Middle School Team Going to Show Out for UK-WKU Game

Millard Middle School Girls BB Photo

The Millard Middle School girls basketball team in Pike County will be loud and proud at Memorial Coliseum Saturday when Kentucky hosts Western Kentucky.

Coach Michael Coleman brought 53 players, coaches and parents to Rupp Arena last year to see UK play. This year the total has increased to 82.

Coleman saw a social media past last year from Lonnie Rowe, father of UK junior guard Cassidy Rowe, about UK Athletics having ticket availability. Tickets cost the team $3 each.

This year the team used money again from its basketball fund to purchase tickets that were $8 each.

“They made us the feature team (at the game) last year and we will be the feature team again this time,” the coach said.

His team has five third-graders, one fourth-grader and the rest are in grades five to eight.

“Most of the girls came to the game last year,” Coleman said. “They are very excited. They have been talking and messaging a lot about when are we leaving.

“With coach (Kenny) Brooks being new and having a top 25 team it is almost like a different trip,” Coleman said.

He thinks if the players picked a favorite player to meet it would be Rowe, who came out after last year’s game to sign autographs and talk to the players. She played at Shelby Valley High School which is close to Millard Middle School.

“I am sure if the rest of the team or coach Brooks came out they would be excited but Cassidy is the one player I think most of them would like to meet the most because she’s from close to here,” Coleman said. “But I hope they get to interact with a lot of the players and maybe the coaches. Our team would really enjoy that.”

This is Coleman’s final year as a middle school coach. His eighth-grade daughter is on the team but is a volleyball player and her high school volleyball season next year will conflict with the middle school playing season.

“My daughter loves volleyball. We came down and watched Kentucky in the second round of the NCAA Tournament as a family and we were really hoping we would get to see them in the Final Four (in Louisville),” Coleman said.