Photo by Sarah Finnegan.
Hoover’s Ahman Ellington will be a key player for the Bucs this winter as they attempt to return to the state tournament.
It’s hard for Charles Burkett to believe that in November he will begin his 12th season as the boys basketball coach at Hoover High School.
But, like he said one recent morning, “Time flies when you’re having fun.”
Since 2014, fun has entailed a lot of winning. The Bucs advanced to the state Final Four in three of the past four seasons, claiming the program’s first championship in 2015.
But last season saw Hoover’s streak of Final Four runs come to a close. In the teams’ fourth meeting of the year, Vestavia Hills tripped up its rival in the Class 7A region final.
Burkett classified the loss as an unfortunate conclusion to an otherwise excellent season. The team went undefeated in area play, won the area tournament and finished 26-7.
“We had an opportunity to win it. On this level, when you have an opportunity to win a championship, you can’t pass for anything else,” Burkett said. “The ball didn’t bounce our way, and we’re back trying to amend some things and get back there this year.”
Despite losing eight seniors from his 2016-17 roster, Burkett expressed confidence about his team’s outlook.
The Bucs return three starting guards in Jamari Blackmon, Marion Humphrey and Ahman Ellington. Blackmon and Humphrey are seniors; Ellington is a junior.
Plus, the team added Homewood transfer Trey Jemison, a 6-foot-11 power forward and center with a number of college offers.
“He understands the game; he understands how hard the game needs to be played, and he’s a natural-born leader,” Burkett said of Jemison, a senior. “He gets it done on both ends of the floor.”
Jemison’s presence in the paint should provide Hoover with a dynamic it previously lacked. It should also complement the team’s strong guard play.
Blackmon averaged more than 20 points per game last season, and Burkett calls him a “cold-blooded scorer.” Humphrey, on the other hand, routinely chipped in 10 to 15 points per contest in addition to ranking among the Bucs’ leaders in steals and blocked shots.
His versatility brings immense value.
“We ask him to do everything,” Burkett said. “He’ll guard from the point guard to the power forward position. He can play any position on the floor, and he defends his positions better than most people.”
Ellington is only 5-9, but Burkett said his work ethic, intelligence and heart set him apart. Ellington also knows Burkett’s system, which emphasizes spacing the floor in transition, firing 3s and playing tight defense, inside and out.
“If you’re giving it all on defense, you don’t have to wait to have a great night offensively to have a chance to win the game,” Burkett said.
A host of varsity newcomers, highlighted by junior CJ Melton, is also expected to see significant, on-court action. Melton is a 6-4 wing player who led the Hoover junior varsity team in scoring last season. Others to watch include seniors Dewayne Williams and Trevor Betty, along with sophomore Devin Wilson. Betty and Wilson are both guards who transferred to Hoover from out-of-state schools.
The mix of fresh faces and seasoned returnees has the potential to contend in 7A. Burkett, after a long offseason, is ready to have some fun.
“I’m excited to get started,” he said. “We’re just looking forward to getting back to the BJCC, where we’ll have an opportunity to win a championship.”
The Bucs will kick off their 2017-18 season at home against Gadsden City on Nov. 9.
