In the bright lights of the RP Funding Center in Lakeland, Florida, on March 7, 2025, the Palm Bay Pirates girls basketball team achieved what they had been building toward for years. Their decisive 67-57 victory over American Heritage in the Class 4A State Championship wasn't just a momentary triumph—it was the culmination of countless hours of development, preparation, and competitive experience that began long before these athletes donned the Pirates' uniform.

What makes this championship story particularly compelling is the shared foundation that united this team long before their high school glory. Every player on the 2025 state championship roster developed their skills through East Coast United (ECU), Brevard County's premier girls basketball program. This common training ground provided the technical skills, basketball IQ, and competitive mindset that transformed these athletes into champions.

​Throughout the year, when not representing Palm Bay High School, these athletes compete rigorously on the travel basketball circuit with ECU. This additional competition against elite opposition from across the region and nation—including powerhouse teams sponsored by Nike, Under Armour, and Adidas—prepared them for the pressure moments they faced in their championship run.

The state championship matchup against American Heritage carried extra significance for the Pirates. In 2021, many of these same players experienced the sting of defeat against this very opponent in the state finals. Four years later, with added experience and development through ECU's program, they returned to claim what had previously eluded them.

Led by senior guard and McDonald's All-American Jaida Civil, the Pirates displayed the complete team basketball that has become a hallmark of ECU-trained athletes. Civil, a University of Tennessee commit, delivered a championship performance with 20 points and 9 rebounds. Her ability to perform on the biggest stage reflected years of preparation against elite competition through East Coast United's travel program.

​The Wallace sisters, Ellieyana and Carleyssia, along with Trishay Collins and Erynn Moffett, rounded out a balanced attack that showcased the versatility and depth developed through years of ECU training. Each player brought specialized skills honed through individualized development in the travel program, creating a cohesive unit that proved too much for American Heritage to handle.

Palm Bay's championship journey featured a dominant postseason run that highlighted how well-prepared they were for win-or-go-home basketball. Their semifinal victory over Booker High School (70-39) demonstrated the wide margin they had established between themselves and most Florida competition.

​This level of dominance didn't materialize overnight. It was built through years of competitive travel basketball with ECU, where these athletes regularly faced national-caliber opposition. The challenging tournaments, long road trips, and high-pressure games throughout their travel seasons prepared them mentally and physically for the rigors of a state championship run.

What makes the ECU-to-Palm Bay pipeline so effective is the complementary nature of the two programs. While representing East Coast United, these athletes benefit from:

This continuous development cycle creates athletes who enter each high school season more skilled and basketball-intelligent than when they left the previous one. For the Palm Bay Pirates, this meant returning with new weapons, enhanced understanding, and greater confidence year after year.

The culmination of this championship season doesn't end with a state title. The Pirates' excellence has earned them an invitation to "The Throne" tournament, featuring the top 25 teams nationwide competing for a national championship. This recognition places Palm Bay basketball—and by extension, the East Coast United program that developed these athletes—among the elite programs in the country.

​For a team from Brevard County to achieve this level of national respect speaks volumes about the quality of training and competition these athletes receive through ECU. Without major shoe company sponsorship or the resources of traditional powerhouse programs, East Coast United has built a development model that consistently produces championship-caliber talent.

The 2025 state championship represents more than a single season's achievement. For many of these athletes, the journey began in elementary or middle school with East Coast United, learning fundamentals that would later become automatic in championship moments.

From those early developmental stages through high-level travel competition, ECU's comprehensive approach has created a blueprint for basketball excellence in Brevard County. The Palm Bay championship serves as validation of this methodology and inspiration for younger athletes currently progressing through the program.

As the Pirates celebrate their well-deserved championship, the impact extends beyond this particular group of athletes. Younger players throughout East Coast United's program now have tangible proof that the training path they're following leads to championship outcomes.

For parents and young athletes considering travel basketball options in Brevard County, the Palm Bay success story provides compelling evidence of ECU's effectiveness in developing complete players capable of competing at the highest levels of high school basketball—and beyond, as many of these athletes will continue their careers at the collegiate level.

​The 2025 Class 4A State Championship belongs to Palm Bay High School in the record books, but the foundation for this success was laid on travel basketball courts across Florida and beyond, where East Coast United athletes honed their craft against elite competition. This championship doesn't represent the end of a journey, but rather a milestone in the ongoing tradition of basketball excellence being built in Brevard County through the partnership of dedicated high school programs and East Coast United's comprehensive player development system.