7. Miller Grove (Lithonia, Ga.)Head coach: Sharman White
2010-11 record: 31-1, Georgia Class AAAA state champion
Players to watch: Justin Colvin (6-2, 170, Sr., G),
Tony Evans (6-5, 195, Sr., F),
Christian Houston (5-11, 165, Sr., G),
Brandon Morris (6-7, 190, Sr., F, Georgia verbal commitment),
Tony Parker (6-9, 270, Sr., F/C), Davante Provost (6-0, 165, Sr., G)
Scouting report: Miller Grove High School opened in 2004. Basketball-wise, many in Georgia would probably like to see it disappear. The Wolverines have rattled off five-consecutive 20-win seasons and three-straight Class AAAA state titles.
Miller Grove senior Tony Parker is one of the nation's top big men.
Katelyn Hill Photography
"We envisioned this and now it is coming to fruition," White said of the school's basketball ascension. "Now we want to keep it going."
Miller Grove will be favored to four-peat behind Parker, MaxPreps.com's National Junior of the Year last season. Being pursued by the likes of Duke, Memphis, UCLA and Ohio State, Parker dominated on the big stage in 2010-11, including 21 points and 22 rebounds against Rockdale County in the state championship game.
Colvin, Evans, Houston, Morris and Provost have all contributed for past championship teams at Miller Grove and the group of six experienced seniors (along with Parker) will be counted on to manage a daunting schedule.
From Dec. 15 to Jan. 16, the Wolverines will face a grueling stretch of games. The challenge begins with
Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.), includes stops in Fort Myers, Fla., for the City of Palms Classic and Springfield, Mo., for the Bass Pro Tournament Champions and showdowns against
Simeon (Chicago, Ill.) and
St. Anthony (Jersey City, N.J.) are thrown in for good measure. Then there is
Southwest DeKalb (Decatur), a region rival MG met four times last season. White says he has no second thoughts about putting together the slate.
"These opportunities don't come around very often. They aren't guaranteed," White said. "So when you have the opportunity, I think you have to take it. We've got the pieces and we think we have what we need to take it on."
