In the final few minutes of Michigan’s win in the Coaches vs. Racism Roundball Classic, Hunter Dickinson and Terrance Williams II shared the floor.
The final score wasn’t in doubt, but the moment for the ‘DMV Boys’ to once again be playing basketball in their hometown of Washington, DC was a special one.
“Being in the area just feels good,” Williams said. “Having a lot of family members come. It’s just a cool experience seeing everybody back, united, coming to the game and supporting us, me and Hunter and the team.”
Dickinson and Williams both grew up in the DC area and have a friendship that dates back to their childhoods. They were teammates throughout AAU ball before attending rival high schools, with Dickinson going to Dematha Catholic while Williams went to Gonzaga College where they each went on to win two state championships. Both schools are less than 20 minutes down the road from Entertainment and Sports Arena where Michigan played Saturday night.
Dickinson put up a double-double in his homecoming, finishing the night with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Dickinson’s size was a major mismatch for the Wolverines — allowing him to scoop up three offensive boards and work through a triple team for a layup in the first half.
For Williams, it was a quiet encore to his breakout performance against Buffalo last week, scoring just eight points on 2-6 shooting. He did continue to show off his improved three-point shot, draining a bucket from beyond the arc in the closing moments.
Dickinson felt more excitement than nerves going into the game, and was glad to put on a show in his first collegiate game with fans in his hometown.
“Just being back in the DMV is really fun,” Dickinson said. “Obviously this is where we grew up and made a lot of memories. And so for me, it’s always good to come back here and see my family and stuff like that. Have them be able to watch me play. So I’m excited for this tournament and happy we were able to be able to be a part of it.
he on-court performance was less important to Williams than the chance to promote HBCUs — which have played a big role in his life. Both of Williams’ parents went to HBCUs; his dad attending both Howard University and Bowie State and his mom getting her degree from Hampton University.
“I feel it’s a good cause, it’ll bring some attention to the HBCUs,” Williams said of the event earlier in the week. “That’s important and it means a lot to me. I hope it’s a good game and I hope we do this every year — at least one HBCU game, whether it’s here (in Ann Arbor) or at the HBCU or a neutral court. No matter what, it’s a good idea and a good cause.”
Dickinson and Williams represent the growing pipeline Michigan coach Juwan Howard is building from the DMV to Ann Arbor. In their 2022 recruiting class, the Wolverines have already secured the services of Dug McDaniel — a four star point guard from Fairvax, Virginia.
Howard, who spent seven years in DC playing for the Washington Bullets, sees DC as a well he can continue to tap into.
“There’s a lot of talent,” Howard said. “Not only that, they’re really good students too with good families. So I just love how throughout high school level, there’s all the different talent spread out through different schools and the level of coaching that goes with it.”
Playing in their hometown, with friends and family in the stands, the DMV boys had a chance to show how far they’ve come on Saturday night. It was also a chance to show what the future can hold for other players in the area.
“We really enjoy Michigan,” Dickinson said. “I want other kids from the DMV to be able to have that same experience that I have.”