Miller Basketball Improve to 9-0

The season is already nine games old, and no one has found an answer for the Millburn boys basketball team yet. The boys kept their strong play going with a convincing 58-39 victory over Verona Friday night at Millburn High School.

The visiting Hillbilly boys stayed within striking distance for most of the game, but never really threatened to win the contest. The Millers never trailed after the early stages of the first quarter and led by as many as 20 points.

Three different Millers squared in double figures, led by Co-captain Alex Rosenberg with 22 points. Co-captain Joe Kizel scored 12 and Andrew Spelman chipped in 10.

The key stretch for the home team came in the second and third quarters when the Millers put the game away outscoring Verona 34-20 to take a 14-point led into the final quarter. Verona got within 13 in the final quarter, but Millburn was too much on offense.

Millburn was able to win this one because of a balanced offensive attack that gave Spelman, Max Miller and Brian Brown wide open looks at the basketball. As a team, the Millers drained 58.3 percent of its shots from the floor compared to 42 percent for the Hillbillies.

"We've told [Spelman] many times, going back to last summer, they're going to double Joey, they're going to double Alex and he's going to be open," said Millburn boys head coach Rodger Blind. "He has the confidence to shoot the ball right on the catch. There's no hesitation in his mind."

Verona, led by Brian Farrell with 15 points and Noah Herman with 10, fell to 5-6 with the loss.

While it was an impressive win for the Millers, the story of this season has been their impressive 9-0 start. The key has been a combination of Millburn jumping out to early starts and then holding on for the win.

Through their first nine games the Millers have been in the lead after the opening quarter in every game and have had a half-time lead in eight of them. In five of those games Millburn has closed out the second half holding the opposition to 21 points or less.

"Part of that is the fact that we have seniors and they understand the importance of starting out and getting off to a good start," Blind said. "The other thing, too, we know if we get a lead we can spread teams out."

Millburn is the last unbeaten team in Essex County and continues to keep looking better with each passing game. Despite the win and the early success, Blind is still not completely satisfied and is looking from a bit more from his team. 

"I thought in spots we played very well. I thought in other spots I was disappointed," Blind said. "I told the team 'you have to sustain.' We got up by 15 or 16 and then we let them back in the game."    

Millburn plays on the road against Barringer next Tuesday looking to improve to 10-0.