The Franklin Reporter & Advocate Eight Villages, One Community
Franklin High School girls basketball standout Diamond Miller has made a non-binding commitment to play for the University of Maryland.
The decision was made March 10, following a visit to the Miller home by the Terrapins’ head coach Brenda Frese and her staff.
“We are extremely happy with her choice of Maryland,” said Dreana Miller, Diamond’s mother.
Miller had whittled down her choices between Notre Dame and Maryland, both of which were recruiting her aggressively, Dreana Miller has said.
Diamond Miller said she finally chose Maryland, located in College Park, Md., because “it has a great girls basketball program, with an amazing staff, and it’s close to home.”
Maryland is a Division 1 school and is a member of the Big 10 conference. The girls’ team is currently in second place in the league, behind Ohio State, and has posted a 12-4 record in the division and 25-7 record overall.
The decision comes on the eve of the FHS Lady Warriors playing Toms River High School North on March 11 for the NJSIAA North Group IV championship in Toms River. The winner of that title – of which Franklin is the defending champion – goes on to compete in the state tournament of champions.
Miller is a 6-2 guard who us averaging about 24 points per game. She’s known for her shot-making ability from the three-point zone, her defense and her ability to feed her teammates the ball.
Miller, who was named the Lady Warriors’ Most Valuable Player for the 2016-17 season, was also part of the gold medal-winning Under-16 US National Team that competed in Buenos Aires, Argentina last summer.
Dreana Miller said that she and her husband Lance – a Villanova Hall of Fame basketball player – are happy with their daughter’s choice.
“Colleges have been recruiting Diamond since she was in the 8th Grade,” she said. “And since she won gold with the USA team, with phone calls, texting and boat loads of recruiting letters from big-time colleges and universities.”
“This journey has been a process, and I’m glad it’s over,” she said.
Diamond’s older sister, Adreana, plays for LaSalle University. Diamond recently broke the all-time FHS basketball scoring record set by Adriana three years ago.
Dreana Miller said Diamond gave her verbal commitment March 10 during the home visit, but she still has to make her official visit to the university. She can officially sign her commitment letter next year.
Miller joins another New Jersey junior – Manasquan’s Faith Masonius – to commit to Maryland. Miller and Masonius faced each other in last year’s TOC finals – a thriller which Franklin won with a buzzer-beater by Kennady Schenck – and look to have a re-match this year.
Dreana Miller said her daughter has an eye on playing for the WNBA, and is interested in majoring in either Aerospace Engineering or Forensic Anthropology at Maryland.
