CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Every season, a number of players go from being a bit player the year before to a key player or even a star. There are usually a multitude of reasons for it, but it happens often enough that one example of it might not seem to be much of a story. But sometimes it looks like something that was far from being destined to happen, and that makes it a story.
Enter Harvard forward Doug Miller.
The junior from Winchester, Massachusetts is one of just four players from the state on the team. His hometown isn’t a place known for producing Division I players, in a state that would have a lot less of them if you took away the prep schools. He was a solid player on a team that made it to the state semifinals as a senior and actually played in that game against current teammate Pat Magnarelli.
For two seasons, Miller was not much of a factor at the nation’s oldest university. He played a total of 146 minutes and had more personal fouls (26) than points (22). There was a partial explanation for the lack of playing time at first, as he had knee surgery his freshman year and suffered a foot injury later on. Last season, he played in 23 of the team’s 30 games, but averaged just 6.3 minutes per game.
This season is quite different. Miller is now a starter, one of just two Crimson to start every game thus far this season. He’s averaging almost three times as many minutes as last season, having already far surpassed his career minutes total entering the season. While he hasn’t put up All-Ivy League numbers (4.7 points, 3.2 rebounds per game) save for perhaps his 71.8 field goal percentage, he’s become an indispensable part of the Crimson, who improved to 7-6 on Friday and were aided by his career-high 15 points on 7-10 shooting.
“He’s earned that, he deserves it, you can see the confidence growing in his play,” said head coach Tommy Amaker. “His teammates are so happy for him in the locker room. He’s such a wonderful guy, he’s a great teammate.”
Indeed, his teammates to a man describe him as the hardest worker on the team. They rave about his character, and that, besides the fact that it’s helping the team win games, is a big reason why they are happy to see this. The staff describes him as coachable, and they can see that the season he is having is no accident.
Asked how much better Miller is now, senior Drew Housman said, “A lot better, especially from when he came in freshman year to where he is now. He’s probably the hardest worker on the team, and it’s great to see him have success, especially against a formidable opponent.”
Certainly, having more opportunity helps, and that has presented itself with the injuries the Crimson have had in the frontcourt. Magnarelli hasn’t played all season with a leg injury suffered in early practice, and Andrew Van Nest will miss the entire season with a shoulder injury suffered in November. But Miller could have just easily thrown the opportunity away; instead, he has taken advantage and become an integral part of this team now. He kept working hard like he always has and didn’t change anything, and he and the Crimson see the results.
More recently, the Crimson have needed to get more out of him. Freshman Keith Wright missed four games with mono and still isn’t 100 percent, and hasn’t really been fully healthy all season. Evan Harris has also missed the last two games but should return soon. Miller was the lone frontcourt starter on Friday night alongside four guards, and against a team that boasted the West Coast Conference’s top big man in 6’10”, 270-pound John Bryant, along with another 6’9″ player in the starting lineup. And all Miller did was go out and set a career high in points.
Not only that, but he came through at a couple of important times. He scored the last three points in an 11-0 run that gave the Crimson the lead for good, then when the Broncos got within four with about seven minutes left, made a basket that pushed the lead back to six. The Broncos never got closer than five points the rest of the way.
On a team with a few solid veterans and freshmen who came in with a lot of hype, Miller has been one of the real stories of their non-league slate. When most observers looked at the team before the season and thought of the holdovers, his name was surely nowhere near the top of anyone’s list. He’s worked hard to change that, and we’re starting to see the results of it. Doug Miller has become more than just a bit player for his team.
