By Shannon Fagan, WEIS Sports Director
MONTGOMERY – When they were younger, Spring Garden senior basketball players Ace Austin and John Welsh used to play pickup games with and against each other. To hear Lady Panther coach Ricky Austin tell it, some of those battles are legendary.
“I’ve been a P.E. teacher and I’ve witnessed some of those battles,” he said. “Our girls and boys love playing against each other. When I reflect back on things now, the best two players when they were in the fifth, sixth and seventh grade who were going against each other were John and Ace.
“I remember them guarding each other. I remember them trying to block each other’s shot. I remember the trash talking that went on between them. I think they looked forward to coming to P.E. during basketball season to play that pickup game more than anything I’ve seen them do at school. It was game on when P.E. rolled around, and that affected other kids in their class.”
On Thursday at the Montgomery Renaissance, both Austin and Welsh’s careers came full circle. They were both honored as finalists for their respective Class 1A Player of the Year awards by the Alabama Sports Writers Association.
Austin, an Alabama signee, averaged 26 points, eight rebounds and six assists in leading Spring Garden (36-1) to a third straight Class 1A title. Welsh posted 22 points, 10 rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block per contest in leading the Panther boys to a 29-1 season.
Austin not only came away with the Class 1A Player of the Year, but she also became the first ever back-to-back ASWA Miss Basketball winner since its inception in 1988.
“It means a lot,” she said. “I’ve just been blessed the past few years with the right people. I wouldn’t have done this without my amazing teammates since seventh grade. I’ve had the best coach, not just a great dad, but a great coach, along with my mom (Dana Austin).”
Ace Austin also said she owes part of her hardwood success to Welsh.
“We played against each other in little league. We wouldn’t butt heads, but it was competitive,” she said. “It means a lot that Spring Garden is represented here. He’s a great player. The (Brantley) guy (Jayden Parks) won (1A Boys Player of the Year), and he’s a great player too, but John’s had a great career at Spring Garden. It’s a big thing to get nominated, and I’m proud of him and all the hard work he’s put in.”
John feels the same about Ace.
“I’m happy for her,” he said. “She always played against the boys, and she was just as rough as we were. I watched her grow up and I knew she was always going to be good. She deserves this.”
Both Spring Garden coaches feel their players are deserving as well.
“It’s a great honor for a player to be state player or the year finalist. It requires dedication, a desire to win, and so much work that most people do not get to witness,” Spring Garden boys coach Levi Hatcher said. “I have been fortunate enough to experience the time and energy that John has put in since his freshman year. He does this year around, pouring his all into all three sports. He, with the rest of his teammates, has helped carry off the tradition at Spring Garden. He will be missed but his impact on our team and school will not be forgotten.”
Coach Austin said he “feels a little part” of Welsh getting here. He coached Welsh prior to Hatcher taking over the Panther boys.
“He’s a phenomenal athlete. He’ll go down as one of the best athletes to ever come through Spring Garden, and we’ve had some good ones. He’ll go down as one of the best athletes in our county,” Coach Austin said. “It’s an honor to watch him down here today as well. He’s as good as anybody down here.”
As for his daughter, Coach Austin said Thursday just reaffirmed how special Ace Austin is.
“I’ve gotten to coach one of the best players who’s ever come through the state,” he said. “Sometimes when you get into the dad side of it you don’t really know. You kind of question yourself, but from the coaching side, this validates how good and what kind of impact she’s had on basketball. She’s had an impact where it gets people’s attention statewide, and I can’t even begin to tell you how it’s affected our small community, me and our teams. For her to have such an affect from inside Spring Garden and out just really stands out.”
Ace Austin’s impact was still being felt on Thursday at the Montgomery Renaissance.
Shortly after she returned from taking photos outside, she was conducting media interviews while being met by several of her player peers, giving her their congratulations, fist bumps, and best wishes.
“That goes beyond basketball. That tells you what relationships she’s developed with people through this opportunity from playing sports,” Coach Austin said. “Just small things like that, it just goes back to I think she represents the sport of basketball. She’s going to represent our state well, and I’m proud of how well she represents herself.”
And now, it’s on to Bama for Ace Austin. She graduates from Spring Garden on May 23, starts college classes on May 26, and starts workouts on May 28.
“I’m glad Ace has that opportunity to be part of such a good product and continue to represent our state,” Coach Austin said. “There’s a lot of pride about wanting to stay in the state and do good and win games for the state of Alabama. I’m just blessed to get to witness it really close up. I’m looking forward to it. I know Ace is as well.”
Hoover’s DeWayne Brown was named Mr. Basketball on Thursday. He is the first Mr. Basketball from the Bucs, who have three previous Miss Basketball winners.
Brown, a Tennessee signee, averaged 15 points and 10.4 rebounds this season, helping Hoover win a third straight Class 7A championship and complete an unbeaten season.
A complete list of Thursday’s award winners is listed below.
MISS BASKETBALL
Ace Austin, Spring Garden
MR. BASKETBALL
DeWayne Brown, Hoover
SUPER ALL-STATE
(top 5 players regardless of classification)
Girls
Ace Austin, Spring Garden (Miss Basketball)
Saniya Jackson, Park Crossing
Lani Smallwood, Albertville
Belle Hill, Mars Hill Bible
Shila Marks, Lauderdale Co.
Boys
DeWayne Brown, Hoover (Mr. Basketball)
J.D. Gossett, Huntsville
Salim London, Hoover
Jacoby Hill, Central-Phenix City
Austin Coner, Pinson Valley
GIRLS PLAYERS OF THE YEAR
7A: Lani Smallwood, Albertville
6A: Saniya Jackson, Park Crossing
5A: Samarian Franklin, Wenonah
4A: Ava McSwain, Good Hope
3A: Belle Hill, Mars Hill Bible
2A: Campbell Barron, Pisgah
1A: Ace Austin, Spring Garden
AISA: Shalexia Little, Springwood
BOYS PLAYERS OF THE YEAR
7A: DeWayne Brown, Hoover
6A: Austin Coner, Pinson Valley
5A: EJ King, Russellville
4A: Milton Jones Jr., Fairfield
3A: Skyler Stovall, Montgomery Academy
2A: Danilo Stojakovic, Tuscaloosa Academy
1A: Jayden Parks, Brantley
AISA: Deshawn Hall, Valiant Cross
