Lady Tigers' Horton heads to Snead State

By Staff
Mike Self FCT Sports Editor
RED BAY – Alyssa Horton realized early in her high school basketball career that her ticket to the next level would be punched some 20 feet from the basket.
"I would go to the gym and shoot a hundred shots, and I would keep up with how many I made," said Horton, a senior at Red Bay. "I practiced my jumpshot and a few other things, but mainly I worked on three-pointers. That's where I spent most of my time."
Horton's long hours of labor in the gym came to fruition on Thursday, when she signed a scholarship to play next season at Snead State Community College in Boaz.
"When I was in seventh, eighth and ninth grade, I really didn't think about [playing in college] a whole lot," said Horton, who led Red Bay this past season with 43 three-pointers made. "My junior year I went to watch some college games, and I knew then that I definitely wanted to keep playing basketball at least two more years after I finished high school."
That junior season is when Snead State coach Brent McCoy first became interested in recruiting Horton.
"We started looking at her two years ago, and there were a lot of things we liked about her," said McCoy, who led Snead State to an 18-14 record last season. "We needed a shooting guard, and Alyssa is an excellent outside shooter. We're always looking for good people and good students, and she certainly fits that bill.
"I think she'll adjust very well and fit right into our team and our community."
McCoy said that Snead State is returning a sophomore at shooting guard but that Horton will have the opportunity to play immediately.
"Forty minutes is a long game, so we definitely expect Alyssa to get plenty of playing time," McCoy said. "Of course, that’s something she'll have to earn when she gets here, but the opportunity is certainly there."
Red Bay coach Donnie Roberts said Horton has been the team's best three-point shooter for the past three seasons, but he stressed that she's far from one-dimensional.
"Alyssa's best attribute is her outside shooting ability, but she's much more than a spot-up shooter," Roberts said. "She led our team with 62 assists, and she did that by penetrating the defense and finding open teammates. She's just a good all-around player."
By signing with Snead State, Horton will have the opportunity to play against her best friend and former Red Bay teammate Lauren Tucker. Tucker signed last week to play at Shelton State Community College.
"We've talked about what that might be like," said Horton, who started with Tucker in Red Bay's backcourt for the past three years. "Lauren and I have been playing together for a long time, and she has been my best friend all through high school. It will be a different environment when we have to play against each other."