Choctaw's Day finds confidence, gives Indians balance

FORT WALTON BEACH – Watching Choctawhatchee’s Lauren Day work near the basket, the words “timid” or “shy” don’t come to mind.

Forceful? Sure.

Powerful? You bet.

Unstoppable? Perhaps.

It hasn’t always been this way, though. Not long after transferring to Choctaw from Niceville, Day, a junior forward, found herself mired in a stretch of ineffective play. She struggled to adjust to the more physical, aggressive style of play Indians coach Don Brown demanded. The stat sheet suddenly became a constant reminder of her shortcomings.

Despite the support of her coach and teammates, Day also began to grapple with herself.

“I think about things too much instead of just playing basketball,” Day said. “I’m such a mental person, I get inside my own head. I’ve gotten better about that.”

Things began to change during the Indians’ Dec. 1 practice. It was during that workout on the eve of the Indians’ meeting with arch-rival Fort Walton Beach, when Brown pulled out the pads in an effort to toughen up Day and the rest of the Choctaw post players.

“…we put two people on (Day) with some pads and beat her up all week,” Brown said following the Indians’ eventual 69-53 win over the Vikings. “…(we) made her toughen up a little bit. It seemed to help a little bit tonight.”

Day finished that game with a team-high 20 points and nine rebounds. Since that day, she’s averaged nearly a double-double and, in turn, the Indians are off to a white-hot 15-1 start.

In last week’s GoSouthern.com Classic at Fort Walton Beach, Day was instrumental in helping the Indians to the girls’ championship, scoring 14, 15, eight and 15 points over the four-day tournament.

With guards like Brittany Brown, Brittany Washington and Brittany West more than capable of giving opposing defenders fits on the perimeter, as well as with their ability to penetrate, Day – along with Lakeshia Clay – has helped fortify the Indians’ presence inside and on the glass.

It’s an ingredient the Indians lacked a year ago.

“You really can’t just guard us outside, you have to pay attention to our inside more than (in the past),” Brown said. “She’s making an impact. We want to get her going first and look for our outside shots second.”

Day, who said the season has been “very enjoyable,” thus far, called that early December practice an awakening of sorts.

“It was tough,” Day said, “it was interesting. It made me realize I needed to be stronger.”

Day also credited a conversation with West as being “the turning point.”

“She was just like, ‘You’re playing bad anyways, so if you don’t think about it and play good, you can’t play any worse,’” Day recalled with a laugh.

West’s levity brought with it a calming effect on Day, who has emerged as the Indians’ go-to force inside.

“A huge difference,” West said of Day’s play since that talk. “She’s playing like how I know she can play and everybody knows she can. She’s playing with a lot more confidence, she’s playing bigger in the post, she’s making her shot … she’s playing a lot better.”