ST. LOUIS — Twenty-four games into the season, the Miller Career girls look like they’ll be headed to their third straight final four. They have racked up 18 wins and have only lost to two teams in the metro area, Vashon and Kirkwood.
Head coach of the Lady Phoenix, Darrin White said his team is special.
“There’s a certain type of bond,” he said.
A bond that the team said can’t be easily broken.
“I wouldn’t say it’s a regular team, it’s different,” senior guard, Jayrissa Grayson said. “We come together, and it be like a bigger family.”
And when Grayson said they were one big family, she meant it, literally.
The Lady Phoenix have not one, not two, but three sets of twins on the same team.
There are seniors, Ajanae, and Antuanae Garrett.
“The Garrett twins I had to get to know their voice,” White said.
Can’t forget the twins you couldn’t tell apart if they gave you a hint, Camille and Emille White.
“As far as the White twins, nobody can tell them apart,” White said. “Even though they look alike, I know them because they are my nieces.”
Lastly, Raya and Rayn Tally, who you can’t tell are twins.
“The Tally twins are fraternal so you can easily tell them apart,” White said.
All three sets of twins said when they arrive at a game, opponents and fans can’t resist asking the obvious question.
“They’ll be like, are you twins,” both White twins said jokingly.
Coach White described all three sets of twins as the glue to the Lady Phoenix team. While they may pick on each other, it’s not allowed from anyone outside of their team.
“It’s nice because you have like an extra hand on the court,” Camille White said.
“It’s like we a pack, can’t nobody go for my dog,” Ajanae Garrett said.
“These my sisters so we got to go for each other,” Rayn Tally said.
While the backup is necessary when it comes to standing up for their team, White said sometimes things get a little testy.
“I think he do a real good job of coaching three sets of twins, considering that they sisters and live with each other every day,” Grayson said.
“The good thing is, they understand each other,” White said. “The most difficult thing about the twins is, they have twin fights.”
“He hates it when we argue because at the end of the day, we’re going to argue regardless, we’re twins,” Raya Tally said.
“We try not to do it on the court, but like behind doors, yeah,” Camille White said.
As for what they argue about.
“Anything,” Raya Tally said.
“Because she didn’t catch my passes,” Rayn Tally said.
“Or she didn’t make a good pass,” Raya Tally said with a smile.
“It was like a couple of games ago, I seen her but she didn’t stick no defense so I was like I’m not finna pass you the ball on offense this time and then I had to hear about it when I got home,” Ajanae Garrett said while Antuanae smiled and shook her head.
Make no mistake about it, they may argue on the court, and well, off it. But the twins are all on the same page when it comes to winning. Even if that means going up against a teammate, or another set of twins.
“They’re so competitive,” White said.
When asked who would win in a matchup of 2-on-2, the answers may not surprise you.
“It’s going to be a battle between the Garretts and us,” Rayn Tally said.
“Oh, my team,” Emille White said.
“Yeah definitely,” Camille White cosigned.
“Us!,” both Garrett twins said. “Us fasho, because we got heart, we determined not to lose,” Antuanae Garrett said.
Whether their competing against one another, or arguing, one thing is for certain, they’ll always be family.
“I feel like that’s just the team but being twins make it better,” Ajanae Garrett said.
“This whole team is like a family atmosphere, and to have three sets of twins on their makes it closer,” Rayn Tally said.
“I’m blessed to have all six of them because they’re smart and they understand the game and they know how to play the game,” White said.
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