When Syncere Williams transferred to Waubonsie Valley last summer, she left strong family ties at West Aurora. Williams’ father, Trevis, played on the boys basketball team that finished second in the state in 1997, three years before the Blackhawks won their only state title. Those teams were coac hed by Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Famer Gordie Kerkman, under whom Williams’ grandfather Curtis Shaw was an assistant for 30 years. But these days, the Warriors have strong ties to winning. “I knew what they had accomplished before, and I liked the way that they played,” Williams said. “I knew that I could fit in, and I knew I could help them. I wanted to help them win state.” Williams and the Warriors took another step toward that goal on Thursday night. The junior guard helped hold Benet star senior center Emma Briggs scoreless during the fourth quarter as Waubonsie Valley won 45-37 in the Class 4A East Aurora Sectional championship game. The two teams have met in the playoffs in six straight seasons. The second-seeded Warriors (32-3), who tied the school record for wins and will play Nazareth (32-3) in the Lyons Supersectional at 7 p.m. Monday, eliminated Benet (27-5) in the sectional final for the third straight time. Waubonsie Valley’s Syncere Williams, right, guards Benet’s Ava Mersinger during the Class 4A East Aurora Sectional championship game on Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026. (Jeremy Toney / Naperville Sun) “It feels amazing,” said Williams, whose sophomore season ended in a loss to Waubonsie Valley in a regional final. Williams’ comeback from a torn ACL that she suffered last spring was amazing. She wasn’t cleared to play until January and did not start her first game until the opening round of the playoffs. “I’ve always had a strong mindset,” she said. “I never got down on myself. I always knew that I would come back because this is something that I wanted and I would work hard to get back to where I was.” Williams’ return was a boon to the Warriors, who lacked depth after losing senior guard Maya Cobb to a torn ACL in the fourth game of the season. “Syncere is one of the most elite defenders, so this is huge for her to come in and step up,” Waubonsie Valley coach Brett Love said. “We knew what kind of player she was, but we just wanted to bring her along slowly because she had some issues with the knee, so we didn’t want to push her too hard. “We moved her along just enough so she was ready for these times.” Williams, who had 10 points and two steals, was ready for prime time. Briggs, who led all players with 20 points and 10 rebounds, scored at the end of the third quarter to give the Redwings a 33-30 lead, but the Furman recruit took only two shots after that. Benet went scoreless for 6:47 as the Warriors went on a 12-0 run. Senior guard Arie Garcia-Evans tied it with a 3-pointer, and then Williams made a steal that led to senior guard Danyella Mporokoso’s basket, which put the Warriors ahead to stay with 6:43 left. The Illinois State-bound Mporokoso, who has a program-record 2,970 points after scoring 19 against Benet, also guarded Briggs. Mporokoso said Williams adds a new dimension. “One really good thing about Syncere is something will happen and then we’ll turn around and talk about it,” Mporokoso said. “She’s able to correct fast because she has a high IQ, and she can get us baskets when we need it, and that’s so helpful.” The 5-foot-5 Williams scored the Warriors’ final three baskets after helping stop the 6-foot Briggs in her tracks. “We just go out and guard,” Williams said. “People being bigger than me is nothing different. I’ve been small playing basketball my whole life, so it’s something I’m used to. I knew to keep her out of the paint. I know she can shoot, but I know I had a better chance of keeping her outside rather than inside.” Briggs had made six straight shots until the fourth quarter. She praised the Warriors. “They’re great players,” Briggs said. “They’re smart, they know what they’re doing, so if they’re seeing somebody work, they’re going to load up. “They really got into me, and they were aggressive. They worked hard.” So did the Redwings, who were doomed by poor shooting. They made just 4 of 30 3-point attempts. “There wasn’t a lot of space for Emma and Bridget (Rifenburg),” Benet coach Joe Kilbride said. “We had good shooters taking good shots. They didn’t go in tonight. “I’m disappointed for (the players). I’m not disappointed in them. They gave a great effort.” But the Warriors were even better. “They’re a really good team,” Briggs said. “They’re great people too. I wish them the best. I hope they win state.” Count on Williams to try. Matt Le Cren is a freelance reporter. ...read more read less