With just one year of post-secondary eligibility remaining, Sasha Polischuk searched for the perfect fit. Based on the first four months in Sudbury, the Laurentian Lady Vees have fit the bill quite nicely, thank you very much.

A native of Richmond (B.C.) originally born in the Ukraine, Polischuk has joined a still-young Laurentian lineup, providing instant leadership and experience, a floor general to ease the transition for a squad that does not feature even one other athlete in their fourth or fifth year.

The end result has provided yet another interesting chapter in the basketball life of the 25 year-old point guard who hasn't always conformed to the norm. At age 10, Polischuk moved, as an only child, with her parents, from the Ukraine to Canada, wasting little time developing a love for a sport which owes its very creation to the land of the maple leaf.

"I was a very athletic, active child," Polischuk said. "One time, I saw a guy dribbling between his legs and thought, "Oh my god, I want to learn how to do that." Qualifying for the national championships in badminton back home at the age of nine, Polischuk had already demonstrated a natural athleticism which would remain her trademark through the years, for better or worse.

"They say I play too much like a boy, which is infuriating," Polischuk said. "I grew up mostly playing outside with guys, so I didn't really know any other way to play." Unfortunately, it was a style that flew directly in the face of the conventional wisdom of the powers that be at Basketball B.C.

"They wanted a point guard that brings the ball up, passes and sets a flare screen," said Polischuk. "They didn't really want someone who could cross a defender over and make a step-back three."

Though her skill-set did not find her a spot on the provincial teams, it did catch the eye of American recruiters in her final year of high school, with Polischuk committing to attending Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington.

Thrust into a starting role after an injury to the incumbent senior, Polischuk enjoyed three years at a school that lives and breathes the sport of basketball on a year-round basis.

Taking a year away from both academics and athletics, Polischuk returned to Canada, suiting up with Capilano University two years ago, a fit that never completely meshed, on or off the court.

Her resolve to close out her university career on a positive note grew as she took time away, staying involved in the sport as an accomplished basketball official. "I really wanted to redeem myself on both fronts, school and basketball," said Polischuk.

The combination of a little additional maturity and the added benefit of seeing the game from a different perspective, that of an official, allowed Polischuk to grow even further. "I kind of know how to talk to refs a little bit better, so I don't think I'm super annoying now," she said with a smile.

"But some times, you can't help it. You're so in the game."