Hoover’s Reniya Kelly adds Miss Basketball to impressive accomplishment list
The list of accomplishments for Hoover’s Reniya Kelly is impressive.
Kelly signed with North Carolina to play basketball before breaking Hoover’s all-time scoring record with 2,272 career points over five seasons.
She led Hoover (35-1) to its third straight Class 7A title, earning Class 7A tournament MVP and has been part of all four Hoover championships in the past five years.
The 5-foot-8 guard also led her team to victory and was named MVP of the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star basketball game and earned the state Gatorade Player of the Year in addition to being named MaxPreps second team All-American and is listed by ESPN as the Class of 2023 No. 30 player and No. 6 point guard in the nation.
Kelly added the final award on Thursday, selected Alabama Sports Writers Association 2023 Miss Basketball.
“I’ve seen all the Hoover High school greats and Reniya Kelly is the best player to ever play at Hoover High School,” said Hoover coach Krystle Johnson, who was a star on the 2001 Hoover state championship team. “What makes her special is she’s always looking to elevate her game. Once she masters one thing, she moves on to the next challenge.”
The awards were sponsored by ALFA Insurance and presented today at a Montgomery luncheon sponsored by the Alabama High School Coaches & Athletic Directors Association.
Baker’s Labaron Philon earned Mr. Basketball.
Kelly averaged 15.1 points, 4.9 rebounds, 5 assists and 2.4 steals a game this season, converting 194-of-432 field goals for 44.9 percent while making 80-of-171 from 3-point range for 46.8 percent. Hoover compiled a 168-10 record during her five seasons in the program.
She was a four-time All-State player and became the third Miss Basketball winner from Hoover — no other program has more than two winners. Previous Hoover Miss Basketball selections were Sidney Spencer (2003) and Marqu’es Webb (2013).
Kelly is also the Class 7A Player of the Year and heads the Super All-State team, comprised of the top five state players regardless of classification. It’s Kelly’s second straight season for both honors.
“All the adversity, every time she has been overlooked, not selected or chosen for something she is more than deserving for, it all just drove her to get better,” Johnson said. “She has a bullet list of things to use as motivation and that’s why she will succeed at the next level.
“She has been a coach’s dream to coach these past five years. To watch her go from a 12-year-old sending us to the state championship game in 2019 to a 17-year-old leading us to an unprecedented third straight state championship has been a pleasure. “
The rest of the Super All-State are Leah Brooks of Class 6A Hazel Green, Syriah Daniels of Class 7A Auburn, Ace Austin of Class 1A Spring Garden and Jorda Crook of Class 3A Ohatchee.
Hoover has the most Super All-State selections in history, boys or girls, with 13 — all girls — including six in the past five seasons.
MISS BASKETBALL
Reniya Kelly, Hoover
SUPER ALL-STATE
(top 5 players regardless of classification)
Reniya Kelly, Hoover
Leah Brooks, Hazel Green
Syriah Daniels, Auburn
Ace Austin, Spring Garden
Jorda Crook, Ohatchee
CLASS PLAYERS OF THE YEAR
7A: Reniya Kelly, Hoover
6A: Leah Brooks, Hazel Green
5A: Olivia Vandergriff, Guntersville
4A: Chloe Siegel, Deshler
3A: Jorda Crook, Ohatchee
2A: Belle Hill, Mars Hill Bible
1A: Ace Austin, Spring Garden
AISA: Grace Davis, Clarke Prep
COACHES OF THE YEAR
(originally named March 19)
7A: Jarvis Wilson, Sparkman
6A: Lin Slater, Huffman
5A: Brad Kitchens, Arab
4A: Terrie Nelson, Priceville
3A: Shane Childress, Clements
2A: Flori Sweatt, Mars Hill Bible
1A: Ricky Austin, Spring Garden
AISA: Darryl Free, Edgewood
ALL-TIME MISS BASKETBALL
2023: Reniya Kelly, Hoover
2022: Samiya Steele, Hazel Green
2021: Karoline Striplin, Geneva County
2020: Sarah Ashlee Barker, Spain Park
2019: Annie Hughes, Pisgah
2018: Zipporah Broughton, Lee-Montgomery
2017: Bianca Jackson, Brewbaker Tech
2016: Jasmine Walker, Jeff Davis
2015: Shaquera Wade, Huntsville
2014: Shakayla Thomas, Sylacauga
2013: Marqu’es Webb, Hoover
2012: Jasmine Jones, Bob Jones
2011: Hayden Hamby, West Morgan
2010: Kaneisha Horn, Ramsay
2009: Jala Harris, Bob Jones
2008: Courtney Jones, Midfield
2007: Katherine Graham, Ramsay
2006: Shanavia Dowdell, Calera
2005: Whitney Boddie, Florence
2004: Starr Orr, Speake
2003: Sidney Spencer, Hoover
2002: Kate Mastin, Boaz
2001: Donyel Wheeler, Huffman
2000: Natasha Thomas, Lawrence County
1999: Tasheika Morris, Butler
1998: Gwen Jackson, Eufaula
1997: April Nance, Butler
1996: Nicole Carruth, Sulligent
1995: Heather Mayes, Fyffe
1994: Pam Duncan, Carrollton
1993: Leah Monteith, Cherokee County
1992: Yolanda Watkins, Decatur
1991: Tonya Tice, Hamilton
1990: Karen Killen, Mars Hill Bible
1989: Leslie Claybrook, St. James
1988: Jeaniece Slater, Hartselle