By Ed Shepherd
Sports Correspondent
Kennedy Catholic star and graduate Aminah Williams and Seattle Christian Schools standout and graduate Katie Collier played instrumental roles in helping the University of Washington women's basketball team devastate Ivy League school Yale, 81-51, on the Alaska Airlines Arena floor Sunday.

"They are two of our inside presences," said UW women's coach Mike Neighbors, who spoke of the 6-0 forward Williams and the 6-3 center/forward, Collier. "This year, Katie's made solid strides. Her sophomore year. She's coming back from a meniscus tear, last season, as a freshman. She's really progressing. Aminah Williams will have an opportunity to earn some money next year."

That latter thing said, about Williams, since she's a senior... Hmmm, if one does the math, that means she has the talent to play at the next level, in the WNBA, or 'Women's National Basketball Association.' So, high praise there for Williams from her coach.

And Collier, though young, what does Neighbors -- former coach of NCAA power Xavier to an Elite 8 appearance, prior to coming on board as head 'Dawg' at Washington last season -- have to say about the former SCS b-ball star?

"And Katie will have opportunity, too, if she continues to work hard," he said.
So, 2-for-2, so to speak, in basketball terms, of these twos' potential to go farther than even full-ride scholarships for four years of free education, with housing and food paid for, to boot.
That's the kind of talent the local area's produced in these two young ladies, who have other things going for them, too, with Collier studying communications and Williams public health.

"At the UW, I am receiving a great education, and being on a team with amazing coaches," said Williams.
Against Yale Collier, who helped the Warriors win the 1A state championship her freshman year, scored 11 points on 3-for-5 shooting, to go with a block, an assist, and 5-for-6 from the free-throw line. Williams, not being outdone, recorded a double-double against Yale, making five baskets, pulling down 11 boards and going 1-for-3 from the line. She scored 13 points total.

Williams is nearing the top in the rebound category in Huskies basketball lore. Amber Hall is the all-time leader with 1,004 boards and Williams is only a 100, or so grabs off the glass from her.
And that's all semantics, it sounds like, if one hears from the horse's mouth, as Neighbors explained Williams' chances of becoming top Dawg in rebounding by the end of this season and her Washington career are all but a done deal.

"Aminah Williams will leave here the top rebounder all-time in Husky women's college basketball," said Neighbors.

Not only can Williams rebound, she also can just flat-out play good 'D,' as she was on the Pac-12 All-Defensive Team in 2013, and received honorable mention on defense this past season.
Collier is all better now, knee intact, making an impact as coach Neighbors already stated.

"I feel 100 percent healthy, the knee brace is off, back to playing basketball," said Collier, whose sister, Melissa, was a senior, captain and big contributor at Seattle Christian, when they helped the school win the 2009 1A title. Big sister Melissa and a lot of other supporters were at the Yale game supporting Collier, and Williams, for that matter, including mini fans who got autographs from these two at tables. Collier and Williams signed everything from posters to shirts to Collier even signing a girl's foot cast.
"This year, she is playing great," said Melissa Collier, a twin sister of Megan, who also was on that '09 state championship SCS b-ball girls team. Brother, Adam, played well for the SCS boys soccer team under coach, Dave Peterson, playing in 1A title game in 1999 before Collier helped SCS basketball win that sport's title, as a sophomore, point guard, in 2000 under coach Roger DeBoer. "It's great to see her grow out on the court."

But Katie's been through a lot of growth, through pain, in life, from a lot more than just a torn meniscus, in her knee, suffered as a Husky freshman. Indeed, that pales in comparison to the fight off the court that she went through back in 2011, diagnosed with 'APL,' or acute promyelocytic leukemia. A curable form, but, nonetheless, something that could be devastating to an athlete's sports career, not to mention life.
Collier fought through that life-threatening disease, with shining colors, her sheen of blonde hair, in a bun, is one beautiful color, but color Collier's whole personage as a rainbow of hope for others. Collier's face radiated warmth to fans as she signed autographs following the Yale win, with her cancer story well known in the area, and, nationally, as during a McDonald's All American game, in April 2012, ESPN talked to her about her cancer bout.

"Katie's really amazing with getting through all she's gone through," said Neighbors. "Overcoming leukemia, her knee injury. They will make a movie one day on her."

Collier helped SCS to the 1A state b-ball title, as a freshman, but, then, as a senior, in April of '12, she played in the McDonald's All American game, where the nation's best players assemble for a nationally televised, East vs. West, match-up on ESPN. Collier scored points in the game, too -- critical ones at that -- despite the West losing by two points, 80-78, in the end. Collier was fouled late in the game, with 16.4 seconds left, and she made two clutch free throws to tie it, 78-78, before the East won it on the other end with a foul called and followed up with two free throws.

Collier had scored those two crucial points to tie things in the last few seconds by out-wrestling national Gatorade player of the year Breanna Stewart, who now plays at University of Connecticut, with the most renowned team in all NCAA women's b-ball. UConn's won more NCAA championships than any other school. And, really making her mark, Stewart received the Naismith trophy for being the 2014 Player Of The Year this past season.

So, Collier matched skills with the best and more than held her own. And, it's been good for Collier, who sees a lot of family support after games.

And, Williams, as has been already noted by Neighbors for her rebounding prowess. But, she might have competition lurking, and that competition could be Collier, who is a sophomore, so, with two more seasons to go.

Collier is the tallest on the team, very fluid with the basketball, able to dribble, drive, shoot, board, create trouble for opponents on and off the ball, with her size and court sense.
Coach Neighbors, when he was posed the question of, "Could Collier eclipse Williams soon-to-be breaking of the UW all-time rebounding mark," he said one word.

"Could," said Neighbors.

Then, with that said, Neighbors went on to say, "The mark is going to be pretty high set by Aminah, though. Katie's an intrical part of our team, and rebounding is one of her main areas."
Both players could really help the Huskies be tough on the glass this season, and dominating on rebounding is a a sure-fire way to be going farther than last season's Huskies that were invited to the National Invitiation Tournament (NIT) appearance and lost in the Final 4 of that tourney. It is classified one notch lower than the NCAA Tournament.

Williams is excited about this season's prospects, as it's been a long time since the Huskies have made it to "The Dance," which is often the term referred to for the men's postseason b-ball tourney, also aptly known as "March Madness." But the women also "dance" on ESPN for their games, televised live to the nation -- all rounds of the 64-teams starting from respecctive 1 to 16 number seeds in four brackets. So, it's quite a shuffle for them as well. Women's b-ball is getting bigger and bigger. The Seattle Storm, one of the WNBA teams Williams could shortly be playing on, is very popular during its season with big numbers in attendance.

But, Williams has a chance to be a part of changing recent history as, of course, does Collier.
"The team hasn't been to the postseason in forever, and we hope to make the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 15 years," said Williams, who was a main force for Kennedy Catholic in placing second at the 3A state tournament her freshman year before helping the Lancers be state champs her sophomore season, all under coach Tom Mummert. "We feel we have a great chance."

Neighbors explained that both Collier and Williams show solid potential for getting to the next level of women's basketball, the echelon all girls strive to make but very, very few ever achieve. But there's more, Neighbors said, too, about the futures of Collier and Williams which won't be a loss at all if b-ball is not in the offing.

"They both have a lot of other positive things in their life, but have that opportunity to play," said Neighbors. "They are smart, talented, in their majors and might want to make that choice of career vs. basketball."