Rising sophomore Avani Williams of Fenwick High School finds herself among the state’s top girl basketball prospects in the Class of 2028 – fifth, in fact, according to Prep Girls Hoops. She is humbled by the distinction.
“I think it’s crazy that I’ve come this far,” Williams told Wednesday Journal in a phone interview. “I feel like I’ve gotten so much better since last season. It all comes down to confidence.”
As a freshman on Fenwick’s varsity last year, Williams averaged 11.3 points and 4.6 rebounds per game and was named the Friars’ Most Valuable Player. She also made the Girls Catholic Athletic Conference Red All-Conference Team.
“I really liked the coaches,” she said of her decision to go to Fenwick. “I also knew a lot of my friends who were going there, and I knew a lot of the girls on the basketball team already.”
Williams admits she had some challenges playing on the varsity level. But she also feels the experience will help improve her game.
“It was a good experience,” she said. “I did have some inconsistency because I’d never played at that level before. It could’ve gone a little bit better, but I had spurts that were really good.”
Fenwick head coach Lenae Fergerson anticipated Williams having ups and downs last season, but thought she acquitted herself well overall.
“She’s one of those kids who’s starting to understand her talent level and how good she can be as long as she puts in the work,” Fergerson said. “She’s always in the gym before and after practice working on her craft. Avani is a great kid who doesn’t complain, works hard, really wants to learn the game. She’s a great program kid, and her family is really supportive of what we’re trying to do; I’m very fortunate to have Avani in our program.”
Rising sophomore girls basketball player Avani Williams of Fenwick while on an unofficial visit to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. (Submitted by Travis Williams) 
Rising Fenwick High School sophomore girls basketball player Avani Williams averaged 11.3 points and 4.6 rebounds per game last year. She was named the Friars’ Most Valuable Player and was a Girls Catholic Athletic Conference Red all-conference selection. (Courtesy of Travis Williams) 
Fenwick rising sophomore girls basketball player Avani Williams playing defense last season. She averaged 11.3 points and 4.6 rebounds for the Friars and was named Most Valuable Player. (Submitted by Travis Williams) 
Rising sophomore girls basketball player Avani Williams of Fenwick while on an unofficial visit to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. (Submitted by Travis Williams) 
Rising sophomore girls basketball player Avani Williams of Fenwick is rated fifth in the Class of 2028 by Prep Girls Hoops. (Courtesy of Travis Williams) 
Fenwick rising sophomore girls basketball player Avani Williams playing defense last season. She averaged 11.3 points and 4.6 rebounds for the Friars and was named Most Valuable Player. (Submitted by Travis Williams)
And Williams likes playing for Fergerson.
“She knows the potential our team has,” Williams said, “and she’s a really good coach who knows how to push us.”
Williams also appreciates the support and encouragement she gets from her coaches with Chicago Hoops Express, one of the area’s top girls club programs, as well as from her family – mother Autumn, father Travis, and brother Aiden.
Travis played college football at the University of Illinois and is Fenwick’s defensive backs coach, while Aiden, a rising senior, is a two-time All-Stater (300 hurdles last year, 110 hurdles this year) in track and field as well as a safety for the Friars football team.
“It’s not a sibling rivalry with Aiden,” Williams said. “We push each other to see who’s going to do best each day.”
Like Aiden, Avani is a well-rounded athlete. She qualified for the IHSA Class 2A girls track and field championships in the high jump last month.
“I’ve been doing it since seventh grade,” she said. “I went to state in both seventh and eighth grades. It’s fun.”
Williams, who carries a 3.87 grade point average, is not sitting on her accolades. She’s striving to get better as she looks to play her part in helping improve Fenwick’s fortunes.
“I just want to find a routine for myself, going as hard as I can and playing with much effort. Trying to focus, and if I mess up, going on to the next play,” Williams said. “For my team, we didn’t win a [GCAC] game last season, so we want to do that this year and continue to get better.”