By Lee Davis
Even if the organizers of the Alabama High School Athletic Association’s basketball finals had drawn it on a blackboard, they couldn’t have envisioned a more ideal Class 7A girls championship game than pitting Spain Park against its crosstown rival Hoover.
“Playing for a state championship is always special, but playing Hoover makes it much more so,” said Lady Jag guard Claire Holt, whose two late free throws put her team in the final with a 49-48 upset of McGill in the semi-finals. “This is like a dream come true.”
Spain Park wasn’t the only team of dreamers. Lady Buccaneer coach Krystle Johnson led Hoover to the 2001 state championship as a player and was an assistant coach on title teams in 2010 and 2012. Now in her first season as head coach, Johnson had a chance to bring her alma mater yet another crown – against its biggest rival.
“Everybody knows I’m a Hoover girl,” Johnson said before the final. “Even when I was at Huntsville (as head coach) I kept up with them. When I took this job, it was a special pride I had to get these girls ready to play for a state championship.”
The dream became a reality last Saturday as the Lady Bucs edged the Lady Jags 51-47 in overtime to give Hoover its fifth state championship since 2001. And that wasn’t the only reason the successful title run must have seemed like déjà vu to Johnson. As she sank two late free throws to give her team a championship against Decatur 16 years ago, Joiya Maddox connected on a late free throw to clinch the latest championship for Hoover.
“I told Joiya to forget about the people in the arena,” Johnson said. “It’s just her and the rim.”
Spain Park started fast, moving ahead by nine points at one time, with Sarah Ashlee Barker and Holt sparking the offense. The Lady Jaguars didn’t relinquish the lead until junior forward Eboni Williams made a layup that gave Hoover a 30-29 advantage in the third period.
The Lady Bucs led 44-41 when Barker hit a three point shot at the buzzer to force the game into overtime. Spain Park’s chances for an upset diminished when Holt fouled out early in the extra period. She finished the game with 22 points.
Williams finished with 10 points and 11 rebounds and was named Tournament MVP. Another heroine for Hoover was junior center Angela Grant, who came off the bench to score 13 points and snatch eight rebounds.
“Coach (Johnson) always told me what I needed to work on,” Grant said. “I’m glad I embraced it and helped us get the win. I’m happy now.”
Barker had 11 points in the losing cause.
Hoover completed its championship season with a 29-7 worksheet; Spain Park finished 22-12.
Lady Jag coach Mike Chase became emotional when discussing his team, which had little pre-season fanfare before coming within one overtime period of a state championship.
“I couldn’t be prouder of this team,” he said. “We were four points shy after playing 36 minutes of basketball. I’m proud of how they played and what they represented.”
Holt said Spain Park’s late season run was unforgettable to her and her teammates.
“During the regular season, we didn’t have a lot of supporters at our game,” she said. “But once we got to the Sweet 16 and the kids were getting out of school early, they started showing up. We played a lot of exciting games and now we’ve got a following. We played our hearts out. I’m so proud of what we accomplished.”
But proudest of all may have been Hoover’s Johnson, who has now earned a trifecta of state championships – as a player, an assistant and as a head coach.
“I’ll always love Hoover,” she said.
The Hoover Nation has always loved Krystle Johnson. And now more than ever.
