Cardinal Points

Issue date: 11/30/07 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Andrei Popovici Vlad Senior Antwane Miller was named as one of the captains for the men's basketball team and earned a spot in the starting five through hard work and dedication.

His coach describes him as a quiet and unassuming leader.

His friends and teammates say he is shy and funny, not to mention smart.

He is Antwane Miller, point guard for the Plattsburgh State men's basketball team.

Hailing from Brooklyn, Miller started playing basketball when he was 12 years old. By then he was taller than his peers and gifted athletically, which made him start playing in a preteen recreational league.

He was like any kid, playing video games and goofing around. Teammate and roommate Lance Darrell grew up with Miller. They met when they were 11, and have been close ever since.

"Antwane is a big part of why I came to Plattsburgh," he said. "He started playing here and suggested I check the school out."

In high school, Miller joined the basketball team. This was the first time he played competitive sports, and he excelled.

To keep in shape during the off-season, Miller joined the tennis team. He said the drills they did helped him become more agile and nimble, which are intangibles, he says, that can't be taught.

Out of high school, he was not sure what he wanted to do, or if he even wanted to go to college.

He got a phone call from his cousin, Curtis Smith, saying he should check out PSUC. Smith was an assistant coach for the men's basketball team last year and played for the school until 2005.

"He had me come up and check out the school," Miller said. "I decided to come up here because I liked it and I had an opportunity to play ball."

In his first season he started in only two games because he had two other senior guards playing in front of him. This was a good learning experience for him. After playing a key role coming off the bench in his sophomore and junior seasons, he finally earned a starting spot.

This season he was named as a captain. Head Coach Tom Curle said he earned the distinction.

"Over four years he has grown as a person, as a student and as a player," Curle said. "Quietly and authoritatively, he makes others realize what they need to do. His leadership is a pleasant surprise, especially on the younger players. He has grown as much in four years as any player I've coached."

Continued...

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