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Photos by Erin Nelson.
Vestavia’s Emma Smith (3) attempts a layup guarded by Hewitt-Trussville’s Jordan Hunter (2) in a game at Braasch-Hatchett Court on Jan. 7.
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Photos by Erin Nelson.
Vestavia’s Win Miller (0) shoots a layup in a game against Hewitt-Trussville.
It’s not often both varsity basketball programs within the same high school are among the best teams in the state.
But that is the case so far this season at Vestavia Hills High School, where the boys and girls varsity programs were ranked in the top five in Class 7A through the middle of January.
The Vestavia Hills boys won 20 of their first 22 games, winning the Sneaky Pete’s Rebel Classic in December and notching notable wins over the likes of Hoover, Hartselle, Oxford and others.
Leading into the Christmas break, the Rebels dropped their second game of the season in the Battle 205 event in Birmingham, a 65-60 defeat to Wenonah. Head coach Patrick Davis didn’t feel as if his team was anywhere close to playing its best basketball.
“I felt like we were playing maybe 50% as good as we could play,” he said.
In the days after Christmas, though, the Rebels took a trip north to play in a tournament in Kentucky. In the first game of that tournament, Vestavia Hills knocked off Highlands, the Kentucky state champion last season. Through the middle of January, the Rebels have yet to lose again.
“We played significantly better when we went out of town and played,” Davis said.
One of the things that has helped the Rebels click in the last few weeks is putting an emphasis on toughness. The talent is there — Reese Gurner and Win Miller are each capable of scoring 30 points any given night and many others have cracked double digits throughout the year — but the “tough plays” are what can set the team over the top.
“A lot of times it comes down to, ‘Are you tough enough to make tough plays?’ Close games come down to those tough plays and we’ve been trying to practice that,” Davis said.
Vestavia’s girls team has had similar success so far this season, the Lady Rebels winning their 20th game Jan. 11. They have consistently blown out opponents, with their only losses coming to the two teams in the Class 7A state championship game last season (Hoover and Hewitt-Trussville).
“We’re happy with our record, but we’re not satisfied with where we are,” head coach John David Smelser said. “I think we’ve still got a lot of improving and a lot of growing.”
The Lady Rebels have three seniors leading the way this season, with Emma Smith, Ally Smith and Carley Smith contributing in the fashion expected of them over the years. Emma is one of the most prolific scorers in the program’s history, Ally is a knockdown 3-point shooter (and recently scored her 1,000th career point) and Carley provides reliable ballhandling and tough defense.
There are also players like junior Anna Towry, a slasher who is a crucial piece to the Lady Rebels on each end of the floor.
Adding to what has already been a good team over the past couple years, Vestavia has four freshmen contributing this year. Sarah Gordon has led the team in scoring several times, while Jill Gaylard, Grayson Hudgens and Jordan Madsen are all in the rotation.
“They’re playing well, they’re getting better and they’re nowhere close to where they’re going to be. I’m excited about where we’re trending,” Smelser said.
The Lady Rebels have also improved this season in being able to win in multiple ways. Whereas in the past they may have struggled to win ball games when shots were not falling, this year has been different.
Vestavia has been on the doorstep of the final four each of the last two seasons, and that trait may be the difference in breaking the door down this year.
“We’ve got to continue doing the little things well and finding ways to win,” Smelser said. “We’ve just got to keep doing what we’re doing.”
