Players

Will Watson

Year Inducted: 1986

Category: Players

Schools / Organizations: Tremont High School
The University of Illinois

Biography: On Dec. 17, 1963, Will Watson set the Tremont High School individual game scoring record of 51 points as the Turks played Minier HS. Watson was a scoring machine for the Turks during his four seasons. He continues to rank high on the Illinois high school career list with 2,293 points (Note:  there was no 3 pt rule in place during this era). Watson averaged 21 ppg for his four-year career at Tremont. His 30.8 scoring average as a senior also ranks the 6’ 2” Watson among the All-Time Illinois Average Leaders. Watson’s 34.5 ppg average and 345 points was the standard for the now disbanded Illinois Conference. His 876 career points and 22.5 average were also Illio marks. Three times he was named All-Illio, twice made the Little All-State teams and was accorded fourth team All-State honors by the Rockford papers in 1964 when he was also named Honorable Mention All-American by Coach & Athlete Magazine. Watson’s four Tremont teams won 85 games and lost 26, won three Tazewell County titles, three district championships, shared an Illio Conference title and won two Green Valley Holiday Tournaments. An outstanding hurdler, Watson attended the University of Illinois on a track scholarship. After playing on the freshman basketball team at Illinois, he directed his abilities to track for the remainder of his college days.