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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Hewitt-Trussville’s Amiya Payne (32) was namedfirst team all-state in Class 7A, earning all-state honors for the third consecutive year. The junior led the Lady Huskies in scoring at 19.5 points per game.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Pinson Valley's Kam Woods (3) dribbles the ball downcourt guarded by Huffman’s Jamal Mott (0) during the 2019 Chick-fil-A Birmingham High School Showcase at the BJCC on Dec. 17.
The postseason accolades have poured in for a few local high school basketball players.
Hewitt-Trussville and Pinson Valley both have representation on the Alabama Sports Writers Association all-state teams.
For the Lady Huskies, Amiya Payne was named a 7A all-state player for the third consecutive season, landing on the first team. For the season, Payne led Hewitt-Trussville with 19.5 points per game. The 6-foot guard also averaged six rebounds and 2.3 assists per game.
She has played on the Lady Huskies’ varsity team since her eighth-grade year — and played varsity ball as a seventh grader at Clay-Chalkville — and finished her junior campaign with more than 1,400 career points and nearly 500 rebounds.
In 27 games, Payne also knocked down 39 3-point attempts, blocked 36 shots and contributed 46 steals.
As part of her standout season, Payne was also selected as one of three finalists for the Class 7A Player of the Year award. She has yet to commit to a college but is receiving interest from UAB and Northwestern, among others.
Pinson Valley’s Kam Woods capped off a record-setting career for the Indians by being named to the Class 6A first team. Woods is known best for his scoring prowess, as he averaged 37 points per game over his entire senior season.
Woods played all six years of his varsity career with head coach Darrell Barber at both Midfield and Pinson, winning state championships in 2017 and 2019. In that illustrious career, he tallied 3,711 points, went over 40 points 10 times and over 50 points in a game three times.
In addition to his scoring, Woods also averaged 5.4 rebounds, 4.4 assists and over three steals per game. He signed with Troy in April.
Woods and Barber teamed up one final time on the high school level in March as part of the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Classic. Barber served as the head coach of the Alabama team, which earned a 118-97 victory. Woods chipped in 12 points, six assists and three steals to the winning cause.
Like Payne, Woods was also named as a finalist for Player of the Year. Both were previously named to the Starnes Publishing All-South Metro first team as well. Woods was also one of three finalists for the Mr. Basketball award.
Payne and Pinson Valley’s GaQuincy McKinstry were also selected to play in the North-South All-Star Game, which is scheduled to take place in Montgomery in July as part of the Alabama High School Athletic Association’s All-Star Week. The basketball game features the state’s top rising seniors, with Payne and McKinstry both playing on the North team.
McKinstry had a stellar junior season for the Indians as well, as he averaged 15 points, five rebounds and 3.7 assists per game. He has also shot over 50% from the field during the past two seasons, an impressive threshold for a guard, and was named to the second team of the All-South Metro team. He is considered a high-level prospect in football and basketball.
All three players helped their respective teams to immensely successful seasons yet again, despite both programs not reaching the same level as last year.
Pinson Valley won the school’s first state championship in program history in 2019 but was knocked out in the regional final by Huffman on Feb. 18. The Indians posted a 28-4 record on the year, but three of those losses came to Huffman, the eventual state champion in 6A.
“He’s like a son I’ve never had,” Barber said of Woods after the regional final. “We’ve been together six or seven years.I’m extremely proud of what he’s done for himself. It was a pleasure coaching him and watching him come from a young boy into a young man. Just a loss of words. I love him with all my heart.”
Barber said Woods is one of the best players to come through Pinson Valley. Woods returned the favor, saying Barber helped him grow as a basketball player and as a person.
“He got me where I’m at today,” he said.“I was good but I wasn’t as good as I am[now]. I knew I would be great, but without him I probably wouldn’t be here right now.”
