Indians looking to stay atop Class 6A
The Pinson Valley High School boys basketball program experienced heights never before reached — much less imagined — during the 2018-19 season.
The Indians, along with first-year head coach Darrell Barber, rode a wave of momentum all the way to the program’s first Class 6A state championship, as they knocked off Carver-Montgomery 58-44 in the title game last March.
How do Barber and the Indians plan on following that up?
“That’s been the burning question around here,” Barber said with a laugh during a preseason interview.
It’s been said that climbing the mountain is a challenge in and of itself, but staying at the top of the mountain is perhaps more difficult. Barber believes the squad he puts on the floor during the 2019-20 season has the makeup to remain atop the peak.
“It’s business as usual,” Barber said. “We understand we’ll have a target on our back. The main thing is keeping the guys from getting complacent.”
One player that has already emphatically dismissed any notion of complacency is standout guard Kam Woods. Woods scored 25 points in the state championship game a season ago and was named tournament MVP for his efforts. He’s played for Barber since he was a seventh-grader at Midfield and transferred to Pinson Valley last school year.
Through the season’s first 10 games, Woods averaged roughly 40 points per game. Woods was clearly the best player on the floor most nights last year and has somehow elevated his game again for his senior campaign.
Barber seems to have been prophetic when he said, “We’re going to see a new and improved Kam, as crazy as that sounds.”
Woods isn’t just getting it done by putting the ball through the basket. He notches a handful of assists each night and has made a conscious effort to improve on the defensive end of the floor.
And he’s just one cog to the Indians’ loaded backcourt.
“I believe I have the four best guards collectively in the state,” Barber said.
Alongside Woods are GaQuincy “Kool-Aid” McKinstry — fresh off a football season that saw him earn first-team Starnes Publishing All-South Metro honors — Demarques Densmore and JoJo James.
In the front court, Cam Scott has helped the Indians replace much of the interior presence provided by Geordon Pollard and Horace Wilson. Scott attended Pinson before playing on Ramsay’s Class 5A semifinal team last season. He is back at Pinson Valley now, and the 6-foot-6 forward is pulling down rebounds and blocking shots by the bundle.
Other players for the Indians this season include Moe Calloway, Carlos Finch, BJ Diakite, Austen Griffie, Tomas Wesley and Derick King.
In the first half of the season, Pinson Valley will play at least six teams hailing from outside the state of Alabama. It’s all part of giving the team different looks against different types of teams and showcasing the Indians’ program throughout the region.
Pinson Valley began the year with a 9-1 record as of Dec. 12, with the only loss coming to a strong Huffman team.
“I’ve always talked about a program versus a team,” Barber said. “The schedule is going to present enough challenge on the front end, that by the time we get rolling on the back end, I think we should be pretty scary.”
Lady Indians searching for consistency
Sara Halasz is back on the bench for her fourth season as the Pinson Valley girls basketball coach. Coming off last season’s 5-21 record, she was encouraged by the Lady Indians’ commitment to improve over the 20-game summer schedule.
“We’re just trying to find our identity,” she said.
The Lady Indians posted a gutsy season-opening win over Southside-Selma in overtime before dropping six straight contests. But the team rallied as the calendar turned to December and picked up two wins in three games.
Returning leading scorer Courtney Whatley has made the most of her senior season so far, putting up big games against the likes of Southside-Selma (23 points) and Parker (twice, 31 and 23). Makaila Clayton, Shameria Blocton and Kayla Hawkins are other players that returned with significant playing experience, but Hawkins was lost for the season with a recent knee injury.
“We’ve also got some new faces that are looking to make an impact,” Halasz said.
Of those new faces, AC Price, Demiah Lowery and Wayonna Brooks are beginning to settle into their roles and provide consistent minutes for the Lady Indians.
Halasz said the team is continuing its search for consistent, four-quarter efforts that will enable the Lady Indians to string wins together, especially when it comes to 6A, Area 12 play against Clay-Chalkville and Pell City.
“We’re continuing to try to be a contending team and give people a run for their money,” she said.