The Long County Blue Tide athletic programs have had a great year in terms of sending student-athletes to the collegiate level. On Tuesday, the program saw another move on to the next level as former Lady Blue Tide basketball star Malaka Elix signed a scholarship with Toccoa Falls College in Toccoa, Georgia.
Elix signed to play with the Screaming Eagles starting next season and it was certainly an exciting day as she was surrounded by friends and family.
Former Lady Tide basketball coach Brian Todd was in attendance and had only positive things to say about his four-year letterman point guard.
"Malaka is one of the hardest workers you’re ever going to find," Todd said when addressing the crowd of Elix’s peers. "The coach at Toccoa is going to get a great kid, great ball player, and a wonderful person. There is a quote about leadership that says ‘it isn’t about what I tell you, it’s about what I show you." Perfect example here…(Malaka) showed you on the court what she was supposed to do and how to act as a leader."
Elix was a part of a Lady Tide basketball team that made the Georgia High School Association state playoffs the last two seasons and won 51 games over the last three years. She hopes that her experience playing and starting as a freshman with the Lady Tide will allow her to help the Screaming Eagles improve over the next few years.
"Remaining humble and staying positive. That’s all I have to do," Elix said. "If I keep doing what I gotta do on and off the court, we should be successful."
During her career with the Blue Tide, Elix scored 798 points, recorded 267 rebounds and 227 assists. The Toccoa Falls women’s basketball team will certainly benefit from her set of skills.
Over the last two years, the Screaming Eagles have recorded only seven wins, posting a 3-19 in 2014-15 and 4-21 this past year. Toccoa Falls Director of Athletics and interim women’s basketball coach Kevin Hall is certainly excited about Elix making her way up to Toccoa.
"We are a Christian college and we have a niche that we like our young men and women to fit. After talking to Malaka and her mother, I found that she is exactly what we are looking for," Hall said in a phone call Tuesday. "She shows a great disposition and we fell in love with her on the first visit. She shows high character and her personality is as great as her playing ability."
As for her performance on the court, Hall said that he believes Elix will be a great addition and the perfect piece to help the Screaming Eagles. He praised her ball handling and ability to keep her teammates calm and under control.
"Her ability to shoot and control the game is what really drew us to Malaka in terms of her play on the court," Hall said. "We didn’t really have a real point guard last year and she brings that aspect to the team."
Elix is the fifth Blue Tide athlete to sign a scholarship this year. She joins football signees Jamin Davis (Kentucky), Tariq Carpenter (Georgia Tech) and Gerald Williams (Fort Valley State) and track signee Ja’Nya Bryant (Kennesaw State).