Boys Basketball: Milton is off to its best start in years. What's different about the Panthers?
The Milton boys basketball team is off to its best start in at least 20 years.
It’s such a good start that, when looking at MaxPreps for previous seasons, you can’t go back far enough to find a Panthers team that won its first 11 games of the season.
The best season found was the 2006-07 campaign, when Milton went 10-1 through its first 11 games – the only loss coming in the first game of the season against Booker T. Washington, a team that has found consistent success over the years.
In 2023-24, the Panthers, 11-0, are entering uncharted territory in head coach Joey Nieves’ first year at the helm.
“There was a little bit of a bitter taste (last year). But with eight seniors returning, I think they understood that this is the last chance they have to have a good year. They’ve been working their tails off to make sure they have a good year,” Nieves said. “I don’t think they expected a start like this, but I’m sure they’re extremely happy with the way it’s going.”
The Panthers likely have their toughest task yet coming on Wednesday when Mary G. Montgomery (Semmes, Alabama) comes to town. The Vikings are also undefeated with a 12-0 record.
“Everybody’s excited to play another good team. It’ll let us know where we’re at,” junior Treymar Jones said. “Somebody is going to have to take their first loss.”
“And we don’t plan on losing that game,” senior C.J. McKinley quickly added.
‘Togetherness’
What has caused the vast improvement for Milton? After a 6-19 season last year, there is the added chemistry between players. The Panthers graduated just three players in 2023, and had a majority of players returning this year.
Jones and McKinley both mentioned that the players are learning each other’s playstyle and roles a little bit more. It was Jones’ first season at Milton last year, after playing for L.E.A.D. Academy his freshman year – the same school that Nieves coached at prior to this year.
Those two players also lead the Panthers on the scoreboard. Through 10 games (Milton’s stats from its 11th win of the season against Navarre haven’t been added yet), Jones is averaging 14.9 points per game, while McKinley isn’t far behind with 13 points per game. Jones, standing at 6-foot-2, also leads the team with 6.1 rebounds per game.
On the court, they’re leaders – but it’s off the court where their influence blossoms.
“I tell my guys that a coach-led team can only go so far. A player-led team is going to take us where we want to go. C.J. and Treymar, they understand that. They’re really taking that role head on,” Nieves said. “On the court, they’re so skilled and talented that I can count on them to be consistent each game. Off the court, they’re hungry to win.”
As a team, Nieves can pinpoint one thing, however, that’s a little different about this Milton roster: its ability to play together. Watching from afar last season, Nieves said in his “personal opinion” that, while the Panthers had talented players, he didn’t think “they played together.”
“There was a lot of talent on the floor, doing their own thing,” Nieves said.
During the fall, things changed. Milton players watched Montverde Academy, which is near Orlando and is widely regarded as one of the top basketball teams in the nation, while in Orlando.
It was there that the Panthers saw how Montverde played – along with Cooper Flagg, the No. 1 recruit in the nation in the 2024 class.
“(Montverde) didn’t care who scored. … Because we saw that from the top team in the nation, and we’ve been preaching that, they bought into it,” Nieves said. “The one thing that this team has is the togetherness in every aspect of the game. We’ve been preaching together since day one. These guys have been living it, man. Every time I look on campus, they’re together. It translates to the court.”
“From the get-go, (Nieves) always said we rise together, so we have to play together as a team no matter what,” McKinley said. “Losing, winning, we’ve got to stay together.”
Buying into the system
It wasn’t so much what Nieves brought as far as on-the-court play, but what Nieves was trying to enforce off the court. Nieves emphasizes “taking care of the little things,” that’ll eventually lead to success in the bigger picture.
Things such as making sure jerseys and shirts are tucked in during practice – like they would be in a game – and prioritizing how the team looks when they travel, and taking good care of locker rooms, both home and away.
“I nitpicked a lot of things early on for them to understand the little things matter,” Nieves said. “They’ve done those things, and because they’ve done those things, receiving compliments from so many people, the players see the benefit of trying to stay sharp. That’s helped them on the court.”
It’s almost a mindset of “look good, feel good, play good.”
“We have to start that in practice – little things matter, building good habits,” Jones said.
“Coach is showing us this is a business, and you have to look professional when playing,” McKinley said.
When Nieves first took over, with the new mindset for Milton, he said about 90% of the players bought in on day one. The remaining 10% “came along pretty quickly,” he added. While Nieves couldn’t remember what game it was early in the season, there came almost an ultimatum.
And, after that declaration, “all 13 of (the) kids were in.”
“And I’m sure winning has something to do with that,” Nieves said. “I basically gave them an ultimatum. If you’re in, let’s keep moving this thing forward. If you’re not, I’m not going to be mad at you, but then it’s time to go. Fortunately for us, we didn’t lose anybody.”
A player-led team
Milton boasts a pretty deep bench, led by Jones and McKinley. But Nieves said the Panthers have a “next man up” mentality, and it showed in Milton’s most recent game against Navarre.
After a “shaky start” to the game, according to Nieves, the Panthers were able to quickly make some adjustments due to a high “IQ of the game.” That partially led to a 76-48 victory to keep the Panthers undefeated.
The other part was a couple players that came off the bench. Nieves highlighted the performances of Jackson Gee and De’mon Parks – both players who hadn’t seen a ton of time in the first 10 games of the season – but “became key contributors” against the Raiders, playing 15-20 minutes each.
“There’s not a bad basketball player on our team,” Nieves said. “If someone isn’t playing well, is sick or hurt – when those things happen, it’s a next man up mentality. And those guys are ready to go.”
That’s also where the “player-led team” comes into play. And it’s facing its toughest task this week. Nieves won’t be on the bench this week with his team, as he’s with his family for personal reasons. Assistant coach Isaiah Jones is the acting head coach while Nieves is away.
“Because it is a player-led team, I’m not too concerned about not being there,” Nieves said. “I’m excited to be here for the birth of my child and be next to my wife every step of the way, and to not worry about the game on Wednesday. I wish I was there with them, but I’ll be there in spirit. I’m excited to know they’ll be just fine.”
“With Coach gone, we have to keep that energy high,” Jones said. “We can’t slack or drop down just because he’s not here.”
While the short-term goal is to beat Mary G. Montgomery on Wednesday, Nieves hopes there is “some type of adversity” that comes with the game. Nieves also called Wednesday’s game a “win-win” no matter what.
“Would it be great to stay undefeated? Absolutely, and hopefully that’s the case. We’re trying to win every game,” Nieves said. “But at the same time, we’re trying to learn and get better. We’re focused on the bigger picture.”
In the first 11 games of the season, the opening four games were decided by 10 points or less. As the Panthers have learned how to “close out games,” Jones said, Milton has won the next seven games by 18 points or more.
“Sometimes, like against Navarre, I don’t think we were as focused as we needed to be to start the game,” Nieves said. “My kids are smart enough to know that they can’t do that against MGM. If they do that against MGM on Wednesday, they know they’re in trouble.”
Ben Grieco is a sports reporter for the Pensacola News Journal. He can be reached on X (@BenGriecoSports) and via email at BGrieco@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Milton boys basketball finding early success, undefeated through 11 games
