VIDEO INTERVIEW WITH CHARLES MILLER BELOW:
BELLEVILLE – Alton’s Charles Miller had just four points in the Redbirds’ Saturday afternoon game against Columbia.
But those four points turned out to be very important.
Miller, a junior forward, had the first four points of overtime for the Redbirds, points that put them ahead for good in AHS’ 64-56 win over the Eagles in the seventh-place game of Belleville East’s Chick-fil-A Classic.
“We just have to play as a team and bounce back one game at a time,” Miller said following the win. “We had to get back on the right track and keep pushing forward.”
Miller’s role with the Redbirds is a simple one: “Playing defense, being a ballplayer and playing as a team,” Miller said of his role. “Do the little things.”
Miller scored the first points of overtime, getting a bucket and being fouled with 3:31 left in OT and then hitting a pair of free throws with 3:12 to go; the Redbirds never looked back after Miller put them ahead.
Miller has been playing basketball since “ever since I was little,” he said; being a part of the Redbirds is something that is very meaningful to him. “We’re all a big family; we’ve all played together since we were little – we all know each other.”
The Redbirds return to action with a 7:30 p.m. Friday home game against Granite City at the Redbird Nest.