By Rubin E. GrantReniya Kelly clutched the basketball in her left arm as she made an emotional dash up the court.Her facial expression had the look of someone who finally had accomplished something they had been trying to do for some time.Hoover’s 5-foot-7 junior guard had gotten fouled in the backcourt with nine seconds remaining in the girls Class 7A championship … [Read more...]

By Rubin E. GrantJack Lamey Jr. didn’t have any qualms when his dad, Harley Lamey, accepted the job as head wrestling coach at Hoover last summer, although the younger Lamey knew it meant he would have to leave a place where he had become a state champion.As a freshman at rival Vestavia Hills, Lamey won the 2020 Class 7A 145-pound state title. As a sophomore in 2021, he … [Read more...]

By Rubin E. GrantColin Turner let his emotions get the best of him following a poor play during his first two seasons on the Spain Park boys basketball team.“If he made a mistake, he would let it affect the next play and the next play and the play after that,” Spain Park coach Chris Laatsch said. “He couldn’t get out of his own way.”Turner acknowledged his coach’s … [Read more...]

By Rubin E. GrantThe first thing John David Smelser did three years ago when he learned about the Vestavia Hills girls basketball coaching job opening was to watch video of the Lady Rebels.He didn’t know anything about the players on the team.But after watching the video and seeing then-freshman Emma Smith play, Smelser immediately applied for the job.“I loved … [Read more...]

By Rubin E. GrantThe Mountain Brook boys, Oak Mountain boys and Hoover girls basketball teams took to the court early this week in regional finals with hopes of returning to the state tournament next week at Birmingham's Legacy Arena to defend their 2021 state championships.The Spartans' boys (29-4) played the Huffman Vikings (27-5) Monday afternoon in the Class 6A … [Read more...]