By Robert Wilson
Jackson Academy sophomore point guard Mason Williams has been in the shadow of his older brother, JA junior guard Mike Williams, for the majority of the season.
But Mason was the brightest star in the biggest game of JA’s season last week.
The 6-foot Williams scored a career-high 27 points to lead JA to a 69-47 victory over previously undefeated and defending MAIS Class 6A state champion Madison-Ridgeland Academy in a highly anticipated conference game before a standing room only crowd of 2,200 at JA’s Raiderdome and Jan Sojourner Court in Northeast Jackson.
For his outstanding performance, Williams has been selected the PriorityOne Bank/Mississippi Scoreboard Metro Jackson Boys Basketball Player of the Week.
Mason scored JA’s first seven points and had 17 at halftime. At half, he had made 7 of 10 shots from the field, 3 of 5 from 3-point range, with 3 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals. With his older brother Mike being face guarded by MRA’s Jas Smith, Mason took over the scoring role and led JA to the win over MRA, which had won 24 straight games.
Mason came in only averaging 8.2 points per game but scored that many in the first quarter. He made 11 of 15 shots from the field, 5 of 7 from 3-point range, with 7 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals. He had had only two games where he scored more than 10 points this season, 15 against Hartfield Academy and 12 against Bowling Green, La.
Mason scored the first five points in the second half to ignite JA on an 20-2 run as JA rallied from a 32-27 halftime lead to take a 47-34 lead with 2 minutes to play in the third quarter.
“The MRA game was definitely Mason’s best game of his young career,” second-year coach Jesse Taylor said. “He was balanced every time he shot the ball and took advantage of what the defense gave him. He played at an extremely high level.
“After our game against Jackson Prep (the game before MRA), I saw a level of focus in Mason that I have not see all year. The focus was not in his dedication toward his basketball skill, but in his approach to the game. He has always been in the gym extra. His focus shifted to watching film, leading, and understanding what it takes to win in this league. Mason’s game is maturing at a fast rate.”
Williams also had 8 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals in 20 minutes in a 64-36 conference win over Madison St. Joseph Friday at JA and had 11 points, 7 assists, 5 rebounds and 2 steals in 19 minutes in an 80-48 victory over MHSAA Class 7A Madison Central Saturday in the Rumble in the South at Mississippi College in Clinton.
Mike Williams – who is ranked as the No. 1 player in Mississippi in the Class of 2025 by 247 Composite and rated the No. 22 shooting guard in the country in the Class of 2025 by ESPN – leads JA with a 19.7 scoring average this season.
JA has lost only one game this season, a 70-59 decision to MHSAA Class 6A state title contender Pascagoula in the BASSA Invitational Dec. 23. Mason Williams didn’t play in that game and missed five games with a bruised knee.
Mason and his brother Mike transferred to JA last fall from Dallas to live with their father Mo Williams, who was an NBA champion and NBA All-Star and played 13 seasons in the NBA. Mo Williams, who was a high school All-American at Murrah High and an All-SEC guard at Alabama, is in his second season as Jackson State men’s basketball coach.
“Both Mike and Mason are high character kids and have fit right in with our team and the school,” Taylor said. “Mike and Mason are great teammates. They have some of the same mannerisms as their dad with their patience and pace. Mason is a floor general. A true point guard whose court vision is very impressive. Both Mike and Mason are very unselfish.”
Mason Williams is the son of Mo and Kesha Williams. Kesha is a graduate of Richland High and lives in the Dallas area. Mason has six brothers. Kydarrius played basketball at Madison St. Joseph and was a basketball manager at Alabama and now is an assistant coach at Jackson State. Maurice Jr. is a senior at JA. Mike is a junior and is Mason’s teammate on the basketball team. Max is in the fifth grade at JA. Asa is three years old, and Ezra is two years old.
Mississippi Scoreboard selects a boys basketball player from Hinds, Madison, or Rankin counties each week. Coaches can nominate a player by text or call to Robert Wilson at 601.506.2276.
Previous Players of the Week
Week One: Mike Williams, Jackson Academy
Week Two: Dylan Rowe, Madison Central
Week Three: Eric Paymon, Raymond
Week Four: Ashton Magee, MRA
Week Five: Morris Hammond, Ridgeland
Week Six: Michael Wallace, McLaurin
