CHOCOWINITY — With the return of WDN All-Area first-team guard Rokeem Miller, along with starting shooting guard Kyle White, the Southside boys’ basketball team is hoping that it can improve on last year’s 5-18 record.
Last season the 6-3 Miller was a threat to score 20-plus on any given occasion and his size and ability to play the point guard, shooting guard and small forward positions will be key for the Seahawks.
Miller, who will likely start the year playing the wing in third-year coach Sean White’s three-guard offense, will be paired up the sharp-shooting White, and together they must provide senior leadership for the youthful Seahawks.
“Both of them are leaders and talk on the floor and are asked to get the guys going and let them know where they are supposed to be,” White said. “That’s the big thing: you have to have somebody on the floor that  the other kids will listen to. You have to somebody that get things done and get the guys fired up.
“Basketball is a series of runs. This team goes on a run then the other team goes on a run. So just have to have somebody lead on the floor is big.”
While Miller and White head into the season as the unquestioned leaders, there are still plenty of questions to be answered as far as the roster goes.
First, Southside must find out who will be its starting point guard. Last season Miller handled a lot of the point guard duties, but White is hoping that this season his younger brother, sophomore Donshae Miller, can get the job done.
“Donshae would be, in my opinion, the right person for the point position because he’s small, he’s quick and he can handle the ball,” White said. “But, the point guard position is still open for anybody. We will find out soon who it’s going to be.”
Lacking a true center, Southside will play two forwards to go along with its three-guard lineup. Right now, White will lean on first-year varsity players Andrew Jones and Isaiah Moore to play in the paint.
“Right now, it’s looking like those two guys will be starters, but we have some JV guys coming up that could play,” White said. “We also have a transfer in John McCormick who can play forward, along with Chris Godley, who has really improved his physical conditioning.”
Fielding a smaller team, White will look to even out the height disadvantage with a speedy attack.
“I think we have some speed, that will be our overwhelming strength,” White said. “We’re going to push the ball up. Offensively, it will kind of depend on what the defense gives us, but we will want to run.
“Defensively, we’re looking to play a little bit more man than we have in the past. … I think with our speed we can do that a little bit more this season.”