Athlete of the Week: Priscilla Williams, Branson

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From Houston, Texas to Branson, Missouri — the Ozarks had no idea what gem they were about to uncover, when a 6-foot sophomore named Priscilla Williams came to town.

“I didn’t know a lot about her when she came in here,” said Lady Pirates head coach Kip Bough. “We’ve seen really really good basketball in this area, but we’ve never seen an athlete like that.”

After three years, there’s no mystery around the senior, signed to Syracuse. Priscilla averages 27 points and 11 rebounds per game, and often outscores the other team by herself.

“Me and my dad train every day at five in the morning,” said Williams. “That’s hours shooting in the gym, that doesn’t just come to me.”

Priscilla has been chasing excellence, and she’s reached it as the first southwest Missouri player, and 5th Missouri girl to be named a McDonald’s All-American

“The competitive level is so high, it’s almost like a boy, and she plays kind of like a boy with that physical level,” said Bough.

As the 11th-ranked player in the nation, Priscilla is single-handily packing the gym.

“You see people in the stands, and when you get a lot of people in the stands, watching girls basketball,” Bough said.

And her impact on the sport goes way beyond the game itself.

“I remember my niece the first time she saw her — comes out with her hair in a bun, wanting to wear it like Priscilla’s,” said Bough.

“I do notice that. My parents remind me every single day that little eyes are on [me],” Williams said.

“I tell people, listen, just appreciate what you’re seeing,” Bough said.