Montgomery, AL – Spring Garden’s Austin, Ohatchee’s Crook, Jacksonville’s Broom and Piedmont’s Odam come away with player-of-year awards; three voted Super All-State
By Joe Medley
Ohatchee’s Jorda Cook, Spring Garden’s Ace Austin, Jacksonville’s John Broom and Piedmont’s Alex Odam walked away with top Alabama Sports Writers Association awards for basketball Thursday.
They were among seven area high school basketball players voted as finalists for player-of-the year awards. Awards were announced during Thursday’s ASWA basketball banquet at the Montgomery Renaissance Hotel.
Writers voted Crook as player of the year for Class 3A girls, and Austin was 1A girls player of the year.
In boys’ basketball, Broom won the top award for 4A, and Odam was player of the year in 3A.
Austin, Broom and Crook were voted Super All-State, considered the top five boys’ and girls’ players regardless of classification.
Hoover’s Reniya Kelly is Alabama’s Miss Basketball, and Bakers Labaron Philion is Mr. Basketball.
This finalists list also included Ranburne’s Briley Merrill and Pleasant Valley’s Macey Roper in 2A girls and Faith Christian’s Thomas Curlee in 1A boys.
Crook, Austin, Broom and Odam are repeat finalists. They were among 48 boys’ and girls’ finalists overall.
State sports writers voted for the ASWA all-state team March 9. Writers also voted for player-of-year finalists, Super All-State and Mr. and Miss Basketball.
Winners, Super All-State and Mr. and Miss Basketball were named at today’s luncheon banquet sponsored by the Alabama High School Athletic Directors & Coaches Association.
Broom prevailed over two other finalists, including Westminster-Huntsville’s Chase McCarty. Broom guarded McCarty in the Class 4A title game, and Broom’s defense played a major role in Jacksonville repeating as state champion and his winning Final Four MVP.
“It was probably one of the big things, my defense in that game,” said Broom, who signed to play basketball for the South Alabama. “Chase is a great player, and it was a good matchup. That’s probably a big part of why I’m getting this award. It was just great playing him.”
Odam was third-time finalist.
“A lot of hard work is paying off,” Odam said. “I’ve been waiting for it.”
Austin was a finalist in 2A as a freshman, and Pisgah’s Molly Heard won. Reclassification shipped Spring Garden back to his traditional 1A classification after the 2021-22 season, and Austin keyed Spring Garden’s run to its eighth 1A state title.
“Last year coming into it, I knew I had Molly Heard, and she had already won it, and she’s a great player,” the sophomore said. “I didn’t coming into it knowing I was going to win it (this year). (Linden’s) Timya Thurman is a good player. She puts up the stats. She committed to Auburn.
“Just being about to work hard every day, not just for yourself, you work hard for your team. Everything I do, the hard work I put in, I’m not doing it for myself. I’m doing it for my family, community and our schools.”
Crook called winning player of the year and Super All-State selection “kind of crazy.”
“I didn’t think I was going to win,” the UAB volleyball signee said. “It’s an amazing experience. I was a little nervous to give a speech, and everything. It’s something I’ll remember forever. I’ll get to keep this forever.”
Winners are noted on the finalists list below. Here are the 2022-23 ASWA basketball finalists by Alabama High Schoool Athletic Association classification and AISA:
MISS BASKETBALL
Reniya Kelly, Hoover
MR. BASKETBALL
Labaron Philon, Baker
SUPER ALL-STATE
(top 5 players regardless of classification)
GIRLS
Reniya Kelly, Hoover
Leah Brooks, Hazel Green
Syriah Daniels, Auburn
Ace Austin, Spring Garden
Jorda Crook, Ohatchee
BOYS
Labaron Philon, Baker
Caleb Holt, Buckhorn
John Broom, Jacksonville
Chase McCarty, Westminster-Huntsville
Win Miller, Vestavia Hills
FINALISTS/PLAYERS OF YEAR
CLASS 7A GIRLS
Reniya Kelly, Hoover, Player of Year
Syriah Daniels, Auburn
Jabria Lindsey, Central-Phenix City
CLASS 6A GIRLS
Leah Brooks, Hazel Green, Player of Year
Jazmyn Bigham, Theodore
Takya Norman, Carver-Montgomery
CLASS 5A GIRLS
Olivia Vandergriff, Guntersville, Player of Year
Julie Nekolna, Holtville
Tamya Smith, Pleasant Grove
CLASS 4A GIRLS
Chloe Siegel, Deshler, Player of Year
Hannah Jones, Prattville Christian
Naomi Jones, Jackson
CLASS 3A GIRLS
Jorda Crook, Ohatchee, Player of Year
Cali Smallwood, Susan Moore
Emma Kate Smith, Trinity
CLASS 2A GIRLS
Belle Hill, Mars Hill Bible, Player of Year
Briley Merrill, Ranburne
Macey Roper, Pleasant Valley
CLASS 1A GIRLS
Ace Austin, Spring Garden, Player of Year
Timya Thurman, Linden
A’Lyric Whitfield, Elba
AISA GIRLS
Grace Davis, Clarke Prep, Player of Year
Lindsey Brown, Edgewood
Takayla Davis, Glenwood
CLASS 7A BOYS
Labaron Philon, Baker, Player of Year
Jacoby Hill, Central-Phenix City
Win Miller, Vestavia Hills
CLASS 6A BOYS
CLASS 5A BOYS
Austin Cross, Charles Henderson, Player of Year
Cam-Ron Dooley, Valley
Brandon Fussell, Guntersville
CLASS 4A BOYS
John Broom, Jacksonville, Player of Year
K.J. Anderson, Deshler
Chase McCarty, Westminster-Huntsville
CLASS 3A BOYS
Alex Odam, Piedmont, Player of Year
Luke Smith, Plainview
Tyler Thomas, Cottage Hill
CLASS 2A BOYS
Jacob St. Clair, Sand Rock, Player of Year
Jatavius Colvin, Aliceville
Chandler Sullivan, North Sand Mountain
CLASS 1A BOYS
Jaden Nixon, Autaugaville, Player of Year
Thomas Curlee, Faith-Anniston
Trey Kellogg, Covenant Christian
AISA BOYS
Wilson, Macon-East, Player of Year
Lukas Holman, Glenwood
Joseph Horne, Lee-Scott
COACHES OF THE YEAR
(originally named March 19)
GIRLS
7A: Jarvis Wilson, Sparkman
6A: Lin Slater, Huffman
5A: Brad Kitchens, Arab
4A: Terrie Nelson, Priceville
3A: Shane Childress, Clements
2A: Flori Sweatt, Mars Hill Bible
1A: Ricky Austin, Spring Garden
AISA: Darryl Free, Edgewood
BOYS
7A: Scott Ware, Hoover
6A: Patrick Harding, Buckhorn
5A: Marshon Harper, Valley
4A: Tres Buzan, Jacksonville
3A: Courtney Jones, Midfield
2A: Christopher Walker, Aliceville
1A: Melvin Allen, Oakwood Academy
AISA: Dusty Perdue, Glenwood
