Sikeston star has his game, future picking up steam

The success of the Sikeston High School boy’s basketball squad this past winter caught some hoop fans off-guard, but perhaps it shouldn’t have had, in large part due to the Bulldogs’, well, off-guard.

Senior-to-be Dontrez Williams seemingly became more impactful with each passing day this past season, and his positive mojo has continued into the summer circuit.

“He’s such a great kid,” veteran Sikeston coach Gregg Holifield said recently of Williams. “He’s a hard worker, and his talent level is next level, there is no doubt about that.”

Williams has traveled the country this summer when he isn’t immersed in Bulldogs’ summer workouts and his summer job, which is working at the Burger King in Sikeston (Holifield left out how humble the young man is).

After a recent trip to a tournament in Houston, the 6-foot-4 Williams picked up scholarship offers from Texas-Arlington, Nicholls State, Abilene Christian, and Tulane University.

“First of all,” Holifield said of why colleges are pursuing his star player, “his body. He is 6-4 and rangy. He has athleticism and his game has just improved year-to-year.

“He has worked so hard. He is very dedicated.”

Williams carries a 3.5 grade point average and is having a productive summer for the Michael Porter Jr. Elite squad on the summer circuit.

He was in Atlanta this past weekend and gained more exposure to college coaches throughout the country.

“We’ve talked about him working to become a more complete player,” Holifield said of Williams’ summer goals. “Moving the basketball, coming off ball screens, and hitting the open man.”

Williams was instrumental in helping Sikeston win 22 games this year, which was the most since 2019.

The Bulldogs knocked state-power Cape Central in the MSHSAA Class 5 District 1 championship game, before falling to eventual state champion Cardinal Ritter in the Quarterfinals.

Williams was named to the SEMO Conference First Tema, as well as the All-District squad, but also earned First Team Class 5 All-State honors.

He averaged 20 points per game, as well as 8.2 rebounds and nearly three blocks per game.

Williams dished out 2.77 assists per game and defended well enough to nab three steals per game.

His perimeter shooting improved greatly, as he buried a team-best 66 3-pointers, which dwarfed his sophomore total of 48.

Holifield said he will help Williams in any way that he can during the upcoming months, which should prove to be a tad chaotic for the young man, as more and more colleges come calling.

“Number one,” Holifield said of his advice to his players, several of whom are currently being recruited by colleges, “you have to learn to work hard. You have to learn responsibility. You have to play as a team and be a team player.”

In his three-plus decades as a high school coach, Holifield has had an inordinate number of players ascend to the next level. Perhaps more than any current high school coach in Missouri.

“I will help them in any way that I can,” Holifield said. “They have to decide what is the right fit. We usually take some time with our players and ask them ‘Are the programs that are recruiting you the right fit?’”

The summer circuit for high school athletes will continue over the next two weekends.