Even while his team was losing 47 games over the previous two seasons, Richfield coach Omar McMillan was preparing his players and coaches for success.
McMillan had talks and seminars with players and coaches about things like how to handle the notoriety that comes with success. He changed his coaching style to adapt to more athletic players coming into his program. He made his pitch to athletes and parents alike, hoping all would buy into the mindset and behaviors that belong to winning players and teams.
He is reaping the rewards of his efforts this season, as youngsters such as Ryan Miles, Mitchell January and Lamar Grayson continue to grow and develop into talented basketball players. The No. 8-3A Spartans (18-4, 3-0) already have won more than twice as many games this season than they won the previous two seasons combined.
Richfield can sweep the regular-season series from city and Class 3A, Section 3 rival Holy Angels on Tuesday night.
A second victory over the Stars (Richfield won 65-59 on Jan. 14) would be satisfying to McMillan, who had lost a few young players from his program to Holy Angels before this season.
The Spartans' success on the court starts with 6-foot-5 junior Miles (17.1 ppg) and sophomore January (14.6 ppg), both regulars with the varsity the past few seasons. Grayson, a junior in his second year as a starter, leads the Spartans with a 20.7 points a game.
Holy Angels (15-7, 5-1), a Class 3A state tournament participant last spring, still has plenty of firepower with senior Matt Banovetz (21.6 ppg, 9.7 rebounds per game) and sophomore Emmett Johnson (15.3 ppg).