By BY BRUCE HIXON – SPORTS EDITOR
They have the pieces such as experience, depth, some size, a veteran coach and past success.
Now it is how the T.R. Miller Tigers manage those pieces that will determine where it takes them this season.
First, the experience factor. T.R. Miller returns all but one player from last year's squad that went 18-12.
players have been through this before and know what to expect.”
Next comes the depth factor where T.R. Miller is two and perhaps even three players deep at just about every position.
Terrelle Brooks, a 6-0 senior, returns to the backcourt at the point guard spot. Terry Hetherington, who led T.R. Miller's junior varsity in scoring last year, is moving up to assist in that role this season.
Brandon Andrews, a 5-11 junior, moved into a starting spot last season and is targeted for the shooting guard spot.
Wade Jackson, a 6-5 senior, has primarily been a guard during his high school career. This season Jackson is slated to move down low, possibly to a small forward. Jackson led T.R. Miller in scoring last year at just under 14 points a game and should eclipse the 1,000-career points plateau this season.
Jordan Knight, a 6-3 junior, also returns to the starting lineup. Like Jackson and Terrence Walker, a 6-1 senior, Knight's spot on the floor could vary from minute to minute.
Kelly Stallworth, a 6-1 senior, also returns to the lineup.
The center spot will be filled by the combination of Teras Fountain, a 6-3 junior, David Payne, a 6-4 junior, and Jeremy Curry, a 6-6 senior.
Donielle Smith, a 6-3 senior, Corey Cunningham, a 6-1 junior, and Michael Arauz, a 5-8 junior, will give T.R. Miller some additional depth.
When the Alabama High School Athletic Association reclassified last spring, it bumped the Tigers up to Class 4A and into a new Area that includes defending state champ Hillcrest-Evergreen, Andalusia and archrival W.S. Neal.
T.R. Miller will get plenty of home cooking this season. The Tigers will play 13 of their
20 regular season games at home, which includes the Escambia County Tournament Dec. 14-16 and the T.R. Miller Holiday Tournament Dec. 28-30.