MIDDLETOWN — Terrence Toliver and his Middletown High School girls basketball team just wrapped up a rare Sunday practice.
“We had to practice today,” Toliver said. “It’s showtime tomorrow.”
The Middies kick off the 2022-2023 season on Monday, Nov. 21 at Mount Healthy at 7:30 p.m.
“We’ve been harping about understanding the journey of a basketball season,” said Toliver, who is entering his third season at the Middletown helm. “It’s one of the longest seasons in terms of high school sports. We’ve been painting that picture to the girls the last couple of years that it is more than just a 22-game schedule. That’s why we practiced on a Sunday.”
The Middies are coming off a 5-17 overall, 2-14 Greater Miami Conference performance a season ago, and they’ll be returning a slew of players who saw significant amounts of playing time last year.
“I feel really good going into my third year here,” Toliver said. “I think we’ve got some size, some talent and some very athletic girls.
Toliver said he’s got 13 players on the roster. He also said all 13 could be starters.
The lone senior returning is forward Derranae Aldridge, whose goal is to be the defensive player of the year for the GMC, Toliver said.
Doing most of the ball handling is junior guard Taylor Daniels, who averaged 6.1 points, 4 rebounds and 1.8 steals a game last season.
“She’s one of the best talents in the area I think,” Toliver said of Daniels. “She has nice size and handles the ball well. She can pass and she’s a great leader.”
Sophomore guard Ra’Khyia Prince returns after a good offseason, according to Toliver. Prince played in all 22 games last season, and she bucketed 3.6 points a game.
Junior guard Persha Edwards has a great jump shot, can defend and brings a smooth style to the court, Toliver said.
Toliver noted to keep an eye out for junior center Brooklyn Edwards, junior forward Jamia Lang, sophomore forward Amariua Reip, sophomore forward Jamia Jones, sophomore forward Kennedy Walker, sophomore guard Bree Gregory and sophomore forward Leila Johnson.
Rounding out the roster is junior guard LaLa Calhoun and sophomore guard Kenya Benson.
“I want people to see this program get built from nothing,” Toliver said. “A lot of programs have tradition. We’re building this thing from ashes. I’m excited because the girls are understanding me and the system. They’ve seen where we are now and where they came from.
“We’re going to compete every night and press the entire game and play fast,” Toliver added. “We have some depth, some size, some athleticism, and we play hard. We are going to represent Middletown and the GMC the right way and compete.”
2022-2023 Middletown Middies Roster
(Number Player Grade Height Position)
0 Derranae Aldridge SR 5’10 F
1 Amariua Reip SO 6’0 F
2 Ra’Khyia Prince SO 5’5 G
3 Kenya Benson SO 5’4 G
4 Bree Gregory SO 5’0 G
5 LaLa Calhoun JR 5’6 G
10 Jamia Jones SO 6’4 F
12 Ava Lang JR 5’11 F
20 Brooklyn Edwards JR 6’1 C
24 Taylor Daniels JR 5’7 G
32 Persha Edwards JR 5’7 G
34 Leila Johnson SO 6’0 F
35 Kennedy Walker SO 5’7 F
2022-2023 Middletown Middies Schedule
Nov. 21 at Mt. Healthy, 7:30 p.m.
Nov. 28 Monroe, 7:30 p.m.
Nov. 30 at Lakota East, 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 3 Hamilton, 1:45 p.m.
Dec. 7 at Fairfield, 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 10 at Colerain, 1:45 p.m.
Dec. 14 Sycamore, 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 17 at Mason, 1:45 p.m.
Dec. 19 at Ponitz, 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 2 Little Miami, 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 4 Princeton, 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 7 at Lakota West, 1:45 p.m.
Jan. 9 Fairborn, 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 11 Lakota East, 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 14 at Oak Hills, 1:45 p.m.
Jan. 16 at Ross, 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 18 at Hamilton, 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 21 Mason, 1:45 p.m.
Jan. 25 at Princeton, 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 28 Colerain, 1:45 p.m.
Feb. 1 at Sycamore, 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 4 Fairfield, 1:45 p.m.
