ANCHORAGE (May 12) – The Alaska Anchorage men's basketball team has landed one of the nation's top junior-college talents as head coach Rusty Osborne announced Monday that Sylas Williams has signed a scholarship agreement with the Seawolves.

The 6-7, 210-pound forward was the Northwest Athletic Conference Player of the Year and the NWAC North Region MVP last season at Skagit Valley College in Mount Vernon, Wash., producing 20.6 points, 11.7 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.2 steals per game as a sophomore. Williams was one of two NWAC players (among 33 teams) to average 20 points and 10 rebounds, leading the Cardinals to a 28-2 overall record and a 14-0 NWAC North mark. He shot 55 percent from the field and posted four 30-plus scoring efforts, including a 41-point outburst Feb. 22 against Whatcom.

The Bothell, Wash., native finished third in the NWAC in rebounding both of his seasons at SVC, averaging 14.5 points and 13.3 rebounds as a freshman in 2023-24. He was also an All-NWAC North selection as a rookie for a Cardinals team that went 26-6 and made the NWAC Final Four.

"Sylas bring a ton of energy rebounding on both ends of the floor, but especially on the offensive glass," Osborne said. "He can score inside and out as evidenced by his three-point numbers (.381, 40 of 105) this year. We know that he has been very well coached at Skagit by Carl Howell, who has won at a high level in the NWAC for a long time. Anytime you receive MVP honors in a large organization like the NWAC it is impressive. Sylas has earned the respect of those coaches, and we look forward to helping him continue to progress on the floor and in the classroom. I think our fans will enjoy watching him compete."

Williams also produced prolifically as a prep star at Jackson High School, where he tallied more than 1,000 points and 500 rebounds in three varsity seasons. He was the 2022-23 Everett Herald Boys Basketball Player of the Year, averaging 23 points and 14 rebounds in leading his team to the Wesco title.

Williams becomes the second member of UAA's 2025 recruiting class, alongside incoming freshman guard Marek Hajdukovich (Anchorage/Dimond HS).