Williams's 50 nifty for Avon

BRAINTREE - Avon junior guard Akeem Williams left his team's faithful chanting "MVP" after his remarkable performance in last night's Division 4 South final.

Williams exploded for 28 second-half points to help erase a 14-point Cathedral lead in regulation, then cut through the green-and-white defense for a basket while fouled with 2.8 seconds left in overtime.

After Williams hit his free throw, Cathedral's Max Barbosa's last-gasp 3-point attempt clanked off the front of the basket and the Avon delegation - players, coaches and fans - celebrated an 87-84 victory.

Avon advances to the Division 4 state title game Monday against North champion North Cambridge Catholic at TD Banknorth Garden.

"We don't lay down, we don't go away," Williams said. "We just keep coming back . . . It's just crazy right now. I can't even think about how this feels."

Before Williams had completed his 50-point masterpiece, he looked like he would be a goat. With less than 15 seconds left, he lost the handle on the ball, which was put in the basket by Cathedral's Javon Williams on a putback with eight seconds left, tying the game at 84-84. But unfortunately for the back-to-back Division 4 state champions, Williams's Herculean effort had one final act.

"I knew we had enough time to score, so we had to get the ball inbounds," Williams said while being mobbed by his classmates. "Once I got down there [on Cathedral's end], I knew I had to lay it in."

Williams's two free throws with 1:07 left in regulation got his team even, and he hit another foul shot with 26 seconds left to force overtime.

Williams scored 10 of his team's 13 points in the extra frame and pushed Avon's lead to 84-79 with less than a minute left. But Barbosa hit his sixth 3-pointer of the night with 28.1 seconds left to cut the lead to 84-82. Williams's gaffe on the next possession led to Cathedral's tying layup.