Tift County High School Forward Jalaya Miller Voted ITG Next Georgia Female Athlete of the Month for March 2024
Our March 2024 ITG Next Georgia Female Athlete of the Month, presented by Georgia Farm Bureau Insurance, is Tift County High School basketball player Jalaya Miller.
Miller, a junior, was one of four nominees considered for the award, and in the end she received the most votes to win.
She was nominated for her performance last month on the basketball court, where the forward played a crucial role in Tift County’s magnificent 25-4 season, which included a region championship and a deep run into the state playoffs that saw Miller and her team advance to the Elite Eight.
Miller was named Region Offensive Player of the Year following her performance this season, and just recently she was selected as MVP of the 2025 Rising Stars All-Star game. She was also selected to the Georgia Basketball Coaches Association All-State team.
For the season, Miller played and scored in every game except one. She scored a total of 355 points in 29 games, making 75% of her free throws (104 of 138) and averaging 12.2 points per game, and had eight double-doubles. Miller pulled down an average of 8.3 rebounds per game, along with an average of 1.4 assists per game. Defensively, she averaged 2.4 steals per game and had 43 blocked shots over the course of the season.
Tift County head girls basketball coach Julie Conner-Johnson said it’s not only a pleasure to coach Miller, but it’s a joy to actually watch her play the game.
“Jalaya is so graceful on the court,” Conner-Johnson said of her junior forward. “She is just so smooth and makes everything look so effortless. She is such an absolute joy to coach.”
Miller does a little bit of everything on the court. At 5 feet 10 inches tall, she is better suited to play guard, but has played forward for most of the season, where she has shined both offensively and defensively.
“She is a great defender, has a lot of steals, and is one of the best shot blockers I have ever coached,” Conner-Johnson said.
Miller had this to say when informed she was voted Athlete of the Month: “I want to thank ITG Next for nominating me for the award. Success is not made in the spotlight, but in the hours of unseen effort, unwavering dedication, and relentless pursuit of excellence.”
Miller has a twin sister, Jaliya, who is a member of the competition cheer squad that leads Tift County basketball fans as they cheer for the Blue Devils hoops teams. Jalaya and Jaliya’s parents are Donald and Erica Miller.
Jalaya Miller will be one of three returning starters next season for Conner-Johnson and Tift County.
