RECRUITING: Cheyenne’s Williams picks Wichita State; Las Vegas’ Eackles jumps on Alcorn State offer

Two local boys basketball standouts signed national letters of intent with Division I programs Tuesday, with Cheyenne guard Demetric Williams choosing Wichita State and Las Vegas guard Tony Eackles heading to Alcorn State.

Williams picked Wichita State over offers from Washington State, Virginia Commonwealth, Southern Methodist, Montana State and Cal State Fullerton.

He had visits scheduled to Washington State, VCU and Montana State, but ended his recruitment after returning from his first visit to Wichita State last weekend.

“I’ve been building up to this for about a month, since the end of the season,” Williams said. “Getting used to their program, looking up and researching it.”

Williams said he was drawn to the Shockers by coach Gregg Marshall and his staff.

“I’m very excited. I just felt like it was the right coach for me,” he said. “The teammates (on the visit), they treated me like family. It seemed like we had chemistry right away.”

The 6-foot-2-inch Williams averaged 16.4 points and 3.9 assists as a senior, helping Cheyenne finish 22-5 and reach the semifinals of the Class 4A Sunset Region playoffs.

Williams said the Shockers envision him as a point guard.

He will be playing roughly 160 miles away from Cheyenne backcourt mate Elijah Johnson, who signed with Kansas in November.

“We’re looking forward to seeing each other play and all that,” Williams said.

Cheyenne coach Teral Fair said watching players like Williams and Johnson receive scholarships is “the best part of coaching.”

Fair said Williams’ biggest strength at the Division I level could be his ability to defend either guard spot.

“I think he’ll make a pretty good transition with that,” Fair said. “He has an opportunity to play right away if he has the same work ethic he had when he was here.”

Though Eackles received interest from Pacific, UC Riverside, Wichita State and Indiana State, Alcorn State was the first school to offer a scholarship.

“I feel blessed for the opportunity to get a scholarship,” he said. “It’s a beautiful day. It’s a blessing to know I was able to make it.”

Eackles committed to the Braves shortly after receiving the offer Friday. He plans to make his official visit to Alcorn State’s campus in Lorman, Miss., in late May.

“I really started getting recruited late,” Eackles said. “I didn’t get seen much until summer of my junior year.

“When you’re a senior and the time is ticking, it kind of brings you down a little bit. When you finally get the offer and you want to go there, it’s a beautiful thing.”

The 6-2 Eackles averaged 18.4 points as a senior, leading the Wildcats to a 16-11 record and the quarterfinals of the Sunrise Region playoffs.

Eackles said the Braves see him as a combo guard, but playing on the wing more often than running point.

He said one of the main draws to Alcorn State was that its head coach, Larry Smith, has vast NBA experience.

Smith earned the nickname “Mr. Mean” during a 13-year NBA career in which he was named a first-team all-rookie in 1980-81. He averaged 6.7 points and 9.2 rebounds during stints with the Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets and San Antonio Spurs.

Smith, an Alcorn State alum, also was an assistant coach on the Houston Rockets’ NBA championship teams in 1993-94 and 1994-95.

“He had some experience on the pro level,” Eackles said of Smith. “That’s one of my goals, to get to that level.”

Las Vegas coach Jason Wilson called Eackles “kind of a sleeper in the city.”

“It was more stressful for him than me,” Wilson said of the recruiting process. “But he’s relieved and happy to get it done.”