Miles Schmidt-Scheuber and Richie Williams in Frankfurt in 2014
Kirchheim may only have a population of 39,000, but you can be sure that in the wee hours of April 4, 2023 one person was awake with Richard Williams Jr. (178-PG-1987, college: SDSU) of the Kirchheim Knights. Staying up late isn’t a suitable thing to do for an athlete and even less when your 35 years old. Ok so sometimes when you have a baby, doing the nightly chores with the wifey is commendable, but often there is role play when the basketball player needs his basketball beauty sleep. But there are rare occasions when a baller will stay up way past his bed time. I mean if his home team is in the NBA final and going for that chip then it can be tolerated as well as when the alma mater was in the final of the 2023 NCAA tournament. That was exactly the case as Richie as his friends call him was up and witnessing if his ex school San Diego State University could win that first NCAA championship. I bet even if he would have been up 72 hours straight before the final, he would of still managed to stay up and watch the game. There was simply too much excitement brewing up within him and nothing was going to deny him seeing this monumental event in the history of San Diego State University. ‘Of course I stayed up. It’s my hometown and my alma mater, so it was bigger than just a game for me. As a competitor, I was upset they lost, but I was happy for them being able to make it that far.’, stressed Richard Williams Jr..
The flashy guard is one of those guys that just continues to keep chugging along as a professional at age 35. The diminutive 178cm guard has enjoyed a 14 year professional career and last season played for Kirchheim for his third season. He has spent most of his time in Germany having suited up for clubs like Hannover, Rasta Vechta, Frankfurt, Hagen and Karlsruhe, but he also has played in other countries like Mexico, Iceland, Czech Republic and Finland and has amassed more than 400 professional games. He played at San Diego State University from 2005-2009 amassing a total of 127 NCAA games. He helped his school have success winning the MWC title in 2006 reaching the Big Dance and reached the NIT final 4 in 2009. The school never lost having success as it reached the NCAA tournament 9 more times after he left. It is only obvious that he never stopped supporting the school. ‘I’ve been watching San Diego State play since I was kid. I knew by the time I was in high school where I wanted to go. With time difference, I can’t watch as much as I would like but social media keeps me up to date’, stated Richard Williams Jr..
San Diego State University had a magical season winning the MWC title over Utah State and then started their Cinderella run at the BIG Dance. ‘I knew they had high expectations because of the returning players and transfers they had. When you have seniors leading your team, you give yourself a chance at doing something special’, said Richard Williams Jr.. They began the NCAA tournament with a grind out win over Charleston and the beat Furman convincingly by 23 points. Then they had another tough battle against Alabama but pulled out a 71-64 win. Then came 2 incredible games back to back where one could say the basketball God was looking down on them. First they survived a tough 57-56 victory over Creighton and then won a 72-71 buzzer beater thriller over Florida Atlantic University. Junior Lamont Butler became a living legend with the winning shot that Williams surprisingly didn’t watch Live on TV. ‘I saw the highlights in the morning. I was up jumping around as if it were happening in real time. I was juiced. His buzzer beater pretty much gave him a special stamp forever. The way he performed in the tournament was a boost of confidence for him. I’m expecting him to take more of leading role next season’, expressed Richard Williams Jr.. Unfortunately San Diego State University ran out of gas losing the final 76-59 to UConn. ‘I thought San Diego State defended well. But the name of the game is putting the ball in the basket more than the other team. Just not enough offense to get it done’, commented Richard Williams Jr.. The team is one that will always be remembered as having 12 equal players as there was no star as only one player averaged in double figures in scoring. Team came first before anything else. ‘ They truly play a team game. You can’t key on one player. No ‘star’ made them dangerous. You don’t really know who to key on’, said Richard Williams Jr..
Even though San Diego State have been consistent visitors at the BIG Dance in the last 15 years, reaching a final for the first time gives the school some more status. Reaching a final can slowly help them lose the underrated label. ‘The attention you get being on the biggest stage in college hoops can do wonders. San Diego State has been a respected school but still underrated. I hope Coach Ducther was making some recruiting calls on his way to Houston’, added Richard Williams Jr.. But is the future rosy for them? They will be losing key players Bradley, Trammel. Ledee, Johnson and Mensah to graduation. ‘They’re loosing some keys players but there is still talent there. They always find a way to come back stronger. The program is in good hands’, warned Richard Williams Jr.. As more success comes to the school, more kids will want to play for head coach Brian Dutcher. Williams knows all to well that Steve Fischer laid down the foundation for success. ‘ They’ve been working together longer than I can remember. I expected nothing less. There was no better person to be the successor once Coach Fisher stepped down, than Coach Dutcher. And it’s showing’, stressed Richard Williams Jr.. You have to wonder how a Richard Williams Jr. would have faired in Dutcher’s system in 2023? ‘ I don’t see it being much different. The philosophy for San Diego State hasn’t changed since I’ve been there. I would have been the same pesky defender and game manager’, warned Richard Williams Jr.. Thanks to coach Steve Fischer for grooming and Preparing Richard Williams Jr. for a long professional career. He has made San Diego State University proud.
German Hoops 