Dear Editor,

Ben Fletcher, a Selma native and a product of Southside High School, has proven to be an asset to Troy University once as a player and in these days as an assistant coach.

Fletcher played for the Trojans from 2001-2003, during these years the Trojans played a total of 59 games, Fletcher played in 58 of the 59 games.  His averaged points during this span was 13.4, but what he was best known for his 3-point shooting.  Fletcher was named first-team All-Atlantic Sun his senior year at Troy.  The Trojans had their first-ever NCAA tournament appearance at the Division 1 level. During this season he set a Troy Division 1 single season record, 92 three (3) pointers. Fletcher finished his career with 160 made 3-pointers, the sixth most in Troy’s Division 1 history.

All of the above mentioned accomplishments happened for Fletcher as a player. Fletcher joined the coaching ranks at Troy in 2005. This year 2017 Troy is heading to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2003, Fletcher will be there but instead of wearing the Trojan basketball uniform he will be in a suit and tie.

He will not be responsible for handling the ball, but rather he will be assisting the head coach in designing plays for the team. Some of which he personally recruited, such as Wesley Person Jr who was Sun Belt Tournament MVP and three time all-Sun Belt and All Tournament selection Jeremy Holliman.  Fletcher says you have to have a vision on what the head coach’s style of play is and you recruit players that fit that mold.

Fletcher came from humble beginnings. The neighbors and all that know him and have memories of him, all of those memories are of him with a basketball in his hand, so he is living his dream.  Ben’s parents are Willie and Mattie Fletcher and his foundation for his faith came from the Isabella Missionary Baptist Church.
Alpha D. McConico