1982-1986

Pain no ·g deal for ECJC's Mills By Paul MeRoney The Meri dian Star pulled right out from under bh feet While going up for a layup .M Is was cut under b\ another player and received _e\ ere damage to the cartilage and i1gaments in his knee. Mills~ as avera21r.g 20 pomts a ~arne at the tune and\\ as being recruited fatrly hea\'lfy by four-~ ear colJ~es. It all looked pretty nm, but not in hlb eyes... I really never got down becau e our coaches \\ere real positive thmkel's, and lhat helped me a lot," l\hll said. ''l had_ urgel)' and then worked my \\'ay back into form for the re~t of the ~ea ... ~n •· Mills hurt and \\orked for t\\o-and-a-half months to be able to play in his team':.last came ofth~ sea5® .. '\~arne in \\htch he _aw limited action, but still !'COred 12 potn~ and put his college career back on track Who benef1ted from thtS? Steve Rives and East Central Jumor College \\as recommended to MiUs by another coach and that 1S \\here he ended up "We feel fortunate to ha\ e a pla} er hke Mike \\;lh us. ' Rives said. "He shoots the ball well and kno\\ ... ho\\ to play the game He has had a good background.'' Standing~ ~, and 2 pounds. lill... c a dommate force around the basket for the Warriors to the tune or 11 points and e\en rebounds a game, but he feels that can tmprO\e. ''When I first came to East Central I started to lift a few weights and got a little stronger." ~hils !!Bid •"fhat ha:> helped me a Jot because this i a \'ery ph\-sical league and any kind or work I do like that might give me an edge ., When Mills rece1ved his inJury, a lot of college ::.couts backed off. but Mills feels evervthing has turned out for the best. ''I couldn't be in 'a better situation than Im m right now:· he said. "Coach Ri\·es is a good coach and a good person and lhe competition I'm facing is real good too." Mills is a business administration major at East Central and hopes to one day be the manager of a large store or even have one of his own This is the same type of determination that has him working on hlS basketball "I'm not really thinking about where I'll be playing basketball in a couple of years,'' he said. •·we have a lot of good. ~oung talent on this team and I think we can make a run in the playoff::. and lhen come back next year and really be a good team... -- ) throu® llli ~eruor sea;:,on at Cen· ! :e ..!ills future appeared to be tral High SChool m Helena Ar.

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