'Our kids don't quit.' Indy school has just 7 players, knows winning goes beyond score.

Once the players loaded into the van for the 15-minute drive to Tech for their first-round City tournament game, coach Scott Miller asked them where they wanted to eat after they pulled off the upset.

“Chick-fil-A!” the players answered back.

When the Providence Cristo Rey players arrived at Tech for the 5 p.m. game, Tech students were still clearing out their equipment from after school practices as Miller began to address his team. Not that they needed more than a corner of the lengthy locker room.

There are just seven players on the Providence Cristo Rey team.

There was no storybook ending, not on this night anyway. In the movies, the victorious seven underdogs would laugh as they scarfed down Chick-fil-A sandwiches into the night. The reality? One of Miller’s starters chipped his two front teeth 35 seconds into the game and Providence Cristo Rey fell behind 28-1 by the end of the first quarter.

“It’s a good idea to wear a mouthguard,” Miller told his team in the huddle between quarters, bringing a smile to their faces.

The team breaks the huddle — and every other huddle — with two words: “Don’t quit!” And it is within those two words, not the scoreboard against Tech or the season record, where you find the substance in this journey for seven basketball players and the 55-year-old Miller, a coach who once thought he knew it all only to realize you can never stop learning.

He is still learning. From players like Javion Newell, a 6-3 junior. For Newell, the words “Don’t quit” extend beyond the basketball court.

“I think that’s my philosophy on life, to be honest,” Newell said. “Don’t quit. Try to get the most out of it. At the end, you are always going to get something out of it.”

Newell learned that from his mother, Cheavoda Holt, who went back to school and earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Arizona global campus. “That’s my inspiration,” Newell said. “She doesn’t quit, no matter how hard it gets. It’s never too late to do what you need to do.”

Newell is a shining star at Providence Cristo Rey, where he competes in four sports and is a student ambassador and co-president of the student council. He is also a work study student at the Indianapolis Zoo through a program at the school that allows students to receive real-world job experiences while earning a portion of their tuition costs.

Newell, who plans to study biology in college, works every Tuesday at the zoo during the school year and worked a paid internship over the summer. All of the 236 students at the school participate in the corporate work study program, including the seven on the basketball team.

“The uniqueness of the school is the corporate work study program,” said Andrew Dishman, the athletic director and girls basketball coach who came to the Catholic school when it opened in 2007 directly out of college at the University of Indianapolis. “How does athletics work with that? It’s kind of the same. Athletics is a motivator, another tool in education to teach students about teamwork and communication. Kids start out as freshman in our work study program as freshmen are usually quieter and more reserved. By the time they are sophomores, they are more communicative, willing to talk to adults. We see the same thing with athletics.”

Communication is written on the whiteboard in front of the seven Providence Cristo Rey players in the Tech locker room in Miller’s handwriting under the four keys to the game in these words: “Quiet gym = scared gym.”

At halftime, Miller revisits the message before the team takes the court for the second half against Tech.

“I think we’re scared to death!” Miller shouts after calmly going over some adjustments in the locker room. “Who cares! Get after them!”

'Probably one of the 10 most challenging schools in the state...'

Miller did not expect to have just seven players coming into the season. Fourteen signed up for tryouts. Ten tried out. Three quit during the first week. And even one of the seven who stuck it out was academically ineligible for the first semester, leaving the Wolves with just six players for the first 10 games.

The good news? Miller does not field calls and emails from parents upset about playing time. The bad news? They are an injury or two away from not playing at all.

“It’s hard to practice,” Miller said. “You can’t go 5-on-5. We’re always an injury or a couple guys fouling out away from it being like ‘Hoosiers’ where we have four guys on the court.”

Miller’s first head coaching job was at Bethesda Christian almost two decades ago. His teams went 15-7 and 17-7, the latter team taking Lapel to overtime in a Class A sectional semifinal, the first year the program was eligible for tournament play. “I thought I could win anywhere,” Miller said with a smile.

He joined Pete Smith’s boys basketball staff at Guerin Catholic for three years, then was hired as the girls coach at Guerin, leading the program to a 78-68 record over six seasons from 2010-16 before moving back over the boys side at Indiana Math & Science for two seasons and then Scecina for four years, going 12-11 in his final season there in 2021-22.

Miller was introduced to Tyler Mayer, a former Bishop Chatard administrator who took over as Providence Cristo Rey president and CEO in 2020. Miller called him over the summer and asked if he would be interested.

“I talked to my wife, and she said, ‘I think it’s time for you to get back into it,’” Miller said. “I think we can build something pretty cool here. It’s probably one of the 10 most challenging schools in the state from an athletic standpoint, but I legitimately think we could challenge for a state championship. We just have to build the program and get kids who want to come here.”

On the court against Tech, those state championship dreams seem far away.

'Teamwork, socializing, leadership.'

Jason Morris, a 5-10 junior with the nickname “J-Mo”, never played organized basketball until his freshman year. Now, he is a starting guard for the Wolves. Which is something.

“I do give up a lot,” Morris said. “So, I’m trying to figure out how to not look at others and put myself down because I started late in basketball.”

There is no giving up here. Not even after Morris slips on the floor on the second possession of the game and hits his mouth on the court, chipping his two front teeth. Miller texts Morris’ mother from the bench to let her know, though he returns to the game.

“Teamwork, socializing, leadership,” Morris says when asked what he gets out of basketball. “I’m staying healthy, staying in shape. I plan to do track this year, too.”

The only Providence Cristo Rey point in the first quarter comes after Tech is called for hanging on the rim after a dunk. Andrew Murphy, the Wolves’ junior point guard, hits the second of two technical free throws.

“Drewski”, as Miller calls Murphy, is arguably the team’s most-skilled player. He grew up around basketball, playing travel ball. Miller likes him as a point guard. Miller is outgoing and friendly, easy to like. And Miller does, though he gets on him and the rest of the team.

“No quitting!” Miller said. “Play with passion, play with energy all the time!”

There is a lighter moment, too, when the only senior on the team, 5-9, 139-pound Juan Cabanas, explains why he had to leave the game about a minute after Morris’ tooth issue. Cabanas was doubled over in pain, unable to catch his breath.

“He blew the air out of me!” Cabanas explained.

Miller and the seven players laugh, ready to take the court for the second half.

'Our kids don't give up.'

Winning is not impossible. Far from it. Providence Cristo Rey played in a Class A sectional championship game in 2018-19 (losing by one point) under then-coach Pete Bitting and in 2020. Two years ago, the Wolves won a boys soccer sectional title and have been to the sectional championship four consecutive seasons since joining the Indiana High School Athletic Association in 2013.

“COVID changed some things for us, especially in our athletics,” Dishman said. “But the biggest thing is that our kids don’t give up. They are very driven. We have victories where we see the student-athletes grow. You see that athlete who couldn’t make a 3-point shot start making them on a regular basis. How fun is that? Those are victories, too. We have victories where the student-athletes have grown and learn they can compete.”

Case in point: the second half of the Tech game. In particular, 6-6 sophomore Taviar Duerson. The broad-shouldered Duerson, a sleek athlete at 179 pounds, catches the attention of the Tech defense. He catches the ball at the free-throw line and drives hard to his right for a basket. Duerson can block shots and rebound. There are moments in the second half of the Tech game when Duerson looks like he can match up favorably with Tech’s top players.

“He has the physical tools and work ethic,” Miller said. “The biggest thing we need to work on with TJ is catching the ball in traffic and finishing. But he’s willing to put in the work.”

Duerson is relentlessly positive with his teammates. There is no visible frustration despite the turnovers.

“This season is all about hard work and never giving up,” Duerson said. “Even if we don’t win state or anything. We’re not there yet, but we’re going to get there soon.”

Tech is merciful in the second half. With the 35-point running clock enacted, the Titans move the ball around on offense and pull back on defense. Providence Cristo Rey also plays better, the scoreboard reading 66-23 in favor of Tech when the buzzer sounds.

“I think we did a good job of spacing better, and we valued the ball better,” Miller told his team. “They are a class act. They could have put 150 (points) on us. But they worked the ball around. When we get good, that’s what we want to have happen. We want to respect our opponents.”

Miller closed the postgame chat by telling the team they would have the next two days off practice. “That’ll give J-Mo a chance to get to the dentist,” he said.

'Grow as human beings, not just basketball players.'

Providence Cristo Rey moved from its location on the Near Westside to its new location at 2717 S. East Street at the start of the 2022-23 school year. The school, which has more than 100 corporate intern partners, instills classroom instruction through the work study program for students from economically disadvantaged families.

The building and gym represent a drastic step up in facilities from the previous location. The gym seats about 240 people. Miller would love to see it filled for the final four home games against Herron (Jan. 31), Irvington Prep (Feb. 3), International (Feb. 8) and Park Tudor (Feb. 23).

“To have 240 people in a small gym like this would mean a lot,” Miller said. “We want them to be great dads, husbands, role models in the community. I think we’re on the way to that. We just need some growth in the basketball side.”

Jonas Wells, a junior, did not play basketball until his sophomore year. He knows this opportunity is something he would not have at a larger school.

“I only play because my friends said they needed more people,” Wells said. “So, I volunteered. First practice, I was over there on the floor, gasping for air. But I made a commitment so that’s what I’m going to do is continue playing.”

Providence Cristo Rey is 1-12 so far, the only win coming 42-36 at Central Christian, which is rebuilding its program with freshmen after taking last year off. The Chargers are 0-13 this season.

Progress, as Dishman points out, sometimes can’t be found on the scoreboard. Progress can be found in a connection between a coach and his players, teammate-to-teammate. Miller shares books with his players he believes they would enjoy. When they sit on the bench during games, he makes sure “backs are off the bench.” If they miss practice, he finds out why.

These might seem like small things. But small things matter.

“He wants to see us grow as human beings, not just basketball players,” said Elijah Grimes, a 5-11, 126-pound sophomore. “He goes out of his way to have a personal connection with us.”

The night before the Tech game, the team wrapped up practice on a bitterly cold night. On one end of the gym, Duerson and new assistant Mike Parker, a 23-year-old who played at Butler, play 1-on-1. Standing near the stage, Grimes is asked what he expects in the Tech game.

“The goal for tomorrow,” Grimes said, “is if we’re up by 50 or down by 50, to play the same.”

Don’t quit.

Call Star reporter Kyle Neddenriep at (317) 444-6649.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana high school basketball: Providence Cristo Rey has just 7 players