Hoover’s Reniya Kelly adds Miss Basketball to impressive accomplishment list

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