By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

ANOTHER Bahamian high school basketball player made an impact on the early signing period for the 2013 NCAA basketball season.

Tavario Miller signed his letter of intent yesterday to join the Texas A&M Aggies programme next fall.

Miller chose the Aggies over other front runners South Carolina and Tulsa.

A 6’8” forward out of Phyllis Wheatley High School in Houston, Texas, Miller improved on a stellar junior season last year where he averaged 17 points, 12 rebounds, 4.8 blocks and 2.2 steals per game. He earned 1st team all-district as well as defensive player of the year in district 21-4A.

Early in the 2012 season, Miller has posted averages of 27 points, 15 rebounds, three blocks and three steals per game.

Miller will join fellow frontcourt standouts Davante Fitzgerald and Derrick Griffin as the third signee to the programme this year.

He cited “playing time, athletic facilities and player housing” as some of the factors key to his decision-making process.

Miller is described by ESPN.com as a  “tough and physical old school blue collar power forward. He rebounds at a high level on both ends of the floor in and out of his area in heavy traffic. He scores over his left shoulder in the post and can face and knock down the mid-range jumper.”

They rank Miller as the 43rd power forward in the class of 2013, 18th overall in the state of Texas with a grade of 75.

Miller is a member of the Franchize All-Stars in AAU play and has represented the Bahamas internationally as a member of the Bahamas’ Centrobasket U-17 which finished fourth in 2011.

He averaged 12.2 points, 13.8 rebounds and finished with a double double in four of the Bahamas’ five games, including a 15 point, 20 rebound performance against eventual gold medal winners Puerto Rico.

Originally from North Long Island, Miller is the son on Miss Patrica Bain and Gregory Miller and grandson of Mrs Rossie Knowles. 

He is another product of The Frank Rutherford Elite Education Programme, which he joined in 2009. 

According to Rutherford, Miller plays extremely hard on both ends of the floor. “He has a terrific motor and his energy and effort is something people always look for. He runs the floor and is an above-the-rim finisher player because of his great leaping ability. He’s always on the glass, a great rebounder and is always around loose balls in and out of his area and putting points on the board. He has a bright future ahead of him,” he said.

The latest to sign a high major NCAA Division I basketball scholarship, he also excels in the clasroom with a GPA above 3.0, ready to execute both on and off the floor at the next level.

During the recruiting process, Miller has attracted attention from a variety of high major programmes, including South Carolina, Clemson, Oklahoma, Baylor, Auburn, Nebraska, Arkansas, Wake Forest, Mississippi St and Oregon. 

Mid-major programmes like Drexel, University of Texas-Arlington, Pepperdine, Colorado St. Wyoming, SMU, New Mexico and University of Houston also heavily recruited Miller.