Preston’s Izabela Stahl (4) protects the ball from Gabriella Floyd of Liberty on Thursday. 
Preston’s Carsynn Sines (30) is fouled by Gracie Dodd of Liberty on Thursday. 
Preston’s Chesney Manko (32) protects the ball from a Liberty player on Thursday. 
Preston’s Samantha Wiles (11) shoots over Shyann Amos of Liberty on Thursday. 
Preston’s Chesney Manko (32) makes a shot against Liberty on Thursday. 
Preston’s Kylie Felton (2) shoots over Emily Wamsley of Liberty on Thursday. 
Preston’s Samantha Wiles (11) pressures Savana Burn of Liberty on Thursday.
KINGWOOD — Senior Night is always an emotional night, so as Preston High girls’ basketball coach Brian Miller considered the best way to approach Thursday’s matchup with Liberty (Harrison), he had one word to plant into his players’ minds: Tempo.
The Class AAA No. 10 Knights (11-4) have built their success this season on a deep and consistent bench. So what better way to drive off the jitters and wear down a Mountaineers team that only went seven or eight deep than to turn the game into a track meet?
Of course, Miller is quite the successful track coach at Preston as well, so he must’ve known what he was doing, as the Knights’ press defense and relentless running wore down Liberty (3-13), as Preston pulled away midway through the second quarter a cruised to a 57-26 conference win.
The points weren’t necessarily easy to come by, especially after senior forward Kylie Felton pumped in seven early points in the paint and at the line to help forge a 15-11 lead after one quarter. Neither team could by a bucket in the second quarter, though, with turnovers and missed shots leading to just a pair of Liberty free throws in the first four minutes of the quarter.
Finally, Miller sensed the need to shake things up, inserting sophomore Leah Elliot into the lineup, and the move paid off immediately. Elliot finally broke the lid on the PHS basket with an energizing 3-pointer then hustled for a turnover and transition lay-up, and later drilled another triple. The Knights’ run amounted to 13 straight points, turning a two-point game into a comfortable 28-15 lead at the break.
Both offenses came out cold again to start the second half, but aggressive full-court and half-court PHS pressure kept Liberty in single-digit points in each of the final three quarters.
Natalie Annon hit a big deep ball to ignite the Preston offense again in the third quarter, and the crowd roared when senior Sam Wiles buried a 3 in the final quarter to put the Knights up by 20.
As time ticked down, Miller was able to substitute each senior (Felton, Wiles, Tori Garlits and Chesney Manko) one at a time, to the appreciative cheers of the crown and their teammates.
“The faster we played, the better it was for us,” Miller said after the win. “The slower we played, the better it was for them. So we insisted that we play with speed and energy all night, and we just kept running 13 girls in and out, and eventually they kinda wore out. I thought Leah really came up big for us in the second because they were really hanging around with us until she grabbed the game for us.
“Our bench has been like that all year for us,” he continued. “They’ve supported whoever is on the court, and a different girl has stepped up and given us a big time spark in just about every game. They’ve been a very unselfish and supportive team all season, and that is a real tribute to our seniors. They’ve contributed in every way we’ve needed them to, both on and off the court, and I think they’ve done a great job teaching the younger girls how to listen and how to be great teammates. So we’re very happy to have gotten them a win on Senior Night. They deserve it.”
The Knights will travel to face Lincoln at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday.
