‘Control the tempo’: Which Fort Worth ISD school has a No. 1 ranked boys’ basketball team?
Fort Worth ISD has a high school basketball state championship contender.
Eastern Hills (20-4, 5-0 District 9-4A) is the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches No. 1 ranked boys’ team in Class 4A. The Highlanders are on an nine-game winning streak ahead of a game against Carter Riverside on Friday.
Head coach Melvin Miller has made steady progress with the Highlanders since he was hired in 2021. Eastern Hills went from a five-win team in 2022 to a 28-win team in the 2023 season.
Now, the Highlanders are one of the favorites to compete for a Class 4A state championship at the Alamodome in March.
Part of Eastern Hills’ success involves Miller’s coaching style, which revolves around discipline. Miller doesn’t limit his players, however, and tells them to play their games and shoot their shots.
“I run a very tight ship,” Miller said. “A lot of structure. I let my guys play freely, but they know the do’s and the don’ts.”
Miller took over a young program, and introduced the team to the best basketball in the Fort Worth-area with challenging non-district schedules. The Highlanders entered the flames, and came out the other side stronger.
“We’ve seen them improve quite a bit,” Miller said. “My first year we were 5-17. I went young, and it has been cool to watch my younger guys mature over the last few years.”
The team’s young core quickly gained experience, and in the 2024 season Eastern Hills is showcasing its more than ready to compete with the area’s top competition. On Nov. 21, 2023, Eastern Hills defeated a North Crowley squad that is currently ranked No. 3 in Texas’ largest classification, Class 6A.
“Just controlling the tempo,” Miller said, reflecting on the win. “Not allowing them to speed us up so much. Taking care of the ball and making free throws.”
Although the Highlanders are competing with the area’s best, they are still incredibly young with room to improve. Eastern Hills has only one senior on the roster and has a strong core of juniors and sophomores.
Breaking down the Highlanders
Alex Barther, a 6-foot-5 sophomore forward, brings intensity and a bit of size to Eastern Hills. Miller said he is “someone that can do everything.”
“He can play the one through the five,” Miller said. “He is multifaceted. He rebounds with the best. If I need him to go to the three point line, he can go knock down a big three. He can knock down a mid range jumper in the high post. If I see a post play is available, I can put him down there. He can score at all three levels.”
Melvin Miller’s son, Messiah Miller, is a 5-foot-10 junior point guard. Melvin Miller said he brings a pass first mentality and a “great understanding of the game.”
“With him being my son, I don’t really have to do a lot of play calling,” Miller said. “Because he can make the read. He knows what’s going on, so I trust him with making those calls.”
Another guard is 6-foot-1 sophomore Kamden McGilveary. Miller called him a “get in your face” defender, and added he brings a different style of game than Messiah Miller.
“He puts a lot of pressure on the defense,” Melvin Miller said.
Miller also mentioned Salyn Briggs and Siyan Briggs, twin brothers with 6-foot-3 frames. He said they bring shooting, physical play and the ability to impose their will on other teams.
“They give us great power off the bench,” Miller said.
Eastern Hills’ key to success: Tempo
Tempo control is important to the Highlanders’ identity, and it’s evident in the way the team plays. Offensively, Eastern Hills has a lot of talent but doesn’t force subpar shots. The team will pass up good shots for great shots, even against inferior competition.
“Be Patient,” Miller said of the team’s offensive key. “Control the tempo, and don’t let the defense force them into things they don’t want to do.”
Defensively, the Highlanders try to force their opponents to be reckless with the world’s greatest turnover tool: pressure. Although the opposition ultimately controls the pace when in possession of the ball, Eastern Hills still aims to dictate the tempo.
“We try to create a lot of pressure,” Miller said. “We try to make teams play faster than they want to play to create turnovers.”
In the 2023 playoffs, Eastern Hills was eliminated by Van Alstyne in the Area Round. Throughout the 2024 season, Eastern Hills has proven its worth and are the kingpin of Class 4A with a month remaining in district play.
In order for the team to continuously improve, Miller said they need to bond and “come together as a unit.”
“Be more vocal,” Miller said. That’s one thing we’ve been talking about lately. Just communicate. If we communicate more, then it makes guys a little bit more sure of their duties because they know they have everybody on the same note.”
In the playoffs, Miller said the Highlanders will need to “seize the moment” and “take advantage of every opportunity.”
“Those opportunities to get easy buckets, take them,” Miller said. “When we have a chance to make free throws, make them. Possess the ball as much as we can and focus on the things that we can control.”
Miller said camaraderie is important to the team, especially considering the team doesn’t have an abundance of size. He said the trust and chemistry within the team translates to results.
“Playing for one another,” Miller said. “Being able to make those sacrifices to box out, dive on the floor and do those little things. That’s what makes us a good team.”
Have a high school sports story idea? Send an email to Charles Baggarly, the Star-Telegram’s High School Sports Editor at cbaggarly@star-telegram.com.
This story was originally published January 18, 2024 at 11:59 AM.
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