Franklin wing Diamond Miller was one of the best surprises in New Jersey Basketball last year.
Anyone who caught her play during the season knew she was in for a big tournament run. Miller showcased a skill set well beyond her years in 2017. On offense, she was one of hardest players to guard, averaging 19 points and 2.5 three pointers made on offense. While her offensive production was more than welcomed, it was her defensive prowess that propelled her team to elite status. She was a beast on the glass averaging 7 rebounds per night. She played the passing lanes relentlessly, logging close to 3 steals per night. Miller protected the paint as well, punching 4 blocks per night to the stands. Miller was everywhere!
It's only right that we paid homage by selecting Miller as a diarist for us this year. Check back throughout the season as Diamond gives us an insider look at the life of a star student athlete playing basketball on the highest level in New Jersey.
As told to Christian Mordi / @thedribbledrop
Hey guys,
This Christmas tournament we played Rumson-Fair Haven and St. John’s Vianney. We lost both games by a close amount of points. As a team, we learned that we have to bring our best against every opponet. A lot of teams are going to bring their best against us because we went all the way last year. I don’t think we were as prepared mentally for it as we should’ve been early on. We learned a lot from that tournament and I think we are more prepared for the approach teams will take against us every night now.
34 Likes, 1 Comments - Thedribbledrop (@thedribbledrop) on Instagram: "@diamond_miller1_ put on a SHOW this weekend against Manchester Township."
A week or so ago we played against our rivals, Rutgers Prep. Our two games have been decided by three points or less. Last game was a tough one. I thought we came with the right intensity level for this one. We had a couple untimely mishaps and that ended up costing us. Playing against a team like that, you learn about the value of the little things. Getting every loose ball, taking care of the ball and converting layups are key to winning close games. In the first half I thought we played a bit slow as we walked the ball up alot. That’s the pace Rutgers Prep wants to play. At halftime coach told us to loosen up and play our game. We needed to pick up the pace of the game. We came up a bit short but we learned a lot from that one for sure.
Teams have thrown a bunch of different defenses at me this year. I have seen a lot of box and one as well. Coach did a great job of preparing me for it. I don’t get as upset anymore. I try to remain calm and let the game come to me. I’m really working on taking steps forward on the mental side of the game. To not let defenders or certain defenses overwhelm me. I work hard to get the ball and when I do, it’s not always with a focus on scoring. If the defense helps, I hit my teammates for easy baskets. It’s very important to play under control at all times.
Last week we played Newark Tech. I loved the pace we played at against them. We like to play an uptempo game. Over the past couple of weeks our defense has gotten a lot better as well. We are playing a lot more man to man and putting pressure on the ball full court. We have noticed that our defense can create offensive opportunities for us. We trust each other and push other every day in practice to get better defensively.
This year I broke the 1,000 point mark. It was an important milestone, as I think most players want to break 1,000 points during their career. With that being said, I’m focused on being the all-time leading scorer at Franklin High. That record is held by my older sister, Adreana Miller. She had 1,514 points during her career.
I also want to push for 2,000. A good amount of players get 1,000, but very few break 2,000 points in their career.
This weekend we played Manchester Township, which is led by Destiny Adams. We knew coming in that she was a good player. We put Camille on her and we all did a good job of stopping the players around her. I loved the pace of the game as well. We got out on the break and got easy baskets in transition.
On another note, I love hanging out with my sisters. They are like my best friends. I have two older sisters and we are all really close. I love when my sister Adreana comes home from college. We don’t have to talk about basketball or anything major. We just joke around and have fun.
'Til next time,
Diamond