Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney
Vestavia Hills’ Adam Barksdale (13) dribbles the ball guarded by Hoover’s Austin Dudley (15) during a game at Hoover High School on Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024.
There’s a balance that head coach Patrick Davis attempts to strike with his Vestavia Hills High School boys basketball team.
The Rebels have their tenets, the things they will do no matter what the roster looks like. Then, there are some tweaks to be made that best fit the current team’s makeup.
“We still got to be really good at the stuff we always do,” Davis said. “We’re still going to go really fast both ways. … Skill and ability to shoot it, that’s your life blood. They are strengths of ours, so we’re going to play to those strengths.”
Davis feels confident this year’s group will be able to shoot the ball and space the floor well. But this year’s roster features some players still with the football program at the basketball season’s start, plus some guys who were still on the mend at the beginning of the year.
“We’ll have a chance to be a lot better in the back half of the year than in the front of the year,” he said.
Adam Barksdale appears poised to take on the leading scorer role from the Rebels. He stepped up last year in support of Reese Gurner and now is taking that yoke upon himself to lead the way.
“He was a good player for us last year,” Davis said. “Adam was a second or third option for us a lot of nights last year, and he’s going to have to do more. He’s comfortable with that.”
Barksdale and Jones Cleary are among seven seniors for this year’s team. Davis noted Cleary’s strong summer and improved offensive game.
Jack Cobb is another senior who earned some starts last season and will take on a bigger role this season. Wood Woodward found his way into the rotation last winter and will be asked for more this time around, as will junior Emory Bear. Bear was the only sophomore on the varsity squad last fall, so the Rebels are optimistic about his continued development.
Josh Milner, Axel Dieguez and Parker Surber are also seniors on the squad.
Zac Cunningham is a junior who brings great energy to the team. Brett Brown is another junior who brings a shooting touch to the floor. Jon Allen Harper is a junior as well.
This year’s roster features three sophomores, a high for Davis’s tenure at Vestavia. Adrian Peterson, Johnny Towry and Luke Stubbs played junior varsity ball last year and are ready to make the jump to varsity contributor.
The road won’t be easy for Vestavia Hills. The Rebels will move into a new Area 6, which features two-time defending state champion Hoover, Oak Mountain and Hewitt-Trussville.
After getting the season started in November and hosting the annual Sneaky Pete’s Rebel Classic the week of Thanksgiving, the Rebels have a busy December.
Vestavia will play the likes of Minor, Homewood, Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa and Dothan in December. The Rebels will make a trip to Kentucky for three games before returning stateside for Homewood’s annual Metro Tournament to wrap up the month.
In January, the Rebels still have some games outside of the important area contests. They will play Guntersville, Huffman and Oxford around the six area competitions.
