Matthews hopes to use his 'sharpshooting' skills to help Tuks and the SA Student Basketball Teams win

Many times, you are looking for a sign that you have made the right decision. It happened to Matt Williams, and that is why he plays basketball.

He is pretty good at it. Next month, the Tuks BA Political Science and International Relations student will represent South Africa's 3x3 basketball team at the World Student Games in Germany. He has also played professionally for the Cape Town Tigers team for two years.

It wasn't a foregone conclusion that Williams would play basketball. He was an avid soccer player in elementary school. Then, he started doing karate. It didn't take long for him to prove himself on the karate mats. In 2014, he won a silver medal at the World Junior Championships.

But everything changed when his Sensei suggested that he play basketball to strengthen his legs.

"My Sensei kinda signed off on me. I fell in love with basketball after the first month of playing."

Now, the story of what made Williams realize that he made the right decision to take up playing basketball.

"When I started playing, I wasn't one of the biggest guys on the team. I was only 1.72 metres tall. Then, all of a sudden, I just started getting taller and taller. I grew 15 centimetres in six months. So it did feel like me playing basketball was meant to be, " said Matthews, who is now 1.95 metres tall.

"It is the fast pace at which the game is played and the strategy that comes with playing that gets the adrenaline pumping. I also love the strategic aspects of the game. It is almost as if some trickery comes into play."

There are many pictures of basketball players where they appear to be floating through the air towards the basket with the ball in one hand. Moments later, there are points on the board. It's called a dunk. Matthews admits that it's not one of his strengths. He's more of the sharpshooter on the team.

"My best traits as a player are my 'shooting skills'. I can score from the three-point line. Unfortunately, I am not athletic enough to execute a dunk that often. I do back myself on my ball recovery skills."

Williams' Tuks teammate, Allen Mametja, was also selected to represent South Africa at the World Student Games.

Williams and Mametja have come a long way together in basketball. Williams recounts how they recently came across a photo of the two of them exchanging shirts after a game during a junior provincial tournament. Williams played for the Western Cape and Mametja for Gauteng.

"Allen and I complement each other well when we're on the court together."

If there's one thing in basketball that Matthews wants to change, it's the dress code. According to him, in the early 2000s, the players decided to play in long shorts and baggy shirts.

"The image is still there, but most of us are questioning it. When you order a basketball kit, it comes in triple X size. All you want is a kit that fits you."