Local Sports, Preston, Sports

Preston girls’ basketball team relishes opportunity to play this season

KINGWOOD — For the Preston girls’ basketball team, the last few weeks have definitely been all about hitting the floor — running. For veteran coach Brian Miller, he’s seen the joy in every fast-break drill and conditioning sprint. 

“The enthusiasm level has been through the roof,” he said. “I even heard one of the girls say,‘I’ve never been so excited to run in my life.’ So, we’re really embracing the opportunity to play games this season, because quite frankly, when we had to shut down in November, I was afraid it was going to be a lost year.” 

But even though his Knights couldn’t practice or even condition together for months, Miller employed every means at his disposal to try to keep his team engaged mentally. 

“We knew that if we did get a chance to get back in the gym, we wouldn’t have a lot of time to prepare,” he said. “So we put together some video clips of plays from previous seasons. We just wanted to remind everyone of their responsibilities and how we need to play, so that we could all be on the same page right from the start. 

“We’re trying to simplify the playbook this year. Focus practice time more on perfecting what we do well, and combine that with a lot more skill development. It’s a new approach for us, but I think that teams can win in this compressed season with a solid approach combined with using superior skills and fundamentals.” 

Four-year varsity veteran Michelle Thomas agrees with the plan and is thrilled to be back on the court. 

“It was very frustrating, not knowing if all the work we’d put in for our whole careers might not get to be completed with a senior season,” she said. “So, when we heard we were coming back last month, we were all so excited, and we’ve all been working really hard to get ready. And I think that simplifying things makes a lot of sense, especially in a short season. We can perfect just a few things, and not have to think too much on the court.” 

With the Knights slated to play six times in the first 10 days, and as many as 17 games in a mere five weeks, the tough pace will likely require an “all-hands-on-deck” approach, which is just how the PHS senior leader likes it. 

“It’s definitely better when all the girls know they have a chance to play and contribute,” Thomas said. “It makes practice better, because everyone wants to earn court time, and everyone plays harder in games, because they know they can count on their teammate to come in and be ready to go.” 

Indeed, Miller doesn’t like to dwell on his starters, and emphasizes he wants each girl to become a finisher.  

“We will have at least ten girls who will contribute big-time minutes for us this year,” he said. “To me, it’s about being out there during crunch time, and with that deep a bench, we can keep everyone fresh and have the flexibility to go with the hot hand each night. We feel very fortunate to be together, and we’re looking forward to this sprint of a season.” 

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