Northview's Miller commits to Akron

8/26/2005

Northview senior Riana Miller verbally committed to the University of Akron yesterday afternoon.

Miller, who averaged 13 points and seven rebounds as a junior last season, helped carry the Wildcats to two straight Division I state basketball semifinal appearances in Columbus. She will join former Northview teammate Niki McCoy at the Mid-American Conference university in 2006.

Miller, a 6-foot-3 post player, also recorded a team-high 62 blocked shots and 39 steals while shooting 48 percent from the field last season. She joined Blade player of the year McCoy and Lisa Johnson to make a formidable trio last season.

Miller becomes the third player from the 2004-05 Northview team heading to a Division I program. McCoy will be a freshman at Akron this fall and Johnson, also a Northview senior, committed to the University of Toledo during the spring.

"Her best basketball is down the road," Northview coach Jerry Sigler said of Miller. "She's a diamond in the rough. She's very athletic. She does an awful lot of impressive things close to the basket.

"She's come a long way."

Sigler said several other Division I programs had shown interest in Miller, including Dayton, Xavier, Boston College and Eastern Michigan.

Contact Donald Emmons at:

demmons@theblade.com

or 419-724-6302.