The line of successful big men in the history of Ashland University men's basketball is a long one.
What junior center
Victor Searls and redshirt freshman forward
Maceo Williams have done together so far in 2022-23, however, has been a rarity to enjoy for both the 22-9 Eagles and their fans.
Ashland will begin 2023 NCAA Division II Midwest Regional Tournament play in Indianapolis, Ind., on Saturday (March 11) at noon against Ferris State (23-8). Searls gets the opportunity to be a starter on a postseason team for the first time, and Williams gets the chance to play significant minutes for a playoff team for the first time.
"It was fun my freshman year, because we really weren't expected to be that good that year," Searls said. "It's the same way this year. Just seeing how those guys came together and had so much fun in those games, and now we get to do it."
Williams said, "It's special. It means a lot. It shows how much we've matured and how much experience we've gotten."
On Nov. 23 in a 75-69 loss at Big Rapids, Mich., Searls and Williams combined for 24 points, 15 rebounds and four assists. That was just the beginning of what was to come, as Searls and Williams have become one of the top inside duos in the country:
- Searls has started all 31 games so far this season, in his first extended collegiate playing time. He goes for 12.0 points and 5.3 rebounds in 20.0 minutes per contest, and is sixth in the nation with a field-goal percentage of 63.7. Searls also is third on the team in free-throw percentage at 78.9.
- Williams would be the second-best shooter in D-II at 69.1 percent from the field, if he had enough made field goals (he is five short). He is AU's top rebounder at 6.2 per game, and averages 11.8 points off the bench.
"Ever since we first got here, we've made each other so much better," said Searls. "Even outside of practice – post workouts and being roommates, we're always pushing each other to be the best we can be."
"Last year, we didn't play at all, but we'd work out with coach and we'd work out on our own," Williams noted. "Us being roommates really helped out, getting closer and creating that bond, because teams need that."
- That combined production of 23.8 points and 11.5 rebounds per game for the season is impressive enough. They both, however, seemingly have saved their best for the most important part of the season, too – Williams has made at least 50 percent from the field in each of his last nine games, hitting 77.6 percent (52-for-67) in that span, while Searls has made 19-of-26 (73.1 percent) from the field over his last four games.
"I thought it would take us some time to get into how the college game works. It really shows how much we've grown over the last year," said Williams.
Added Searls, "Even in high school, I was always a guy who was high in field-goal percentage. One of my best attributes on the court is my shot selection."
"They're all different," Ashland head coach
John Ellenwood said of his bigs at Ashland, including the program's last All-American,
Evan Yates. "
Kale Richardson, Evan Yates,
Will Evans,
Wendell Davis,
Mike Hundley,
Drew Noble,
Derek Koch and
Aaron Thompson, they're all different.
"These guys, one, are extremely coachable, not saying those guys weren't, but it's amazing how coachable these guys are, of taking stuff that you talk about, and they'll try it. Whether it works or not, they're always willing to try, and they absorb it."
Prior to 2022-23, Searls had played a total of 39 collegiate minutes in his first two seasons, and Williams redshirted in his first season of 2021-22.
"It blows me away in their efficiency," Ellenwood said. "Usually, we've had one guy, and having two guys that are capable of doing what they've done all year, it's fun to watch. And they're starting to get doubled a lot more, and I always tell them a double is a badge of honor for a post player."
Playing time hasn't been the only difference for Searls. He's lost roughly 50 pounds in getting his body ready for the role he has fit into.
"It really started last spring for him," noted Ellenwood, about the time when the team was waiting to hear about an NCAA Tournament call that didn't come. "Derek was not able to play for us anymore. We brought Vic in, and while we were waiting, we said, 'Vic, it's your time now, because Derek is not going to play if we make the NCAA Tournament. And we need you to be able to be our guy.'
"You could see a spark in his eye. Basically, from that time until now, you just see a transformation…a guy that never dunked the ball is now flying through the air, it's awesome to watch."
Said Searls, "One of the main things I did was clean up my diet and really dedicated myself over the summer to working out every day, running, things like that."
Williams' progression has brought him to the point where he was Ashland's go-to player down the stretch of the 82-78 Great Midwest Athletic Conference tournament clinching win over Malone. In the final four-plus minutes of the game, Williams posted eight points and three rebounds.
"We've gone to Vic, we've gone to Maceo, we've obviously gone to (senior guard)
Brandon (Haraway)," Ellenwood said. "We just try to find the mismatches and attack it. Last game, we saw that Maceo had an advantage, and we needed to get Maceo the ball, because Maceo wanted the ball.
"Maceo wants that role, he wants to be in that position."
Williams added, "The team expects a lot from me, and they know I can score down there. They just trust me with the ball, and it's really special and it means a lot."
Searls and Williams are enjoying the ride that has been the 2022-23 season – a ride that isn't over just yet.
"We grew up so much just before the start of conference play," Searls said. "The really hard schedule we played was good for us. Now, we have a chance to play all those teams again, and show how much better we've gotten."
Said Williams, "It's really fun. It took a lot of hard work."
