Williams Makes Whitworth Fans Sit Up Long-Distance Shooter Returns From Top Team

Dianna Williams watched last March’s NAIA Division II championship game on TV from a make-shift media room. This, after agreeing to take her first airplane ride.

But nothing was going to stop the mother of Whitworth College’s Nate Williams from making the quickly arranged trip from Portland to Nampa, Idaho, not even an aircraft better suited to crop dusting.

Williams’ father David was a bit more fortunate. He landed himself a cramped spot near the baseline in Northwest Nazarene’s over-sold Montgomery Fieldhouse, kneeling on one knee more than 2 hours.

Less than ideal views from the proud parents from Portland? Perhaps. But close enough to see their son’s last-second shot fall short in regulation play against Albertson (Idaho) College. A basket would have given the Pirates their first national title. Instead, they were pushed to overtime before losing 81-72.

“It was a running 12-footer,” said Williams, one of two starters back from last year’s national runners-up. “I got bumped a little bit, but of course they’re not going to call it. … It’s not likely and I understand that.

“I think about it all the time. After the tournament, the first month or two months, I thought about it a lot. I couldn’t do anything about, but it got to me.”

Now, Williams’ thoughts have turned to the team’s future, which does not include first-team All-American Nate Dunham and second-team All-American Roman Wickers. Both graduated.

Dunham, a four-year starter, led Whitworth in scoring (16.8) and rebounding (7.8) last year. He just finished touring with a team whose opponents were Division I schools. The Northwest Conference of Independent Colleges player of the year will spend the winter as an assistant coach for the Whitworth women’s team. Then, he’ll be off to play in Australia.

Wickers, a two-year starter who averaged 14.7 points per game and 3.6 rebounds, is working in accounting in Bellevue, Wash., He plans to attend law school.

The Pirates, who finished 26-5 last season and won the conference title, lost four of their top eight players.

However, they do still have Williams, the top 3-point shooter in NAIA Division II.

Last season, fresh from Clackamas (Ore.) Community College, the 6-foot-2, 175-pound guard scored on 63 of 112 3-point attempts.

“I think I shot 56-point something in 3-pointers,” said the soft-spoken senior. “You’d have to ask my coach.”

It was 56.3 to be exact..

“My contention,” said Whitworth coach Warren Friedrichs, “is that he doesn’t have to try and duplicate that. (He has to) just shoot his normal good shooting percentage (43.3 percent) and use good discretion because he has a different supporting cast. Some of the same things may not happen.”

Whitworth’s other returning starter is senior Gabe Jones, a 6-5 small forward who came on strong at the end of last season.

Ben Heimerman, who played at G-Prep and Shoreline Community College, should help on the front line at 6-6. Jeff Mix, a 6-5 forward from Spangle, also will be a key. The point guard spot is being shared by 5-8 freshman Sean Weston of Lacey, Wash., and 6-1 sophomore Tyler Jordan, a G-Prep graduate. T

Whitworth opened its season last weekend with a pair of wins at the Lewis-Clark State College Tournament in Lewiston. This weekend, they will play in the BYU-Hawaii tournament. The tourney will serve as a homecoming for reserve Louis Vargas, a senior from Honolulu.

Dianna and David Williams were looking forward to attending the opener. And, said Mrs. Williams, if the Pirates make it back to the national title game, “It would be nice if two rows of seats were reserved for the parents.”

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color Photo

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: Whitworth men’s basketball roster Name Pos. H W Yr. Hometown Sean Weston G 5-8 167 Jr. Lacey, Wash. Jeff Mix F 6-5 210 Jr. Spangle, Wash. Nate Williams G 6-2 168 Sr. Portland Doug Schulz F 6-5 201 So. Richland, Wash. Gabe Jones G/F 6-5 195 Sr. Olympia Julian Nakanishi G 6-0 157 Soph. Pearl City, Hawaii Louis Vargas G 6-1 189 Sr. Honolulu Ben Heimerman F 6-6 206 Jr. Spokane James Sullivan F 6-5 195 Fr. Viselia, Calif. Kevin McDaniel F 6-7 217 Fr. Sultan, Wash. Tyler Jordan G 6-1 172 Soph. Spokane Greg Jones F 6-6 186 So. Spokane

Schedule (All times Pacific) Date Opponent Time Nov. 22-23 at Lewis-Clark College Tournament 6 or 8 Nov. 29-30 at BYU-Hawaii Tournament TBA Dec. 4 vs. Central Washington 7 Dec. 7 vs. Whitman 8 Dec. 13 Carroll, Concordia, NW College, W. Montana at Whitworth College Tournament TBA Dec. 14 Whitworth College Tournament 2 or 8 Dec. 31 vs. Western Montana College 7 Jan. 3 at George Fox 8 Jan. 10 vs. Linfield 8 Jan. 11 vs. Willamette 8 Jan. 17 at Pacific Lutheran 8 Jan. 8 at Puget Sound 8 Jan. 24 vs. Lewis & Clark 8 Jan. 25 vs. Pacific 8 Jan. 31 at Willamette 8 Feb. 1 at Linfield 8 Feb. 4 at Whitman 8 Feb. 8 vs. George Fox 8 Feb. 14 at Pacific 8 Feb. 15 at Lewis & Clark 8 Feb. 21 vs. Puget Sound 8 Feb. 22 vs. Pacific Lutheran 8 Feb. 25-29 NCIC playoffs TBA March 12-18 NAIA Div. II Tournament, Nampa Idaho TBA