Basketball is back at Highland High School.

Well, it never went anywhere, but the 2021-22 season was highly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The teams played 8-game schedules in a highly condensed and abbreviated 2021 season back in February and the Huskies’ basketball teams had mixed results. The boys’ teams completed a 4-3 season in Mike Milliman’s 19th year, while the girls’ team went 1-5 in the first year under coach Michael Geller.

Milliman returns for his 20th year and is excited despite losing a couple of key pieces in Ethan Thompson and Zach Angelone, as well as Deryk Barry and Ronnie Byers.

“It’s fun to be in the gym with a full team and ‘normal’ practice and game schedules,” Milliman said.
Winter teams took to the court on Nov. 15 to begin the preseason and are expecting a close-to-normal season despite the players being required to wear masks.

The Huskies will welcome back returning players, Osei Adoma, Ethaniel Aikens, Dominic Valente and Aden Wiser. They will combine with newcomers, Leo Davies, Ethan Huntley, Jeremy Angelone, Jacob Bishop, Matt Dubois and Dylan Durandis.

The team’s goals are simple, as they look to improve each day and work toward finishing with a record of .500 or better to earn a berth in the Section 9 tournament.

“The team is very cohesive and are working extremely well,” Milliman said. “It’s a new group that didn’t have last season to prepare. Early results are very promising.”

Geller took over the Huskies’ team amid the uncertainty of the pandemic and his first season was abbreviated.
He’s going to have a more complete season this year as he continues to rebuild the Huskies’ girls’ basketball program that went 1-5 last year.

He’ll have to do it without departed players Emma Beck, Icis roman, Adrianna Scalo, Dehana Stevens and Katie Dauenheimer. Returning are Kayleigh Kaplan, Addie McDowell, Emma Thompson, Grace Koehler and Navya Ruparelia.

They will mix with newcomers Deanna Barry, Sam Calahan, Alexa Pavesc and Bridgette Carle, a senior.
Geller is looking for his team to improve every game and to play its best basketball at the end of the season, where hopefully they will be in position to qualify for sectional play.

“We lost a lot of key pieces from last year’s team,” Geller said. “Our success will rely heavily on how quickly our younger players adjust to the speed and physicality at the varsity level.”