Chris Miller paces BTW in win over Memorial
BY BARRY LEWIS World Sports Writer
Saturday, January 19, 2013
1/19/13 at 5:36 AM
Less weight for Booker T. Washington center Chris Miller has meant increased playing time and more trouble for his team's opponents.
On Friday night, Miller had a season-high 18 points and nine rebounds to help the Class 6A No. 18 Hornets defeat visiting 5A No. 1 Memorial 65-56 at Nathan E. Harris Field House.
"I've lost a lot of weight, from 287 pounds to 260," said Miller, a 6-foot-6 sophomore. "I would like to lose about 20 more pounds. I've been training hard the last four months.
"I'm light on my feet, much more than last year when I was out of shape."
Miller, who played in only five varsity games as a freshman, gives the Hornets (8-6, 5-2 Green Country Conference) another scoring threat to go with Georgia signee Juwan Parker and junior Kevin Sims.
"Chris has a lot of tools for a guy his size," Hornets coach Joe Redmond said. "He's starting to mature into his body. He's a big strong kid who can be a force to be reckoned with. I don't think you saw the complete package tonight, but you saw the potential and what he could be."
Sims scored a game-high 20 points. Parker had 15 points and nine rebounds.
"It's important for those two guys to play very sound basketball, especially to beat a very good basketball team like Tulsa Memorial," Redmond said. "Those two guys really stepped to the forefront and Chris jumped on board and had a great game. That gives us another guy teams are going to have to deal with. And our guys settled down after the first quarter, took care of the basketball, played a little bit better defense and made our free throws."
Miller had 14 points in the second half, including nine in the third quarter to enable the Hornets to take a 41-40 lead into the final period. The Hornets then went on a 6-0 run and built their lead to 56-45. The Chargers (10-4, 7-2), however, rallied primarily with their reserves and cut their deficit to 56-50 and had possession with 1:45 left. But Miller ended the Chargers' comeback bid when he stuffed Mikequan Deane's driving shot, was fouled on the rebound and made 1-of-2 free throws.
Sims made six straight free throws in the last two minutes to help seal the Hornets' sixth win in their last seven games. Parker also had a stretch of going 6-of-6 on free throws earlier in the period.
Anthony "Deuce" White led Memorial with 11 points and Deane scored nine.
In the first half, Sims' driving basket with 26 seconds left snapped a tie and Myles Tease's layup as time expired gave the Hornets a 28-24 lead at intermission.
The Hornets maintained their lead throughout the third quarter, building it to 35-28 before Jalen Smith's 3-point play cut Memorial's deficit to 41-40 at the period's conclusion. However, the Chargers could never catch the Hornets.
B.T. Washington 66, Memorial 34 (girls): Mikayla Alexander scored 12 points and Kaylan Mayberry added 11 to lead the 6A No. 5 Hornets (13-1, 7-0) past the 5A No. 13 Chargers (7-10, 4-5). Faith Ihim paced Memorial with 15 points.
"It was a very solid win," Hornets coach Annette Kennedy said. "We saw a lot of people contribute and I contend that's what makes us strong."
Alexander had 10 points in the first half to propel the Hornets to a 30-14 lead. Mayberry scored nine in the third quarter as the Hornets increased their advantage to 50-19.
B.T. WASHINGTOn 65, MEMORIAL 56
| Memorial |
14 |
10 |
16 |
16 |
- |
56 |
| B.T. Washington |
12 |
16 |
13 |
24 |
- |
65 |
Memorial (10-4): White 11, Deane 9, Diggs 8, Murphy 7, Cockrell 5, Smith 5, Edwards 4, Kemp 3, Powell 2, Treleavan 2.
B.T. Washington (8-6): Sims 20, Miller 18, Parker 15, Clark 7, Tease 4, Muse 1.
B.T. WASHINGTON 66, MEMORIAL 34 (girls)
| Memorial |
4 |
10 |
5 |
15 |
- |
34 |
| B.T. Washington |
14 |
16 |
20 |
16 |
- |
66 |
Memorial (7-10): Ihim 15, Short 7, L.Reed 6, Patterson 4, K. Reed 2.
B.T. Washington (12-1): Alexander 12, Mayberry 11, Ellis 10, Carr 9, Block 6, Samilton 6, Cooks 4, Washington 4, Williams 4.
Original Print Headline: Miller paces BTW to win
Barry Lewis 918-581-8393
barry.lewis@tulsaworld.com
Associated Images:
Booker T. Washington's Chris Miller (right) tries to block a shot by Memorial's R.J. Diggs during Friday's game, which Booker T. Washington won 65-56. JAMES GIBBARD/Tulsa World
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