'The best one': Lady Bucs capture 4th straight state title
BIRMINGHAM – The smiles could not be wiped off the faces of Krystle Johnson and Tonya Hunter following the Class 7A girls state championship Saturday evening.
Each of those ear-to-ear grins told different stories, ones with many layers to describe the conclusion of a special high school basketball season.
On the scoreboard at the BJCC’s Legacy Arena, Hoover High School defeated Hewitt-Trussville 58-56. It is the fourth consecutive state championship for the Lady Bucs, and the third time in the last six years the Lady Huskies have earned the red map trophy as the runners-up.
For Johnson, her smile (and tears) showed the pride of watching her team write a new chapter in the Hoover girls basketball annals. Some assumed the Lady Bucs’ dynasty would fade following the departure of Aniya Hubbard and Reniya Kelly. At the outset of the season, there were no household names on the Hoover roster.
That’s no longer the case. Sophomore Khloe Ford is clearly the next star player to emerge for the Lady Bucs, as she capped off a brilliant postseason run with another double-double, posting 17 points and 12 rebounds in the final.
But it wasn’t just Ford. Seniors Kamryn Lee, Ariana Peagler, Jillian Clark-Williamson and Katie Ridgeway were asked to carry a significant amount of responsibility. They rose to the occasion.
“These girls were asked to do so much and had so many people against them,” Johnson said. “This is the culmination of so much emotion.”
For Hunter, her smile reflected her joy in realizing the immense progress the Hewitt-Trussville team made from day one to the end of the season.
“If you would’ve saw us this summer, you would’ve said there’s no way [they get to the final],” she said.
On Saturday, Hoover was clearly the better team through three quarters, opening up a 43-33 lead after three quarters.
Something was different in that fourth quarter.
Hewitt-Trussville refused to let Hoover coast in the fourth quarter. The Lady Huskies came out hot and cut the deficit all the way to 51-50, before Khloe Ford’s three-point play made it 54-50 with a couple minutes to play. Hoover held on the rest of the way.
Jordan Hunter pointed to teammates Lauryn Holley and Ryleigh Martin as to why the Lady Huskies made that charge. They combined to score 13 of the Lady Huskies’ first 15 points of the final period.
“It took them awhile, and you could tell their eyes were big [at the beginning],” Tonya Hunter said. “I promised them at halftime that the fourth quarter was going to be different, and that it was going to be epic.”
Martin finished with 13 points in the game, with Holley adding nine points.
“To go out there and perform like we did one last time was great, especially from where we came from,” Holley said.
Hoover was a team prepared to weather that storm, though. Kaitlyn Gipson went for 12 points, Layla Cannon added eight, and Peager and Lee each scored seven.
“Hewitt gave us a fight,” Johnson said. “Jordan Hunter is one of the best players in the state and she left it all on the floor.”
Jordan Hunter wrote the final chapter in her Hewitt-Trussville story, posting 24 points in the state final.
“Jordan has left her legacy at Hewitt-Trussville High School. She’s left her footprint,” Tonya Hunter said.
People are often prisoners of the moment, but there was a sincerity in Tonya Hunter’s assessment that this year's team is one of her favorites she has coached.
“This team will talked about for a long time,” she said.
The Hoover seniors will complete their high school careers knowing nothing other than winning it all. But for Lee and Peagler particularly, this one will hold a special place.
“This is the best one,” Lee said. “We were doubted so much and we worked so hard and everything fell in place. Even though it wasn’t the prettiest game, we pulled it through and played to our standard and played as Hoover.”
The memories formed on both sidelines Saturday will cause those smiles to be recreated for many years to come.
“I’m just so happy,” Lee said.