Last season's state final loss providing experience for Millis girls basketball
DOVER - Dave Fallon drew up a sideline out of bounds play for the Millis girls basketball team late in Friday's win at Dover-Sherborn.
His point guards junior Lindsey Grattan and senior Kyra Rice shook the call off like a catcher. They felt confident enough to ask for a different play.
"That's really good stuff," Fallon said. "It's their game, it's always going to be their game. My job is trying to put them in opportunities to be successful, but they're the ones playing. The more they own it, the more they're all gonna work at it."
The players were so comfortable steering the ship late in a tight game because of how long they'd played together and for Fallon. Millis brought back five seniors from last season's Division 5 state finalist squad and only graduated four players a season ago.
"We've all played a lot of games together. We have experiences we can go to. When you lose in the state finals the year before, you've played in some pretty big games," Fallon said. "Our kids have that in the bank knowing when they need to tap into 'I've been in this situation before.'"
There's few positions Grattan and Rice haven't faced in their near decade together. They've been best friends since kindergarten and hooping together for nearly as long. Neither needs the ball, as both can bring it up the court or play well off the other. Rice shoots better, but Grattan zooms through defenses with a tight handle.
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"We just have a little thing going," Rice said.
"A connection," Grattan added.
Their familiarity extends to the rest of the team. The pair knows where the ball needs to be with which teammate in the current moment.
"We know what everyone's capable of doing, which is a good feeling to play with," Rice said.
Most of Millis' player carry what happened at the end of last season with them. They don't let it weight them down, though.
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"We thought it was a great experience. We didn't forget about it," Rice said. "We learned from it. I mean, yes, we were sad when we lost and we can still remember the loss but remember that we were there, remember how it was a good experience."
The experience has powered Millis to a strong case for a return trip. The team (13-5) is ranked No. 3 in the MIAA Division 4 power rankings behind defending champion Cathedral and Tyngsborough, who reached the Sweet 16 a year ago. They've won eight games in a row and are third in the TVL Small standings behind D-S and Norton.
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"Our experience is starting to show this time of year," Fallon said. "They're winners, they love to compete. They love to win. They're intelligent, and they involve everyone. They want to make everyone feel a part of the team."
That high basketball intelligence allows Fallon to constantly fiddle with Millis' sets and roles. The players remember a play from a previous season or earlier in the year and adjust instantly.
"He trusts us, and knowing that he trusts us helps with the chemistry with the coach and not just the teammates," Grattan said.
For Millis, the trust clearly goes both ways.
This article originally appeared on MetroWest Daily News: Experienced Millis girls basketball team aiming at another state final
