When she coached at Marietta College, first-year Hamilton High School girls basketball coach Jill Meiring was aware of Jillian Spurlock, a player frequently mentioned in the recruiting information the coach received.

Meiring got a chance to check Spurlock out in AAU ball and knew she was talented. Seeing her every day in practice has only increased the coach’s appreciation.

“I had seen her at showcases and had seen her name, so I knew what kind of a player she was,” Meiring said of the 5-foot-9 senior guard. “I don’t think I knew how special she was until I started coaching her. She is a hard worker and has a real desire. She has a work ethic that you can’t teach.”

Being a Division I recruit — Spurlock signed last week with Miami — hasn’t slowed her motor.

“She has a Division I scholarship and still works the way she does,” Meiring said. “That is one of the ways the kids get leadership from her. They see her, with everything she has accomplished, doing it day in and day out.”

Last season Spurlock was fourth in the Greater Miami Conference in scoring at 17 points per game while dishing out 3.6 assists per game and grabbing 6.5 rebounds. Her biggest attribute, however, was the 4.5 steals a game she averaged, including a season-high 11 against Fairfield.

“She gets so many points off steals, doing a lot of the dirty work,” Meiring said. “It is tough to stop her, especially in the open court.”

Spurlock may be even more dangerous this year since she can relax and play with the college commitment out of the way.

“That made it a lot easier, that’s for sure,” Spurlock said. “We are a different team this year and I am hoping we can do our best and win what we can.”

Spurlock will be joined by four freshmen, two sophomores, three juniors and five fellow seniors, giving the Big Blue a unique blend of youth and experience.

“We have a lot of young talent coming up,” Spurlock said. “It’s (chemistry) been good. I know a lot of the girls, I just haven’t played with them so that will be different. But we are starting to click.”

While others may pay more attention to her in her last season, the fact this is her last tour of the GMC hasn’t sunk in yet.

“It will probably hit me halfway through,” Spurlock said. “It is the one thing I haven’t even thought about yet.”

Hamilton opens the season Saturday against Seton at Cincinnati State. GMC play commences Dec. 1 at Sycamore.

“I’m excited for it,” Spurlock said. “I’m ready to go.”