Rebels reaping benefits of early schedule

There was no easing into this season for the Vestavia Hills High School boys basketball team.

Whether the Rebels hoped to do so or not, head coach Patrick Davis put together a schedule that was not going to allow for that.

In the season’s first six games, the Rebels picked up a one-point win against Chelsea and suffered losses to Spain Park, Hartselle and Sparkman, three teams that will likely be playing deep into the playoffs this year.

While a loss is never the desired outcome, Davis liked what he saw from his guys in response to them.

“It sounds really cliché, but this group really realized that we needed to get a lot better. We had so many guys that had such little experience, that they knew we were nowhere near where we can be,” Davis said.

Davis said this group ranks at or near the top of any that he has coached in its commitment to improvement throughout the season.

“This group knew this was going to be a work in progress,” he said.

It’s safe to say the progress has been encouraging.

After the 3-3 start, the Rebels ripped off 13 consecutive wins. The likes of Homewood (twice), Mountain Brook, Oak Mountain, Cullman and Tuscaloosa County were all handed losses by the Rebels. They also won a tournament in Kentucky just before Christmas.

“That December stretch was really good for us,” Davis said. “This group plays with an edge that’s hard to put your finger on.”

The team is led by Win Miller, a senior guard who recently became the program’s all-time leading scorer. Miller passed Wade Kaiser, who played on the Vestavia Hills 1992 state championship team.

Miller has starred on the varsity team for four years, bursting onto the scene as a freshman. The thing Davis admires about Miller is his willingness to do whatever it takes to win and his work ethic to continue improving facets of his game.

“He just wants to win; he couldn’t care less what his point total was,” Davis said. “He’s just added something specific to his game every year. He has toughness and understands the work you’ve got to put in on your own.”

Jackson Weaver has come into his own this season as well, proving to be a consistent scoring option in addition to his defensive abilities.

“He’s an elite defender. He loves to guard; he’s just absolutely high level there and it doesn’t necessarily show up in stats,” Davis said.

Jordan Ross also gives the Rebels something they haven’t had in recent years: elite athleticism near the basket. He joined the basketball team after starring as a defensive end for the football team and is a force to be reckoned with.

Those three have gotten the headlines, but the entire team has a cohesion that will likely prove beneficial down the stretch.

“Those three guys, combined with a bunch of dudes that want to guard, want to win, want to move the ball and aren’t selfish, have put us in the spot we’re in,” Davis said.

As of press time, the Rebels were in the middle of area play. Should they advance past the Class 7A, Area 6 tournament, the Northwest Regional awaits in mid-February.