A Look Into The Class 7A Finals

If you live in or near the Birmingham, Vestavia, or Hoover area, the talk the entire season when it came to girls basketball is who will win if Hoover and Vestavia squared off at the Final 4. Well, basketball fans don’t have to guess any longer; they have what they have asked for as both teams have made it to the championship game.   On Saturday, March 5, at 4p at the Legacy Arena, both fan bases will pack the BJCC for what is sure to be an intense match-up of the two top teams in the state. The one time they met this year, Hoover won at Vestavia 64-55 in a hard-fought game.   As it was the first go-around, this is a game that will be won by which team can win in the contrasting style of play. Hoover is the more athletic squad and will use their athleticism to push the tempo and get the game played at a high pace. Hoover will run their half-court sets, but they have two of the best iso scorers in the state in [player_tooltip player_id="318048" first="Aniya" last="Hubbard"] and [player_tooltip player_id="318502" first="Reniya" last="Kelly"]. Hoover plays a highly aggressive style defense, and the question will be how physical will the refs allow this game to be before making the whistles a factor.   Vestavia does not mind playing uptempo, but they are very methodical in their approach. The key to Vestavia is how well will they shoot the three. If they can make the trey ball a difference-maker, it could be a long night for Hoover. Defensively they will need to limit the production of Hoover two stars Aniya and Reniya. Vestavia left the match-up in December, feeling very good about their chances against Hoover if this game would by chance happen, and here it is. The Lady Rebels will not come in feeling inferior or fearing the mystique of the Lady Bucs, but they are coming into the championship game extremely confident that they can take down the defending state champions.   Key Players:   <img class="size-medium wp-image-353849 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/11/PGH-Aniya-Hubbard-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" />[player_tooltip player_id="318048" first="Aniya" last="Hubbard"] (5’9/Combo Guard/2022)   School: Hoover HS Instagram: aniya_hubbard Twitter: @aniya_hubbard   Aniya gave another dominant performance in the semifinal game against Davidson. She was literally unstoppable off the bounce and got whatever she wanted when she wanted. She was too much for Davidson to handle, and on a good shooting night, as far as her numbers, she shot 64% from the field. She will need to have another dominant performance to keep Vestavia from pulling the upset. Her final numbers from the game against Davidson are as follows.   23pts (9-14; 2-3 from behind the arc); 11-rebounds; 7-Assist   <img class="size-medium wp-image-353850 alignleft" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/pgh/uploads/2021/11/PGH-Reniya-Kelly-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" />[player_tooltip player_id="318502" first="Reniya" last="Kelly"] (5’7/Point Guard/2023)   School: Hoover HS Instagram: ReniyaK_ Twitter: @ReniyaKelly   Reniya is the emotional leader for this Hoover squad. She is one of the best iso scorers in the state, and she put a lot of pressure on the Davidson defense. She got it done at all levels and will need to have a similar and maybe even stronger performance in the championship game. Emotions will be high in this one, and she will need to be the stabilizer for her squad. In the semifinal, her numbers were as follows:   16pts (6-14; 3-4 from behind the arc)   [player_tooltip player_id="324035" first="Layla" last="Etchison"] (5’6/Guard/2023)   School: Hoover HS Instagram: N/A Twitter: N/A   Layla poured in 22pts in the semifinal game, and even though she is not a household name like Aniya and Reniya, her performance is not shocking for those around the Hoover program.   <blockquote> She provides Hoover with a third option that can fill it up from all levels. </blockquote> Her point production and ability to guard on the perimeter will be crucial in the match-up against Vestavia. In the semifinal game, her numbers were as follows:   22pts (9-15; 3-8 from behind the arc)   [player_tooltip player_id="328856" first="Jill" last="Gaylard"] (5’3/Point Guard/2025)   School: Vestavia Hills HS Instagram: N/A Twitter: @BabyJill0   Make no mistake about it; Jill is the future of the Vestavia program. She will play a huge role come Saturday as she will be at the center of controlling the game’s pace and possibly defending one of, if not the best offensive players in the state. If she can help lead her team to victory in the championship, it will be huge for this young freshman phenom. Her numbers against Auburn in the semifinals were as follows:   9pts (4-6; 1-2 from behind the arc)   [player_tooltip player_id="354107" first="Ally" last="Smith"] (5’5/Guard/2022)   School: Vestavia Hills HS Instagram: Twitter: @allysmith1013   Ally is one of the most lethal C&S scorers in the state. She shot 55% from behind the line in the semifinals. If she can have another big night from behind the arc, she will give Vestavia an excellent opportunity to knock off the Lady Bucs. Her stat line from the Auburn game was as follows:   17pts (6-10; 5-9 from behind the arc)   [player_tooltip player_id="319560" first="Emma" last="Smith"] (5’8/Guard/2022)   School: Vestavia Hills HS Instagram: Twitter: @Emmacsmith711   If you want to know who makes this Vestavia team go, look no further than senior guard [player_tooltip player_id="319560" first="Emma" last="Smith"]. She is the catalyst to everything pertaining to the success of the Lady Rebels. She impacts the game on both ends of the floor, is the emotional leader on the court, and is the one the entire team will be looking to lead them in their charge on Saturday. <blockquote> It goes without saying that if Vestavia is going to beat Hoover, Emma will have to be at her absolute best. </blockquote> She had a solid performance against Auburn, but more will be needed on Saturday. Her stat line against Auburn was as follows: 15pts (5-10; 1-4 from behind the arc); 7-steals   So Alabama…who do you think will win this one? Cast your vote here: https://poll.fm/11060076