Class of 2023: Standouts Headed To The State Finals Part One

This is about to be the most exciting week in the state of Alabama Basketball; girls and boys.  But I am here to talk about the girls; the Class of 2023 has some heavy hitters and 20 of these have been instrumental in leading their respective teams to the AHSAA State Finals to be held in Birmingham at the Legacy Arena.  Games will start at 9a on Monday, February 28th, and go through Saturday, March 6th.  Get your tickets, come out and support girls basketball in numbers this year.  Below is a short excerpt for the PGH State of Alabama ranked players: First up is Number One [player_tooltip player_id="318502" first="Reniya" last="Kelly"] <strong>| 5-7 PG | Hoover.</strong>  Reniya is the best guard in the state of Alabama regardless of grade and has been playing varsity since the 7th in a talent-loaded championship program.  She can shoot, make plays, and is a great defender.  She has consistently put up numbers against national-ranked teams such as IMG, The Webb School, Woodward Academy to just name a few, this season. Her team will play on Thursday at 12noon against Davidson. Number 5: [player_tooltip player_id="330687" first="Makala" last="Hobdy"] <strong>| 5-5 CG | Charles Henderson</strong>. Makala can shoot the three and is a pest on defense. She averages about 3-4 threes and at least 5 steals per game.  Makala and her team will play Guntersville on Wednesday at 3p. Number 6: [player_tooltip player_id="318509" first="Kristen" last="McMillian"] <strong>| 6-1 PF | Hoover</strong>. This is a power forward that can handle the ball and make threes from the high post. Because of her ability to move quicker than your average post player, she is a threat in the paint because she can pull her defender out and blow by.  Kisten and her team will play Davidson on Thursday at 12noon. Number 7: [player_tooltip player_id="323432" first="Kallie" last="Tinker"] <strong>| 5-3 SG | Pisgah</strong>.  When you ask for an eval on Kallie everyone says the same thing; she can put up the numbers.  She is a member of the 1,000 point club at her high school and with her high basketball IQ, she is that coach on the floor.  Pisgah will play Lannett on Monday at 3p. Next up is Number 8 [player_tooltip player_id="323434" first="Hannah" last="Jones"] <strong>| 6-1 SF | Prattville Christian</strong> and Number 9 [player_tooltip player_id="323435" first="CoCo" last="Thomas"] <strong>| 5-11 PF | Prattville Christian</strong>; they are known as the twin towers.  As once stated in a previous article, they can both defend, block shots, rebound, and make shots, so they are double the trouble and defending 3A state champs.  They will play on Tuesday at 9a against Plainview. Number 11: [player_tooltip player_id="324018" first="Ella" last="Vallas"] <strong>| 6-2 CG | St. Paul</strong>, when I first started this job and inquired in the southern region about players, she was one consistent player that everyone talked about.  With her 6-2 frame with the ability to rebound while keeping the ball high, Ella is a mismatch in a most high school games.  She averages a double-double in most games.  You can catch Ella and St. Paul on Wednesday at 6p against Lee Huntsville. Number 12: [player_tooltip player_id="324019" first="Olivia" last="Vandergriff"] <strong>| 5-7 SG | Guntersville</strong>, she is a difference-making on this school’s varsity roster.  Olivia can put the numbers up and doesn’t matter the range, she will also drive to the basket expecting the contact and make you pay from the free-throw line.  Guntersville will play at 3p on Wednesday against Charles Henderson. Number 13: [player_tooltip player_id="324020" first="Chloe" last="Siegel"] <strong>| 5-7 CG | Deshler</strong>.  When you ask about Chloe most responses will be she "makes it rain".  That was so on January 17th of this year when she broke the state and national record for most threes in a game; 18. Chloe is also very scrappy on defense and has a motor that goes on and on. I am looking forward to watching her play on Tuesday against Vigor at 6p. Number 18: [player_tooltip player_id="324025" first="Alanah" last="Pooler"] <strong>| 5-10 PF | Hoover</strong>. Alanah is one of those DNA players; mom and dad were both collegiate athletes.  She is not a real emotional player but gets the job done; always in the right place and at the right time. She has stepped her defensive game up this year by taking more charges and offensively can shoot from the top of the key in Hoover’s high-low game.  Alanah and her team, Hoover will take the court on Thursday at 12noon against Davidson. Remember, the AHSAA State Finals; Monday February 28 - Saturday, March 5, 2022 at the BJCC Legacy Arena.  The schedule can be found at https://statefinalsal.com/ &nbsp;