By Rubin E. Grant
Khloe Ford didn’t expect to become one of the top young girls basketball prospects in the state.
She had grown up playing softball and figured her athletic future was on a diamond, not a court.
Then, Ford hit a growth spurt in middle school and her parents persuaded her to play basketball.
Now a 6-foot-3 sophomore at Hoover High School, Ford is showing that mom and dad certainly knew best.
This season, she averaged 13.4 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.2 blocks, helping Hoover win its fourth consecutive Class 7A state championship and finish with a 28-7 record.
For her performance, Ford was voted the 2024 OTM Girls Basketball Player of the Year in balloting by Over the Mountain coaches.
“I’m in shock,” Ford said. “There are a lot of good players out there who work hard and some of them are older players, but they picked me. I feel really blessed.”
Hoover coach Krystle Johnson isn’t surprised, especially after the way Ford improved throughout the season.
“As a player, she’s gotten a lot better,” Johnson said. “Last year, she struggled to find her role, but we had four senior post players she went up against in practice every day and that prepared her for this season.”
Ford was brilliant in the postseason at the regional and state tournaments, averaging a double-double with 21.5 points and 11.0 rebounds to earn MVP honors in both tournaments.
She had 25 points and eight rebounds in a 58-46 victory against James Clemens in the Northwest Regional semifinals. She followed that with a 16-point effort, including two clutch 3-pointers in the fourth quarter, and nine rebounds as the Lady Bucs rallied from a 13-point deficit in the final period to beat Bob Jones 58-55 in the regional final.
Ford had a career-high 28 points, sinking 11 of 13 shots from the field, and 15 rebounds in a 71-56 victory against Auburn in the Class 7A semifinals at the BJCC’s Legacy Arena. Then, in the championship game, she scored 17 points and grabbed 12 rebounds as Hoover defeated Hewitt-Trussville 58-56 to capture the title.
“I remember sitting in the bleachers at Wallace State before we played James Clemens and telling her she could easily average 25 points and 12 rebounds in the last few games,” Johnson said. “She came close.”
Ford’s performance conjures up memories of Johnson, who was a 6-foot-4 post player and an All-State player on the Lady Bucs’ 2001 state championship team before going on to play at UCLA and Alabama.
“I don’t know if you can compare us,” Johnson said. “I was more physical, but she is way more efficient. I’m excited to see how her career progresses. I tell her she can become one of the better players to come out of Hoover in her own right.”
Ford already has a college offer from Mississippi State and is being recruited by several other NCAA Power 5 conference schools. She said she doesn’t quite know yet what to think of all the attention she’s receiving from colleges, saying simply, “It’s nice to know my hard work is paying off.”
All-OTM Team
Ford heads up the 2024 All-OTM Girls Basketball Team. She is joined by two of her teammates, junior guard Kaitlyn Gipson and senior guard Ariana Peagler, both standout defensive players. Gipson averaged 8.6 points, 3.0 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 2.1 steals and surpassed 1,000 career points for her career. Peagler averaged 8.6 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.7 steals.
Vestavia Hills, Homewood, Mountain Brook and Briarwood Christian all had two players voted to the team.
Vestavia Hills’ representatives are junior guards Sarah Gordon and Jill Gaylard. Gordon averaged 20.3 points and 5.8 rebounds. She has scored 1,575 career points. Gaylard averaged 9.8 points, 3.9 rebounds and 3.5 assists.
Senior forward Kayla Warren and sophomore forward Ellis McCool made the team from Homewood. Warren averaged 9.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 2.2 steals. McCool averaged 7.0 points and 6.0 rebounds.
Mountain Brook’s two players are senior guards Emma Stearns and Sara Passink. Stearns averaged 10.5 points while shooting 40% from 3-point range. Passink averaged 6.0 points and 3.5 assists.
Briarwood’s representatives are both sophomores, forward Emma Kerley and guard Ann Tatum Baker. Kerley averaged 11.9 points and 8.2 rebounds. Baker averaged 13.4 points, 3.8 steals and 2.3 assists.
Oak Mountain senior forward Raegan Whitaker rounds out the team. She averaged 10.1 points, 10.7 rebounds and 2.8 assists. She is headed to Southern Illinois to play soccer in college.
Coach of the Year
Hoover’s Johnson was voted 2024 OTM Girls Basketball Coach of the Year.
“I’m actually shocked,” Johnson said. “I never expect it because people expect us to win. It’s an honor to be recognized.
“It was one of the toughest coaching jobs I’ve had to do. We were inexperienced at the beginning of the season, and we had a tough schedule out-of-state and in-state, trying to get our girls to play to the highest level.
“It’s pretty remarkable to win the last four state championships because of the talent and good coaching in 7A.”