MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Anyone who attends a Preston High girls’ basketball game this season will enjoy watching a style that is simultaneously new and familiar — A Silver and Black version of West Virginia’s famous “Press Virginia” defense. According to long-time Preston coach Brian Miller, the impetus for the big change in philosophy can be summarized in a single word: Depth.
“I’ve had some years when I’ve been comfortable going eight or maybe nine deep, but we knew last year that we might be able to use the entire bench this season,” Miller said. “Throughout the summer, it became clearer that there would be no drop-off in quality at all. So we wanted to take full advantage of that.”
That meant installing various pressure defenses, and also getting his team in shape to run them with active efficiency.
“We’ve been mostly a zone team just about every year, but I worked in plenty of man-to-man defense last year, too,” Miller continued. “We’ve worked hard to be ready athletically and mentally to keep our energy up the entire game.”
Senior guards Tori Garlits and Chesney Manko both relish the challenge of learning a new approach to the game they love, especially an up-tempo version.
“We all worked really hard all summer to get in really good shape,” Garlits said. “We knew how fast we had to play this year, and we’re still learning how to run the defenses the right way every time. We’re still perfecting our communication and figuring out how to focus on our own job, but it is so much fun to play with full intensity every single minute of the game, and to know that you can go 100% and all your teammates will do the same.”
“Supporting each other and pushing each other in practice has been great,” Manko said. “This defense should allow us to create turnovers and lead to easy transition baskets, especially in the second half of games when the other team starts to get tired. It’s a very interesting way to play and we’re all totally on board because everyone knows they will have a role and will be counted on to contribute. It’s creating great team chemistry.”
While the Knights are excited up to see how their defense will impact this season, Miller has been focused on a multi-front education campaign on what is expected to be different from the past.
“It’s going to be a very interesting challenge,” he said. “The players will have to not only understand a new defensive philosophy, it will be lots of half-court and three-quarter court pressure as well as some full court press — but also understand that we can’t get down if a team beats it for a lay-up from time to time. We also have to find a way to stay aggressive without fouling on defense. Also, to be able to stay in control in transition, to make good decisions and maximize our offensive possessions. All that will take some time.”
Miller’s toughest job will perhaps be managing the double-edged sword of a very long bench.
“I’m still figuring out how to spread around the minutes the best way for the team’s success,” he admitted. “And I guaranteed the girls that I won’t be perfect.
“All I know is, if we can get roles established, support each other and keep the ‘we’ in front of the ‘me,’ this could be a really exciting year.”
Preston will play at 7:30 p.m. today at Elkins.
