Sports
Mt. Miguel Girls Hoops: Miller Shines in Arizona
Senior scores a game-record 40 points in the Nike Tournament as Matadors finish with a 1-3 mark.
Playing against a national elite field, state-ranked No. 23 Mount Miguel got roughed up on its trip to Phoenix, bringing home only one win in four starts.
The highlight of the trip was provided by senior Danielle Miller, who scored a tournament record 40 points in the Matadors' 79-71 victory over Palisades in the second round of the prestigious Nike Tournament of Champions. Miller finished with 94 points for the tournament, with 36 rebounds, 24 steals and 8 assists.
"Danielle hadn't really played well the last two games," Mount Miguel coach Robbie Sandoval said. "She picked it up this game. They wound up fouling her because they couldn't guard her."
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The UNLV-bound Miller burned the Dolphins (6-4) by converting 13 of 18 free throws. She also hauled down 10 rebounds, registered seven steals, dished three assists and blocked two shots.
"That's the most points I've ever had a player score in a game since I've been at Mount Miguel," said Sandoval, now in his 11th season at the Matadors' helm. "She has been a scoring machine for us."
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Miller clicked on 12 of 18 shots from the floor, which included netting a trio of triples.
The Matadors were manhandled by Kennedale (TX) in the first round 61-44 and by that state's Canyon Springs 73-43 and LACES 53-41.
Does that mean Sandoval believes his team is an also-ran?
"We are a work in progress," the coach said. "This tournament in a way tells us where we need to be and what we need to do to get there. I had hoped to go 2-2 in this tournament and we could have done that by playing our game against LACES. But our hearts just weren't into it."
Special to Lemon Grove Patch from East County Sports.com
