Rock Bridge-Hickman rivals revisit childhood rivalry

COLUMBIA — Trey Millard and Josh Williams have been playing sports against each other since middle school and rekindled their competitive relationship Thursday night when Hickman traveled into the Bruins' gym for a boys basketball rivalry game.

Both are among the physically bigger players on their teams, and they found themselves going toe to toe for rebounds and loose balls in Rock Bridge's 60-37 victory.

Millard, a senior forward for the Bruins, said after the game that he and Williams, a senior forward for the Kewpies, have always found each other on different sides of the playing field.

"We've been playing against each other forever," Millard said.  "We're good friends, we just always have to be in opposite colors."

A raspy-voiced Williams kept his comments to a minimum after the Hickman defeat, but he said playing Millard in basketball isn't the same as on the football field.

"We're not in pads. I'm a lot smaller when I'm not in pads, I guess," Williams said.

Although Millard has committed to play football in college at Oklahoma, he said there are certain aspects of basketball that he also finds appealing.

"I like how (basketball) is more finesse in certain ways than football," Millard said. "I think the team gets closer because there's so few guys compared to football."

Rock Bridge looked tight-knit during its dominant second half Thursday, outscoring Hickman 32-14 in the period. Meanwhile, Williams and the Kewpies are still looking for answers.

Hickman coach John Burns said his team has plenty of room to improve and will need a team effort to get better.

"We're just not a very good team right now," Burns said. "(Rock Bridge) has five guys out there all the time, and we're counting on guys to do their job.  When they don't do their job, it's tough to win."

With a break for the holidays coming up, Burns said the Kewpies will have plenty of practice time to work on getting better. 

"It's a great thing, because we've had a couple games and haven't been able to practice really," Burns said.

Hickman's next game isn't until Jan. 5 at Lebanon.