Vic Trilli hasn’t stepped inside the doors at the Super Pit since his final days as a North Texas coach back in 2001.

It’s not that Trilli hasn’t wanted to come back. It’s just that the opportunity to see old friends in a town he still loves never presented itself until earlier this spring.

Trilli, who took over as athletic director at Division II Newman University late last summer, was looking to fill out his men’s basketball team’s schedule and gave his friends at UNT a call.

UNT head coach Johnny Jones was more than happy to help out Trilli and schedule an exhibition doubleheader on Nov. 11 that will also include a women’s game.

“Coach Trilli was trying to schedule Division I schools to raise money for their program,” Jones said. “I have known him for a long time. I see him as part of the University of North Texas family. We were happy to help out one of our own.”

Trilli was the head coach at UNT from 1997-2001. He never won more than seven games in a season, but left his mark.

The green seats that are still a part of the Super Pit were installed during Trilli’s watch. He also recruited Chris Davis, a two-time first-team All-Sun Belt Conference selection who ranks second on the school’s all-time scoring list.

“I will definitely make the trip,” Trilli said. “I haven’t been back to Denton since I left. We still have a lot of friends there that I hope to be able to see. I wonder how I will be received, but that is normal.”

Trilli was the athletic director at Garden City (Kan.) Community College for four years before taking over at Newman. Garden City shooting guard Richard Thomas signed with UNT this spring.

UNT fans will get one of their first looks at Thomas in addition to looking back at its time under Trilli when Newman comes to Denton.

“It will be a game of great interest,” Jones said. “People will want to see our team and coach Trilli has a lot of friends in the area because he did a tremendous job in a lot of areas for the university and the community in his time.”

Prep school guard commits to UNT

Alzee Williams wanted a second chance to earn a Division I scholarship after his senior season at Dallas Lincoln.

The 6-3 guard headed to a Mississippi prep school to improve his stock and saw that decision pay off on Thursday when he committed to play at UNT.

Williams will be the final member of the Mean Green’s 2009 recruiting class.

“Prep school helped me out a lot,” Williams said. “I am not the same player I was coming from high school. I got more aggressive going to the basket. I used to be just a shooter.”

That aggressive approach helped Williams average 21 points and four assists a game in his only season at Mississippi Elite Christian Academy in Jackson. Williams scored 36 points and hit the game-winning 3-pointer in a game against Laurinburg Prep that was played at TCU.

“The coaches at North Texas told me I would start off playing on the wing and could play the point later on,” Williams said. “They said they needed people who could score.”

Western Kentucky, Wyoming and TCU all showed interest in Williams, who committed to UNT after visiting the school this week.

“I felt like I fit in and it was close to home,” Williams said. “I like coach Jones and [UNT assistant coach Bill] Foy.”

Williams also said UNT’s recent run of success made the school an attractive option. The Mean Green has won at least 20 games in three consecutive seasons and played in the 2007 NCAA Tournament.

Williams was named the MVP of District 13-4A after the 2007-08 season at Lincoln. He played at Dallas Carter for three seasons before transferring for his senior year.

BRETT VITO can be reached at 940-566-6870. His e-mail address is bvito@dentonrc.com .