KINGWOOD – A powerful, efficient service motion in tennis that results in a double fault. A fluid, coordinated, perfectly balanced golf swing that drives a ball into a bunker. And a jump shooter with perfect form, release, and arc that just can’t get her shot to fall.
Sometimes, even though the results aren’t there that day, the talent – and the work that went in to develop that talent – are as obvious as a neon light at midnight.
The Preston girls’ basketball team lost to North Marion at home Monday night, 58-45, behind Huskies guard Brooklyn Jackson’s 20 points, all scored in the second half. But one of the stories of the Knights’ up-and-down season has been the emergence of 3-point shooter, Bella Miller. The junior has racked up seven double-digit point games this season, including a season and career-high 26 against Liberty last week.
And most of her damage has been launched from behind the arc. Miller hit six triples against the Mountaineers, her fourth consecutive game with four or more 3s, and during that stretch hit 21 of 35 from distance, a flaming 60%.
That kind of range and consistency certainly requires talent, but it simply does not happen without practice.
Lots and lots of practice, just ask her dad and Knights coach, Brian Miller.
“Since the summer after her freshman year,” Miller smiled matter-of-factly, “she’s taken about 40,000 shots. I know it’s that many, because I’ve rebounded every one of them.”
Forty. Thousand. Shots.
Really?
“Yes,” he insisted, “and you know me. I keep detailed records on everything for my teams in basketball and track and cross country. She’s been on different programs – shoot 1000 a week, make 200 a day, 25 from various spots, and usually we finish up with 100 free throws. There’s no doubt about it: she’s put in the work.”
But does the work seem more like work or play?
“Well, it’s a lot better when I’m making them,” Bella laughed. “And the time it takes to make 200 has gotten shorter and shorter, because my dad doesn’t have to chase so many missed shots all over the gym. We put on music, and when I get in a rhythm, it’s really a lot of fun.”
Now it’s one thing to be nailing five or six in a row from the wing or the corner or straight away with your favorite song in the background – but also with no defenders in your face, or scoreboard pressures.
“It’s definitely different in a game,” she admitted, “especially now that I’ve been shooting well this year (currently 34% from 3). Teams aren’t letting me spot up as much, which forces me to create my own shot more, which is something I’m working to improve. It really helps to know that my teammates support me: they actually tell me to shoot it all the time.”
And why wouldn’t they – the Knights are 4-1 when she nails at least four from distance, 2-9 when she doesn’t. When your teammate is already #4 on the school’s all-time 3-point list, you want her to fire away.
But there are still times when Bella has to remind herself that she needs to take the shot when she’s open.
“It’s something I’ve struggled with in the past,” she continued. “If I didn’t make my first few shots, I’d think “Oh well, not my night.’ But I know that I can’t think like that. And when my teammates are behind me even if I miss, it makes me want to get open and hit shots, or get them the ball when they’re open. It never matters who scores, as long as we’re doing what we can to win the game.”
Her best friend, senior guard and Knights assist leader Ava Bishop, is one of those teammates telling her to let it fly.
“She’s a really good shooter, obviously,” she said. “When you’re open, you’re supposed to shoot. My job is to get the ball to open shooters at the right time, and when I see Bella step back and call for the ball, and she squares up, it feels like it’s going to go in every time. And when she hits one, it just lifts the whole team.”
Against North Marion, Miller worked well with Bishop to shake free for several baseline jumpers that looked perfect – until they rattled out. But like any good shooter, she kept looking for her shot, or drawing attention and finding an open teammate. However, the shots just would not go down for Miller and the Knights, especially in the final quarter which, combined with struggles on the defensive glass, led to the disappointing loss.
Still, the Knights know they had their chances to beat the Huskies, and they’ll have more chances to learn and improve down the stretch, and in every game, they’ll be looking to get the ball to Miller.
And she knows exactly what to do with it – she’s done it before.
The Knights are back in action on Wednesday, hosting Lewis County at 7:30 p.m.
Box score
NORTH MARION (7-8)
Dominica Cain 1 2-2 4 Brooklyn Jackson 4 9-12 20 Kya Huggins 1 1-2 4 Addison Hearn 0 1-2 1 Ella Thompson 6 3-4 15 Savannah Walls 5 2-3 12 Keirrabelle Harbert 1 0-0 2 Totals 18 18-25 58.
PRESTON (6-10)
Camdyn Metheny 5 0-0 12 Bella Miller 2 0-0 6 Kendra Nazelrod 3 7-7 13 Cameryn Sypolt 4 2-5 10 Ava Bishop 0 4-4 4 Totals 14 13-16 45.
3-pointers: NM 4 (Jackson 3, Huggins), PHS 4 (Miller 2, Metheny 2).
