Former Tar Heels Miller, Brooks have big games for respective teams

Former Tar Heels Walker Miller and Garrison Brooks put together solid performances in their respective teams’ wins this week.

Once a Tar Heel, always a Tar Heel. Whether a player was a four-year starter and consensus All-American like Tyler Hansbrough, a sensational one-and-done that didn’t even spend a full calendar year on campus, or a seldom-used walk-on, I will always follow those that once donned the Carolina blue and argyle.

Walker Miller is a really fun one to root for and watching him have the kind of season that he is at Monmouth has been very enjoyable. The former North Carolina reserve played just 140 minutes from 2017 to 2021, but has already logged 336 minutes as a full-time starter under another former Tar Heel, Monmouth head coach King Rice.

He’s averaging nearly 14 points and 6.7 rebounds per game for the 9-2 Hawks, who are currently in a first-place tie atop the MAAC standings with Rick Pitino’s Iona squad. A fair amount of Monmouth’s early-season success can be attributed to Miller, and that was evident in the team’s most recent game, a 69-60 victory over Yale on Tuesday.

Miller notched team-highs in points (16) and rebounds (nine), helping propel his team to their second victory of the week. For Miller, it was his eighth time in 11 tries this season scoring in double-figures, something he didn’t ever do at the University of North Carolina. After being stuck on the bench and hoping for an opportunity in Chapel Hill, Miller is seizing the moment and becoming an invaluable member of his new team.

Garrison Brooks’ story was the exact opposite of Miller’s, having been a focal point of Roy Williams’ team during his four-year stint with the Tar Heels and a starter in 81 percent of his games. But after a sensational junior season that earned him both local and national recognition, Brooks’ senior campaign was as disappointing as the Tar Heels’ was.

Brooks averaged just 10.2 points per game on a career-low 46.9 percent shooting mark in a season that he was picked to win ACC Player of the Year. He scored double-digit points in just 17 of his 28 games as a senior and managed just three double-doubles on the season. The prior season, he notched double-digit points in 26-of-32 games and recorded double-doubles on 12 occasions.

Between all of that, and the opportunity to play for his dad during an NCAA-granted additional year of eligibility, Brooks was ready for a change. So, following the Tar Heels’ first round NCAA Tournament loss to Wisconsin, he made the decision to leave North Carolina in favor of Mississippi State.

And while Brooks hasn’t been spectacular for the Bulldogs, he’s been better than he was a season ago with the Tar Heels. He’s averaging 11.4 points and a team-high 6.7 rebounds per game while shooting north of 48 percent from the floor and playing the second-most minutes on his team.

On Friday night, Brooks tied his season-high of 18 points in a 69-66 victory over Furman. He did it on an efficient 6-for-9 shooting night that included 2-for-5 from three-point range and 4-for-6 at the free throw line. He added four rebounds, one assist, one block and one steal in 31 minutes on the court.

We’ll continue to follow Miller and Brooks throughout their final seasons of college eligibility, and wish them all the best on their respective teams.

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