-1	2-2	0	3	0	0	2	10
Wilson O'Brien	32	6-8	0-0	2-3	12	3	0	0	0	14
Erwin Grundy	32	15-19	0-0	3-4	8	5	0	2	1	33
BENCH	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PTS
Jaret Gadson	12	4-4	0-0	0-0	2	1	0	1	0	8
Kelly Bannister	5	0-1	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Erwin Summers	7	0-1	0-1	0-0	0	0	0	0	1	0
Jibran Wilkerson	9	0-0	0-0	0-0	1	1	0	0	0	0
Cedric Quadri	-- DID NOT PLAY --
Demetrius Jordan	-- DID NOT PLAY --
Rubin Lamb	-- DID NOT PLAY --
TEAM TOTALS		38-59	5-11	8-11	27	28	4	3	6	89

[superjames1992]

2013 GREAT ALASKA SHOOTOUT
Sullivan Arena - Anchorage, AK

Quarterfinal Round Scores:

Boston College 83, Idaho State 52
#7 Wisconsin 90, UNC Greensboro 64
San Francisco 84, Denver 65
Oklahoma State 100, Prairie View 65

Semifinals Scores (Winners' Bracket):

Boston College 84, #7 Wisconsin 76
Oklahoma State 92, San Francisco 55

Semifinals Matchups (Losers' Bracket):

Idaho State 89, UNC Greensboro 81
Denver 67, Prairie View 61

Championship Matchup:

Boston College vs. Oklahoma State

Third Place Game Matchup:

#7 Wisconsin vs. San Francisco

Fifth Place Game Matchup:

Idaho State vs. Denver

Seventh Place Game Matchup:

UNC Greensboro vs. Prairie View