By Gordon Verrell
Staff Writer
Highly recruited Rudy Williams from Dixie Junior College in St. George, Utah, signed a letter of intent to play basketball at Long Beach State, his coach at Dixie, Jeff Kidder, said Wednesday.
"He's one of the top five JC big men in the country," Kidder said of the 6-foot-9, 225-pound Williams who was a two-year starter at Dixie.
"He's a special player and a special kid," Kidder said. "I feel he made an excellent choice. He will impact the program at Long Beach State, and impact the Big West."
Last season Williams averaged 12.8 points, 7.6 rebounds, 1.3 blocks and 1.5 steals on Dixie's 28-8 team that lost in the quarterfinals of the national junior college tournament at Hutchinson, Kan., to eventual national champion Indian Hills, Iowa. Williams scored 17 points in the quarterfinal game and was selected to the all-tournament team.
Williams, from St. Louis, averaged 14 points and six rebounds his freshman season at Dixie.