BILLINGS — Even when Breanna Williams is on break, she’s not taking a break. She can’t afford to.
The Billings Skyview graduate only has a few days left on a quick trip home and is making the most of it by staying in shape with light workouts. After redshirting her freshman year at the University of Maryland, Williams now wants playing minutes.
WATCH THE VIDEO:
"Honestly, it’s the perfect timing, I think. Over this past season I’ve developed a lot. I’ve been working on my shot, got a quicker release now … put a few more moves in my bag," Williams told MTN Sports.
She described her redshirt experience as invaluable for a Terps team that was ranked as high as No. 7 in the nation last season. However, Montana’s two-time Gatorade player of the year admits she’s not used to sitting.
"I’ll say it, it was humbling. It was probably not what I wanted and not what everybody expected," she said. "But it turned out to be a blessing in disguise and I was able to learn from a lot of great players."
Williams did get some preseason playing time. She remembers scoring roughly 20 points with the Terps in Croatia. Back home, she combined for more than 10 points in a pair of exhibition games.
Slotted in Maryland’s power forward position, the 6-foot-2 sophomore has added significant muscle.
"Fourteen pounds of muscle," she said with a smile. "Definitely found the weight room but also trying to trim out."
Williams said she traveled to every game last season, experiencing intense atmospheres across the Big Ten and Southeastern Conferences, including Alabama, Ohio State and Iowa.
"Iowa was insane. Like that mark where Caitlin Clark was … it probably took me like 20 tries to make a shot. And it was a running start, too. It was almost like a half-court shot," Williams said.
She is referring to Iowa's deep-3 court logo where Clark broke the NCAA all-time women’s scoring record about 35 feet from the basket.
Williams, who's still set on a kinesiology degree, said she’s honestly just having fun and learning, even outside of basketball.
"East Coast is busy. I took a train for the first time up to New Jersey. Never done that before," she laughed.
The athletic Terp is checking boxes off her life list. Determined to earn playing time, the next box may very well be Maryland minutes.
