Scholar Athlete of the Week: Gavin Williams

GREECE, N.Y. — Greece Odyssey’s senior leader, Gavin Williams, has achieved a significant career milestone and is determined to lead the Leopards to a sectional run. Sports Reporter Ian Mills covers the story of this week’s Scholar Athlete.

The Greece Odyssey Leopards have won seven of their last nine games, setting the stage for a promising sectional run. “Sectional title. That’s what I want to see. I want to see a banner up here,” Williams said.

Williams’ journey hasn’t been easy. “He’s seen everything we couldn’t get any worse than what we were, you know, four years ago, we didn’t win a game,” said Odyssey head coach Gamal Gilchrist. As a freshman point guard, Williams faced challenges. “I’m the youngest guy on the team, 13 years old. They didn’t want to listen to me, but I was the point guard. So you got to show them every day in practice that you’re trying to get better and be the best player on the team,” Williams recalled.

Last week, Williams led the Leopards to a second-half comeback against HFL, scoring his 1,000th career point with a crucial free throw. “It’s a free throw, I shoot it all the time. You close everybody out, you just make a shot,” he said. The moment was unforgettable for Williams. “I just sat in my room with a ball in my hand and just kept spinning it in my hand. It was an unreal moment in my life. I can’t wait to talk to my kids about it,” he shared.

Williams plans to attend college after graduation, leaving a lasting mark in the Odyssey record books. “The sky’s the limit for him,” Gilchrist said, attributing Williams’ success to his perseverance. “You’ve got to work hard, you can’t expect results without you working hard,” Williams emphasized.

The Greece Odyssey Leopards will begin their sectional campaign next Tuesday.

A.I. assisted with the formatting of this story. Click here to see how WHEC News10NBC uses A.I.