Buckhorn High School sophomore Caleb Holt and Spring Garden High School junior Ace Austin were named 2024 Mr. Basketball and Miss Basketball, respectively, for the just completed 2024 high school basketball season. The announcement was made at the annual Alabama Sportswriters Association luncheon sponsored by the Alabama High School Athletic Directors & Coaches Association (AHSADCA) and ALFA Insurance at the Montgomery Renaissance Hotel and Convention Center Tuesday.
Holt, the first sophomore to win the Mr. Basketball Award in its 42-year history, led the Bucks of Coach Patrick Harding to back-to-back Class 6A state championships as a freshman and sophomore. On Tuesday, the 6-foot-6 forward was named the state’s 42nd Mr. Basketball by the Alabama Sports Writers Association. Austin, who led Spring Garden to Class 1A state championship three times in her five years on the varsity – and an overall 167-9 record. Just the third junior selected for the award in its 35-year history. She also earned Gatorade Alabama Player of the Year in 2024 and was named ASWA Class 1A Girls’ Player of Year for the second year in a row.
A total of 48 players, three girls’ and three boys’ finalists in each of the AHSAA’s seven classifications and one class in the AISA. Boys’ and girls’ players of the year were named in each classification. Those included:
ASWA Girls’ Class Players of the Year
Class 1A: Ace Austin, Spring Garden HS
Class 2A: Belle Hill, Mars Hill Bible HS
Class 3A: Maddie Smith, Trinity Presbyterian HS
Class 4A: Ivey Maddox, Good Hope HS
Class 5A: Missy Odom, Jasper HS
Class 6A: Leah Brooks, Hazel Green HS
Class 7A: Jordan Hunter, Hewitt-Trussville HS
AISA: Takayla Davis, Glenwood School
ASWA Boys’ Class Players of the Year
Class 1A: Trey Kellogg, Covenant Christian HS
Class 2A: Carson Thrasher, Mars Hill Bible HS
Class 3A: Trey Simpson, Hillcrest-Evergreen HS
Class 4A: Micah Caster, Jackson HS
Class 5A: Cam Dooley, Valley HS
Class 6A: Caleb Holt, Buckhorn HS
Class 7A: Dewayne Brown, Hoover HS
AISA: Haiden Harper, Lee-Scott Academy
Holt, who also was named 6A Player of the Year on Tuesday for the second straight season, averaged 20.2 points, 9.5 rebounds, 3 steals and 2.4 assists for the Bucks (23-5) this season. He once again was named MVP of the Class 6A state tournament and already this year has been named the Gatorade and MaxPreps Alabama Player of the Year. “It feels great being honored with 6A Player of the Year and Mr. Basketball,” he said. “The Alabama sports writers put a lot of hard work into these awards. It’s special for me to receive both of them.”
Holt, who has already scored 1,798 points in his high school basketball career, is Buckhorn’s first Mr. Basketball winner. He is the seventh underclassmen to win the award but the first sophomore. He was also named to the ASWA Super All-State team, the top five players in the state regardless of classification or position. He was joined by Hoover’s DeWayne Brown, Huntsville’s Caleb Harrison, Mountain Brook’s Ty Davis, and Valley’s Cam Dooley.
Austin averaged 19.7 points, 7.1 rebounds and 7.1 assists with 117 steals, converting 239-of-480 field goals for 50 percent while making 83-of-111 from 3-point range for 37 percent. Spring Garden finished 33-1 in 2024. Panthers head coach Ricky Austin is Ace’s father, and her mother Dana Austin is an assistant coach. Dana teamed with her twin sister Jana in high school to capture Spring Garden’s first girls’ state basketball championship in 1987. Both earn All-America status in high school and played collegiately at Jacksonville State University.
Ricky earned a berth in the state tourney at Spring Garden as a senior in his school and has directed the Lady Panthers to eight state titles while compiling a 754-168 career record through 2024.
Ace, who was named after former University of Tennessee guard Ace Clement, has already compiled 2,901 points, 1,058 rebounds and 1,175 assists in her career with another year remaining. The only juniors to win the award previously were Eufaula’s Gwen Jackson in 1998 and West Morgan’s Hayden Hamby in 2011.
The ASWA 2024 Girls’ Super All-State Team is anchored by Austin, Hazel Green’s Leah Brooks, Hewitt-Trussville’s Jordan Hunter, Good Hope’s Ivey Maddox, and Mars Hill eighth grader Belle Hill. Austin and Brooks were also Super All-State last season.
Class 1A Girls
Ace Austin, Spring Garden (Player of the Year)
Sarah Davis, Shoals Christian
Kaina King, Skyline
Class 1A Boys
Trey Kellogg, Covenant Christian (Player of the Year)
Nasir Cheatham, Georgiana
Javen Poindexter, Red Level
Class 2A Girls
Belle Hill, Mars Hill Bible (Player of the Year)
Katelyn St.Clair, Sand Rock
Ella Wheeler, Sulligent
Class 2A Boys
Carson Thrasher, Mars Hill Bible (Player of the Year)
JaKaleb Faulk, Highland Home
Vederrian Story, LaFayette
Class 3A Girls
Maddie Smith, Trinity Presbyterian (Player of the Year)
Ava Card, Saint James
Sawyer Kate Hulgan, Plainview
Class 3A Boys
Trey Simpson, Hillcrest-Evergreen (Player of the Year)
Emmanuel Clarton, Sumter Central
Jonathan Fitch, Sumter Central
Class 4A Girls
Ivey Maddox, Good Hope (Player of the Year)
Kayden Carr, Prattville Christian
Reece Davis, Deshler
Class 4A Boys
Micah Caster, Jackson (Player of the Year)
Davis Dare, American Christian
Evan Griffin, Geneva
Class 5A Girls
Missy Odom, Jasper (Player of the Year)
Mia Hollingsworth, Jasper
Tamya Smith, Pleasant Grove
Class 5A Boys
Cam Dooley, Valley (Player of the Year)
Terrel Johnson ,Vigor
Joshia Jones, Fairfield
Class 6A Girls
Leah Brooks, Hazel Green (Player of the Year)
Jareah Branch, Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa
Tamiria Jones, Huffman
Class 6A Boys
Caleb Holt, Buckhorn (Player of the Year)
Ty Davis, Mountain Brook
Peyton Wiggins, Huffman
Class 7A Girls
Jordan Hunter, Hewitt-Trussville (Player of the Year)
Syriah Daniels, Auburn
Jabria Lindsey, Central-Phenix City
Class 7A Boys
Dewayne Brown, Hoover (Player of the Year)
Caleb Harrison, Huntsville
|Jacoby Hill, Central-Phenix City
AISA Girls
Takayla Davis, Glenwood (Player of the Year)
Lindsey Brown, Edgewood Academy
Madison Davis, Lee-Scott
AISA Boys
Haiden Harper, Lee-Scott (Player of the Year)
Deshawn Hall, Valiant Cross
Clayton Hussey, Lowndes Academy
A complete list of past Alabama Mr. and Miss Basketball Recipients are below.
ASWA ALL-TIME MISS BASKETBALL WINNERS
2024: Ace Austin, Spring Garden
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, Huntsville-Butler
1998: Gwen Jackson, Eufaula
1997: April Nance, Huntsville-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
ASWA ALL-TIME MR. BASKETBALL WINNERS
2024: Caleb Holt, Buckhorn
2023: Labaron Philon, Baker
2022: Barry Dunning Jr., McGill-Toolen
2021: J.D. Davison, Calhoun
2020: J.D. Davison, Calhoun
2019: Trendon Watford, Mountain Brook
2018: Trendon Watford, Mountain Brook
2017: John Petty, J.O. Johnson
2016: John Petty, Mae Jemison
2015: Dazon Ingram, Theodore
2014: William Lee, Dallas County
2013: De’Runnya Wilson, Wenonah
2012: Craig Sword, Carver-Montgomery
2011: Trevor Lacey, Butler
2010: Trevor Lacey, Butler
2009: Kerron Johnson, Madison Academy
2008: JaMychal Green, St. Jude Catholic
2007: Courtney Fortson, Jeff Davis
2006: Stanley Robinson, Huffman
2005: Richard Hendrix, Athens
2004: Ronald Steele, John Carroll Catholic
2003: Ronald Steele, John Carroll Catholic
2002: Kennedy Winston, Blount
2001: Chris White, Grissom
2000: Gerald Wallace, Childersburg
1999: Marvin Stone, Grissom
1998: Sam Haginas, UMS-Wright
1997: Anthony Williams, Loachapoka
1996: Isaac Spencer, Jeff Davis
1995: Brian Williams, Jeff Davis
1994: Rod Willie, Lee-Huntsville
1993: Howard Pride, Butler
1992: Darryl Wilson, South Lamar
1991: Victor Newman, Houston Academy
1990: Cedric Moore, Woodlawn
1989: Queintonia Higgins, Fairhope
1988: Terrance Lewis, Ramsay
1987: Bryant Lancaster, Valley
1986: Larry Rembert, Keith
1985: Vincent Robinson, Bridgeport
1984: Jeff Moore, Midfield
1983: Terry Coner, Birmingham-Phillips
