Lady Rebels eager to take next step
Talent will not be one of the Vestavia Hills High School girls basketball team’s limiting factors this season. Head coach John David Smelser believes this could be his most talented squad yet.
The Lady Rebels have the pieces in place to make yet another run, coming off consecutive appearances in the Class 7A regional final and looking for more. They still have a handful of players who have accumulated valuable playoff experience over the last two seasons.
“We’ve got a good mix of experience and a lot of inexperience, too, but there’s a lot of talent,” Smelser said.
Vestavia Hills knows its system is effective as well, having won a combined 53 games over the last two seasons. Smelser wants his team to play an up-tempo attacking brand of basketball on both ends of the floor. That requires depth, which the Lady Rebels have in abundance this year.
“We’ll be able to play similar to last year, where we want to play with pace,” Smelser said. “When you can play 10 to 12 kids, there’s only way to play and that’s press and get after you [defensively] as soon as you touch the ball.”
Vestavia has three seniors this season, all of them sharing the same last name. Emma and Ally Smith are twins and enter their fifth year on the varsity team. Carley Smith, unrelated to them, is also a starter for the team.
Even though Smelser is only in his third year with them, he recognizes the impact Emma and Ally have made on the program for the last four years. Emma blew past the 1,000-point mark in her career last season and Ally is a sharpshooter who has improved her all-around game as well.
“It’s kind of bittersweet to know that this is it for them,” he said. “But at the same time, there’s a lot of basketball left, there’s a lot of time left. In their career here, they’ve helped change this program.”
Carley Smith emerged last season and is in line for a big final season as well. The Lady Rebels have four juniors this season. Anna Towry flies under the radar at times, but has become one of the team’s primary scoring options. Suzy Woodruff has been on varsity for a couple of seasons now and brings a physical edge to the team. Elizabeth Steele and Avery Huntley are also juniors.
Mallory Cowan and Ally Perry are sophomores on this year’s team and Smelser said both will receive plenty of playing time. The freshmen are also expected to contribute in a significant manner as well. Jill Gaylard could soon become one of the top players in the area, while Grayson Hudgens, Jordan Madsen and Sarah Gordon will be factors as well, according to Smelser.
“All four of the freshmen have really high basketball IQs,” Smelser said.
Vestavia knows the season is long and there are no givens. The Lady Rebels take on the likes of Hartselle, Homewood, Hoover, Oak Mountain and Rogers before diving into Class 7A, Area 6 play in January.
If the Lady Rebels get back to that regional final date once again, they know they have what it takes.
“We’ve got the talent. The way we play wins. We know how to work,” Smelser said. “We don’t have to change the way we play or anything, we just have to go make plays in those moments.
“That’s what will put us over the hump.”