Rochester — The rivalry between a younger sister and an older sister propelled both to greatness.
At the very least, greatness is starting to look like the “small things,” which is where Eva Miller is headed.
The “Big One” is Anna Miller, and her greatness is already established. Six-foot-three-foot fleet-footed center she was an All-State basketball player at Mayo College and has since become a top-ranked reserve her as a sophomore and has brought considerable basketball performances to Division I Drake University. I was.
Ava is 6-2 at Mayo’s Junior Center and is already in her second season as a starter. She averages 14 points, 9.6 rebounds, and blocks her shots almost twice per game in her 7-1. Spartan. In Thursday’s rotary at the Holiday Classic against Farmington, Miller tallied his 17 points and 11 rebounds as he beat the Mayo Civic in his auditorium to a 75–57 win.
“Ava is good at using what she has,” said second-year Mayo coach Andy Bromeling. “This year Ava is much stronger and holds her position well. Plus she has a great left hand (she is right handed) which is great. People always play her right side. and then she just switches to the left.”
Credit to Anna and her brother and great athlete Alex Miller, who is 6-foot-5 and a 2022 Mayo graduate, for helping Ava establish it all.
But Anna’s achievements in particular are her 6-3 frames, long arms, speed, jumping ability, and simple love and support for Ava.
The two have been battling for as long as Ava can remember. That includes this Christmas break and her one-on-one duel at the Rochester Athletic Club is renewed.
Ava proudly states that she holds her own against Anna, who has long been her basketball idol and measuring instrument.
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“I’m a really competitive person and I just love competing with her,” he says, adding that for the past three years, he’s been regularly attending ETS workouts when Anna is around to get stronger and faster. Eva, who has been trying to be, said. “I use my power against her. Anna is fast and great at blocking shots. You can get her by drawing fouls from her, but we’re always competing with each other, always one-on-one.”
And when they’re not trying to beat each other, they’re just there for each other as best friends.
Anna says she and Alex are good friends too. But with Anna, it’s different and has depth.
They are the biggest support system for each other.
“I call her every day,” Eva said. “We talk about everything.”
Ava wants to be like Anna before she quits basketball. Mayo Her Jr., who is also an excellent volleyball player, puts most of her energy into the hoops and does it with purpose.
She wants this Mayo team to be as good as it can be and hopes to win the Big Nine Conference title this year.
But she looks further ahead. She wants to be a college baseball player and she’s doing everything she can to get there.
And if all goes well, she might end up with a teammate she knows well.
“It would be great to be able to play college basketball anywhere,” Eva said. “But I spoke to her sister and asked her what she would think if I went[to Drake]. She said she would like it.”
