By: Scott Nickerson
Elmore Autauga News
Ariel Gilchrist and Tamira Smalls, seniors on the Stanhope Elmore girls basketball team, have committed to play college basketball for the Coastal Alabama Community College Coyotes.
The duo led the Mustangs to the Alabama High School Athletic Association Class 6A playoffs every year they suited up for Stanhope Elmore.
Gilchrist is a 5’6 point guard that became the Lady Mustangs’ fourth ever player to score more than 1000 points during her career, finishing with 1256 career points. She had 17 points per game her senior year and shot 58% from the field. She also averaged more than six rebounds and seven steals per game. Her senior season followed an outstanding junior year, when Gilchrist had 482 points, 196 rebounds, and a whopping 313 steals.
The senior point guard was a 3-time Montgomery Advertiser watchlist player, earning All County honors as a junior and 1st team All Metro as a senior.
Gilchrist visited Coastal Alabama and liked the atmosphere at the school. “The way Coastal plays caught my eye. I like the coach there and I can talk to him like I talk to my own.”
She plans to major in Sports Medicine and feels ready academically and athletically. “Coach (Kelvin) Stokes was always harder on me than anybody else and he expected more out of me than everybody else so I feel like I’m prepared,” said Gilchrist.
Gilchrist is also excited to be able to continue her playing career alongside high school teammate Tamira Smalls.
Smalls, a 6’0 center, was the athletic and dominating presence inside the paint that the Mustangs needed. As a senior, she shot 67% from the field and averaged a double-double, scoring 10.1 points and 16.3 rebounds per game. She also averaged more than 3 blocks per game. In her junior season alone, Smalls had over 100 blocks.
For her career, Smalls had 596 points, 763 rebounds, 136 assists, 182 blocks, and 49 steals.
“Coastal gave me the offer so I had to take it for basketball and a free education,” Smalls said. “The coaches are nice and they know what they’re doing and they know the game.”
Smalls plans to major in business and hopes to become a real estate agent. She is also excited about having a familiar face around her with Gilchrist, until she gets to know her other college teammates better.
Like Gilchrist, she also believes that she is ready for the college game after learning under Coach Kelvin Stokes. “He has prepared me to be a leader and shown me that I can do anything I put my mind to,” Smalls said. “He has helped me get through bad games and showed me how to get out of my head. He is there for us mentally and physically and lifted me up when I needed to stay strong. I have the opportunity to play at a whole different level of basketball and I appreciate everyone for that.”
Gilchrist and Smalls plan to sign with Coastal Alabama Community College on April 22.
