The Princeton girls basketball team went 2-1 at the TABC Girls Showcase, earning wins over Keller Central and Schertz Clemens. Photo courtesy Kaylann Miller
By David Wolman
With the Princeton girls basketball team playing for its third different head coach in as many years, Kaylann Miller is using this summer to prioritize building relationships with her new team, but she also wants to ease in the teaching aspect that comes with coaching basketball.
That player-coach-driven relationship has been a key point of emphasis during Princeton’s skills workouts that have been held every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday this summer. Miller has her players come in just three days a week to give them time to recuperate from their travel and playing time with their respective AAU teams.
But Miller uses those three days to incorporate her playing philosophy into the team’s routine so the Lady Panthers can be fully prepared once the season tips off in November.
So far, she has been pleased with what she has seen from her players and added that the team has been particularly motivated to improve on the disappointment from last season, one in which the Lady Panthers struggled to an 8-19 record and missed the playoffs for the first time in six years.
“During workouts, I’ve noticed that they’re like a sponge,” Miller said. “They’re very attentive, and they do everything we ask of them. With me being a coach going into a new situation, this is all that I can ask for.”
The players’ coachability was noticeable at the TABC Showcase two weeks ago in Bryan.
Princeton went 2-1 with wins in each of its final two games.
The Lady Panthers nearly overcame a second-half deficit in a narrow 41-38 loss to Tomball Memorial to tip off the Showcase, but Princeton responded with a 55-51 victory over Keller Central and a 50-46 triumph against Schertz Clemens, both on the final day.
“We did a really good job with our press late in the game against Tomball Memorial,” Miller said. “We were down late and I put in a lineup that I thought would be beneficial to the success of our press, and we generated quite a few steals.”
Miller said that she was pleased with how her Lady Panthers played on defense throughout the three games and added that her players adjusted to whatever defense she used during particular moments in the games.
Offensively, Princeton played with more aggression during the final two games, helping the Lady Panthers score more than 50 points after being held to 38 by Tomball Memorial.
“Our offensive improvement was really good,” Miller said. “I told the girls that I didn’t want to put any restraints on them. I wanted them to flow into the different actions that we have within our offense, and they did just that. They were attacking the gaps and creating advantages.”
Incoming junior guard Rayleigh Williams was one of several players that stood out for Princeton. After struggling with her shooting in the first game, she scored 29 points against Keller Central and 23 against Schertz Clemens.
Miller praised junior point guard Jada Childress for her communication and being able to get the Lady Panthers into their offensive sets.
Senior Temi Desalu, who is back with Princeton after missing time last season with a knee injury, was a defensive standout for the Lady Panthers in Bryan.
Sophomore Jaelyn Mosley impressed with her post play.
“This event turned out to be a lot better than what I would have thought,” Miller said. “I told the girls going in that it was going to be an experience for me getting to know you, and you getting to know me as a coach. When the ball was thrown up, I knew that they would be ready.”
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