Dynamic Dragon Duo: Brooks and Miller leading the way for hot-shooting Round Rock
Photo credit: Zach Smith
The confidence oozing from the Round Rock basketball bench is palpable from the dynamic duo Jae’lyn Brooks and Reese Miller to head coach Brent Murphy’s custom maroon-and-white Jordan 1s.
Brooks and Miller have been playing basketball together since middle school, and the chemistry shows for the Dragons, which have won back-to-back games to stay tied atop the District 25-6A standings.
“I’ve always been the best slasher, and he’s always been the best shooter,” Miller said. “That’s just been a great combo. We just play off each other and don’t even have to think about it at this point.”
Miller scored 36 points in a 73-61 road win over Vandegrift on Friday night, while Brooks led the team with 22 points and Miller added 16 in the Dragons’ 67-47 win over Vista Ridge on Saturday afternoon.
“We know each other’s strengths,” Brooks said. “I know his favorite spots on the court and I know where he’s going to be. Same for him, he knows that I like to get to the rim and he knows where to find me.”
Brooks was one of the best returning players from the Dragons’ district title-winning team from a year ago, while Miller has improved from a shooting specialist early in his Round Rock career to a great all-around player head to Abilene Christian next year.
Murphy knows the Dragons are at their best offensively when they’re running motion. He trusts the team thanks, in part, to the cohesion of Brooks and Miller.
“The best I think I can do as a coach is get out of their way,” Murphy said. “I need to put them in the best opportunity to get in a scoring position, but they’re both so good at creating their own shots.”
This year’s team is a very different one than last year when size helped the Dragons win a playoff game for the first time in school history.
Murphy says, without a hint of hyperbole, that the Dragons are the smallest team in Class 6A.
“We are so good in transition, and we can switch everything there,” he said. “There are only a few teams in the district that can give us problems with their size, but we can counter with speed.”
Midway through the district schedule, Round Rock and Westwood are tied at 6-1, while Cedar Ridge and Stony Point are at one game back at 5-2. Vista Ridge and Vandegrift at three games behind fourth at 2-5 in district play.
The Dragons got the best of the Warriors in the first round of district play, but the rematch is set to Friday at 7 p.m. at Round Rock HS with the winner having the clearest path to a district title.
Brooks knows what the Dragons are capable of, and he said the passion of the group can help them overcome any physical difference.
“I think we have a lot of guys that love the game,” Brooks said. “We’re a small team, but we put in a lot of effort. We’re a really gritty team and we like to play to our strengths. We like to get out and play fast and like to enjoy the game.”