If you made the trip to Tsongas Center in Lowell for an MIAA state championship basketball game over the weekend, there was a familiar voice booming over the loud speaker throughout the arena.

That would be the voice of George Miller, a Bernardston resident who has served as public address announcer during state title games since 2005. With 10 state championship games played over a three-day window, Miller did the PA for nine of them. 

That’s just one of the many ways Miller has contributed to the sport of basketball in the Commonwealth. From getting his start broadcasting games on WHMP in Northampton to doing PA for Western Mass. tournament games, Miller has been a staple in the Western Mass. basketball scene since the 1980s. 

For all he’s done, IAABO Board 28 — Hampshire and Franklin County’s board of basketball officials — is giving Miller the Tom Cove Award, which goes to a person who has had a long-lasting impact on the game of basketball in Hampshire and Franklin counties. 

“I was very surprised but very much honored,” Miller said. “I’ve known many members of the board through the years and they’re all a bunch of great guys. I always look forward to seeing them not only during the regular season but certainly during tournament time during the most important games of the year. It’s really an honor that they think highly enough of me to wish to honor me for my service to the game of basketball. I’ve been fortunate to live in this world of sports in a bunch of different capacities.” 

After graduating from Oberlin College in 1987, Miller — who grew up in Northfield — began working at WHMP broadcasting high school games for the radio station. 

At the time, WHMP covered Northampton, Amherst, Easthampton, Smith Vocational, Smith Academy, Hopkins, Hampshire, Frontier, Gateway and Belchertown. Miller called high school games for eight years and got to see the rise of many of the programs, while also seeing the Smith Academy boys, Amherst girls and Northampton girls teams win state titles. 

“We had a number of local teams make great progress,” Miller said. “There were always great teams and great rivalries to look forward to. Stuff like that is still true today. It was always a kick getting the schedule at the start of the season and figuring out which games we would be putting on the radio. It helped to have a good group of sponsors each year that supported the broadcast and wanted to make sure the teams and games would be on air.” 

During the 1989-90 season, Miller ventured into college sports, providing the color commentary for UMass games that season. It was the second season John Calipari was at the helm and Miller got to call the Minutemen’s first winning season in 11 years.

After time away working at Verizon in addition to some minor league baseball play-by-play, Miller was brought on full time to handle the PA for Western Mass. and state tournament finals in 2005.

Since then, Miller is a staple at the biggest games in Western Mass., as his voice has become synonymous with championship action throughout the area — whether it be introductions, scoring updates, or announcements.

What’s kept him doing this for so long? 

“It’s the excitement of it,” Miller said. “It’s the chance to see great team, great players, accomplished coaches, everyone going after the same goal of winning the biggest prize that the state has to offer. We’ve been fortunate to have Western Mass. teams make progress and go after state titles. I’ve gotten to see a few of them do it. These are coaches and some players that I’ve come to know over their several years of playing. There’s a lot of coaches who have been doing it for a long time. I get to see their faces each year in March which is always fun.” 

One event Miller looks forward to each year is the Hoophall Classic in Springfield. 

Miller has been doing the PA for the showcase since 2004, seeing it grow into one of the most prestigious high school events in the country. 

“The Hoophall was a much different format back then than what it is now,” Miller said. “Now it’s a monster national event that brings in teams from all corners of the country. It’s always fun seeing those great programs with great talent. It’s been fun watching that event evolve into what it’s become.”

Miller also found time to do the PA at the Mullins Center during UMass home games, running from the 2005-06 season through the 2015-16. 

And if you’re a longtime subscriber to the Recorder, you’d know that Miller has been covering games as a stringer for the paper since 1997.

Miller got started at the Recorder when then-editor Gary Sanderson was searching for high school football freelancers. Since then, Miller has filled in when called upon, and just this past winter, covered basketball games played by the Pioneer boys, Franklin Tech girls, Frontier girls and Greenfield girls during their postseason runs. 

Getting to go to games, whether as a stringer or just as a fan, helps him prepare for his PA duties during the finals.

“I’ll still go to some high school games locally even if I have no responsibilities there,” Miller said. “If I’m not writing I go as a fan to see how certain teams, players or coaches who I haven’t seen in a bit are doing. In a way, it helps me get ready for tournament time when I’m doing PA announcing. It’s always good getting to see the local kids and teams play well.”