In 2019, Mike Miles and JaKobe Coles dominated the AAU world as part of the Texas Titans, one of the best high school select teams on Nike’s Elite Youth Basketball League circuit.
The team was loaded with talent, featuring guys like future Oklahoma State standout and No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 NBA draft Cade Cunningham.
Two years later, the former high school teammates and longtime friends are finding success on the next level, as Coles transferred to TCU from Butler this offseason to team up with Miles yet again.
Facing their toughest opponent of the season thus far, the duo delivered their best individual performances of the season on Wednesday night, leading TCU to a 76-62 win over Utah at Fort Worth’s Dickies Arena.
“He gets on me, and I get on him,” Miles said of his relationship with Coles. “We’ve been like that since AAU, so it’s fun playing with him.”
Miles was unstoppable from start to finish. After putting up 15 points in the first 20 minutes, the point guard stayed hot in the second half to finish with a game-high 28 points.
“I only had 28?” Miles said postgame with a surprised look on his face. “I should’ve scored the last one.”
The point total tied the young star’s career high, and he added eight rebounds, four assists and a steal as well.
Coles did not get going until the second half, but his late surge was vital in keeping the Frogs ahead. The transfer scored 10 points in the second half alone, making the game his best scoring effort since joining the purple and white.
As a team, TCU had dished out 18 assists in the game while turning the ball over just six times. The Frogs have now committed less than 10 turnovers in four-straight games.
“The thing that really stood out to me was the 18 assists and six turnovers,” head coach Jamie Dixon said. “That’s been a struggle for us early on. Granted, we had two point guards out [in past games].”
After starting 0-10 from the floor against Oral Roberts last Thursday, Miles looked strong to start against the Utes. The sophomore hit his first three shots to score 10 of TCU’s first 12 points.
While Utah started strong, leading the game for the first nine minutes, a jumper by TCU forward Emanuel Miller would then give the Frogs a 16-15 lead that they would not give up for the rest of the night.
The lead change helped spur a 21-7 run by TCU that would give the team a double-digit lead with under three minutes remaining in the first half. At the halftime break, the Frogs held on to a 36-27 lead.
The Utes would pull within six in the opening seconds of the second half thanks to a flurry of fouls by the Frogs, but eight points by Coles over the next seven minutes would help push TCU’s lead to 12.
“It was really big: him coming in, playing the five,” Miles said of Coles’ second half. “He’s really a four, but him coming in, moving another position, knocking down threes, and he was picking and popping. It was huge for us.”
Utah would make another run late, pulling as close as eight again, but TCU was able to pull away late to seal its fourth-straight win.
The Frogs had out-rebounded the Utes 43-33. TCU has outrebounded its opponent in every win this season.
Forward Emanuel Miller scored 10 points in the win for the Frogs. Guard Damion Baugh added six points, five rebounds and five assists.
“We know a lot of people are doubting us, but we just try to come in with the same mindset–no matter who we play, we’re going to win,” Miles said.
Up next, TCU will head to Houston to play Texas A&M at the Toyota Center. Tipoff against the Aggies is scheduled for Dec. 11 at 5:30 p.m. on SEC Network.
