When the five seed Oregon Ducks men’s basketball team went up 73-41 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament against the Liberty Flames on Friday, March 21, a Scotch Plains native stepped onto the court.

Jayson Williams-Johnson, number 14 for the Ducks, attended SPFHS for three years (2017-2019) before transferring to the Peddie School in Mercer County for his senior year. A 6-foot guard, Williams-Johnson played four minutes in the first round contest, putting up two points and one assist.

Williams-Johnson’s points represented much more than just adding to the lead, and were his first as a Duck. A senior, Williams-Johnson spent his first three years of eligibility playing at the Division III level with Muhlenberg College (PA) before transferring to the University of Oregon last September.

Williams-Johnson has been making waves on the court ever since his time at SPF, where during his junior season he averaged 14.3 points and earned All-State honors. This past season, the Ducks went 25-11 and advanced to the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tournament.

Despite Williams-Johnson and the Ducks falling to the four seed Arizona Wildcats on Sunday, March 23, the guard’s representation of the Raider community will never be forgotten. An inspiration to all athletes from SPF, Williams-Johnson will continue to make his hometown crowd proud no matter where his career takes him.