The Best Choice United program out of Indianapolis put together a strong travel season in 2014, but Coach Marlon Wright knew something was missing. This year, the club added some serious inside strength, and 2015 could prove to be quite a summer.
“Having a couple of true post players has made a huge difference,” Wright said. “Last year, we had to battle for everything in the lane. Now we have a lot more real balance.”
“We’ve added more height, and now we can attack inside or on the outside. That has really, really helped make us better,” added veteran guard Tyasha Harris.
Best Choice United will look to showcase that versatility at the 2015 Summer Derby Classic, which will be played in Louisville, KY on July 23-24. The tournament, which will include many of the top travel programs in the country, will be played at the Mid America Sports Center.
Best Choice will be led by Harris (2016, 5-11, CG) and backcourt partner Kaitlyn Gilbert (2018, 5-11, CG), as well as newcomer Emily Sullivan (2016, 6-4, C) in the post. Gilbert is rated as the No. 8 recruit in her class by the All Star Girls Report, while Harris is at No. 27 for the Class of 2016 and Sullivan is at No. 146.
“Kaitlyn is our glue. She does everything very well,” Wright said. “She has the mid-range game, she is a great penetrator, but more importantly she is like a Mother Hen to the whole team. Tyasha is the ultimate competitor. She has a special fire, and she will tell you that she wants to be the best player in the country. You don’t find many athlete who will tell you that.
That talent, and the arrival of help in the post, has energized the Best Choice squad.
“We’re excited about this year because we’ve got some new bigs, and that should make us a lot tougher,” Gilbert said. “I feel like I’ve grown a lot as a player since last year. I think my shot has gotten a lot better, and I can attack the basket and score.”
“I love playing with this team,” added Sullivan. “This team plays at a fast pace, and they give the post players a chance to really get out and run. Being with this team gives me a chance to really expand my game. I am improving my ballhandling and my defensive footwork, and I think I can become a true stretch four.”