Meet the 2023 AL.com All-Birmingham girls basketball team
It was a good year for Birmingham area girls basketball teams this season.
Hoover and Pleasant Grove won championships while Huffman played in its first title game.
Hoover captured its third straight championship and fourth in the past five years, beating Sparkman for the title.
It was Hoover’s fifth straight championship game appearance, winning five of the past seven titles, and eight since 2010. The Bucs have nine total championships in 15 title-game appearances.
Pleasant Grove won its first basketball title, boys or girls, and Huffman reached its first Final Four and advanced to the title game, the first for the girls program while the boys program has a 2020 championship and two more title-game appearances.
Players on the AL.com All-Birmingham basketball team were selected to first, second and third teams and honorable mention along with a Player of the Year, Newcomer of the Year and Coach of the Year.
RELATED: All-Birmingham boys team
RELATED: All-Coastal boys team
RELATED: All-Coastal girls team
RELATED: Boys class Player of the Year finalists
RELATED: Girls class Player of the Year finalists
The All-Brimingham girls team is compiled through voting from area coaches, AL.com staff insights and opinions of experts in the area. It includes players from Jefferson and Shelby counties.
Here are the 2023 selections:
THIRD TEAM
Hewitt-Trussville’s Audreonia Benson looks for an opening against Hazel Green’s Zyriah Price during tournament play at Mortimer Jordan in Kimberly, Ala., Saturday, Nov. 12, 2022. (Marvin Gentry | [email protected])
Audreonia Benson
School: Hewitt-Trussville
Height: 5-foot-7
Class: Senior
Position: Guard
The skinny: Averaged 12.1 points, 4 rebounds and 2.3 assists with a school record 98 steals. She played in the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star game.
Wenonah’s Samarian Franklin controls the ball from Pleasant Grove’s Omaya Nelson (5) during the area tournament at Pleasant Grove high school in Pleasant Grove, Ala., Thursday, Feb. 9, 2023. (Marvin Gentry | [email protected])
Samarian Franklin
School: Wenonah
Height: 5-foot-9
Class: Sophomore
Position: Point Guard
The skinny: Averaged 13.2 points, and 2 assists a game this season.
Clay-Chalkville’s Kamoriah Gaines shoots against Muscle Shoals’ Addison Flint during the AHSAA Class 6A Northwest Regional at Wallace State in Hanceville, Ala., on Friday, Feb. 17, 2023. (Dennis Victory | [email protected])
Kamoriah Gaines
School: Clay-Chalkville
Height: 5-foot-6
Class: Junior
Position: Guard
The skinny: Averaged 13.7 points, 7.1 rebounds and 5.1 assists with 78 steals. She was ASWA Class 6A third-team all-state.
Midfield’s Dominique Owens shoots the ball during last season play. (Dennis Victory | [email protected])
Dominique Owens
School: Midfield
Height: 5-foot-10
Class: Senior
Position: Guard
The skinny: Averaged 11.2 points, 10.8 rebounds and 7 assists with 78 steals. She was ASWA Class 3A honorable mention all-state.
Ramsay’s Kennedi Wagner defends Pleasant Grove’s Carlisha Enge during the sub regional play at Pleasant Grove high school in Pleasant Grove, Ala., Monday, Feb. 13, 2023. (Marvin Gentry | [email protected])
Kennedi Wagner
School: Ramsay
Height: 5-foot-6
Class: Senior
Position: Guard
The skinny: Averaged 13.2 points, 2 steals and 1 assist per game this season.
SECOND TEAM
Pelham’s Laci Gogan (3) controls the ball from Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa’s Angel Shelton (4) during regionals at Bill Harris Arena in Birmingham, Ala., Wednesday , Feb. 22, 2023. (Marvin Gentry | [email protected])
Laci Gogan
School: Pelham
Height: 5-foot-8
Class: Senior
Position: Guard
The skinny: Averaged 15.4 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.9 assists this season with 2,034 career points. She was ASWA Class 6A first-team all-state.
Huffman’s Tamiria Jones goes to the basket against Hazel Green’s Sydney Steward during an AHSAA 6A championship game at BJCC’s Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Ala., Sat, Mar. 4, 2023. (Marvin Gentry | [email protected])
Tamiria Jones
School: Huffman
Height: 5-foot-0
Class: Junior
Position: Guard
The skinny: Averaged 13.3 points, 6.3 rebounds and 3.1 assists and was Northeast Regional MVP. She was ASWA Class 6A Second-team all-state.
Mortimer Jordan’s Jaylen Pleasant shoots against Hazel Green’s Sydney Steward during the AHSAA Class 6A Northwest Regional at Wallace State in Hanceville, Ala., on Friday, Feb. 17, 2023. (Dennis Victory | [email protected])
Jaylen Pleasant
School: Mortimer Jordan
Height: 5-foot-4
Class: Senior
Position: Guard
The skinny: Averaged 11.9 points, 4 rebounds and 3.2 assists with 1,248 career points. She was ASWA Class 6A second-team all-state.
McAdory’s Tamirea Taylor fights for a rebound during 2022 action. (Vasha Hunt | [email protected])Vasha Hunt
Tamirea Taylor
School: McAdory
Height: 5-foot-11
Class: Senior
Position: Forward
The skinny: Averaged 15.4 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.6 assists with 76 steals. She was ASWA Class 6A second-team all-state.
Vestavia Hills’ Anna Towry gets past Bob Jones’ Zamyra Goode during an MLK Classic game at Hoover High School in Hoover, Ala., Monday, Jan. 16, 2023. (Dennis Victory | [email protected])
Anna Towry
School: Vestavia Hills
Height: 5-foot-7
Class: Senior
Position: Guard
The skinny: Averaged 13.6 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.8 assists with over 1,000 career points. She was ASWA Class 7A third-team all-state.
FIRST TEAM
Hoover’s Layla Etchison shoots with Sparkman’s Kennedy Langham defending during an AHSAA Class 7A championship game at BJCC’s Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Ala., Saturday, Mar. 4, 2023. (Vasha Hunt | [email protected])
Layla Etchison
School: Hoover
Height: 5-foot-6
Class: Senior
Position: Guard
The skinny: Averaged 12.1 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.4 assists with 1,167 career points. She was ASWA Class 7A Second-team all-state.
Vestavia Hills’ Sarah Gordon and Bob Jones’ Janiyah Bone battle under the basket during a 7A regional playoff game in Hanceville, Ala., Thursday, Feb. 16, 2023. (Vasha Hunt | preps.al.com)Vasha Hunt
Sarah Gordon
School: Vestavia Hills
Height: 5-foot-11
Class: Sophomore
Position: Guard
The skinny: Averaged 17 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1 assist with 962 career points. She was ASWA Class 7A second-team all-state.
Hewitt Trussville’s Jordan Hunter (2) controls the ball against Sparkman during regionals at Jacksonville State in Jacksonville, Ala., Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2023. (Marvin Gentry | [email protected])
Jordan Hunter
School: Hewitt-Trussville
Height: 5-foot-10
Class: Junior
Position: Guard
The skinny: Averaged 15.4 points, 4.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists with 1,474 career points. She was ASWA Class 7A first-team all-state.
Pleasant Grove’s Tamya Smith (1) controls the ball against Arab during an AHSAA 5A championship game at BJCC’s Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Ala., Sat, Mar. 4, 2023. (Marvin Gentry | [email protected])
Tamya Smith
School: Pleasant Grove
Height: 6-foot
Class: Junior
Position: Guard
The skinny: Averaged 15.9 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.3 assists with 73 steals. She was ASWA Class 5A first-team all-state and is a finalist for class Player of the Year.
Angela Williams
School: Shades Valley
Height: 6-foot-1
Class: Junior
Position: Guard/Forward
The skinny: Averaged 18 points, 12 rebounds, 6 assists and 3 blocks a game this season.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Hoover’s Reniya Kelly brings the ball down court against Sparkman’s Kennedy Langham during an AHSAA 7Achampionship game at BJCC’s Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Ala., Sat, Mar. 4, 2023. (Marvin Gentry | [email protected])
Reniya Kelly, Hoover
The 5-foot-8 guard averaged 14.6 points, 4.8 rebounds and 5 assists a game for the Class 7A state champions. North Carolina signee Kelly earned state finals MVP along with Class 7A first-team all-state and is a finalist for class Player of the Year along with being named the Gatorade state Player of the Year. She also played in the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star game.
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR
Pleasant Grove’s Ashauntae Monday, right, (2) battles Ramsay’s Nyla Gooden (23) for a rebound during sub regional play at Pleasant Grove high school in Pleasant Grove, Ala., Monday, Feb. 13, 2023. (Marvin Gentry | [email protected])
Ashauntae Monday, Pleasant Grove
The 5-foot senior guard increased her output substantially for the Class 5A champions, averaging 9.8 points, 1.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists with 122 steals this season. She was named area tournament MVP and converted 43 percent of her field goals, including 33 percent from 3-point range.
COACH OF THE YEAR
Pleasant Grove coach Walter Hicks during an AHSAA 5A championship game at BJCC’s Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Ala., Sat, Mar. 4, 2023. (Marvin Gentry | [email protected])
Walter Hicks, Pleasant Grove
HONORABLE MENTION
Hoover’s Alanah Pooler shoots a free throw against James Clemens during the AHSAA Class 7A Northwest Regional at Wallace State in Hanceville, Ala., on Friday, Feb. 17, 2023. (Dennis Victory | [email protected])
Taylor Smith, Briarwood; Tyeshia Williams, Calera; Haley Trotter, Chelsea; Emma Poore, Coosa Valley; Olivia Johnigan, Helena; Kayla Warren, Homewood; Alanah Pooler, Hoover; Kristen McMillan, Hoover; Jamiria Jones, Huffman; Destinee Nelson, Huffman; Brianna Adams, Minor; Nailah Mayes, Minor; Sarah Kanaday, Mortimer Jordan; Mia Musso, Oak Grove; Raegan Whitaker, Oak Mountain; Alteona Plump, Parker; Otiscia Towns, Parker; Tiauna King, Pelham; Zyon Gaiters, Thompson; Jill Gaylard, Vestavia Hills; Ja’Kalynn McGinnis, Vincent