Ajah Wayne named player of year, a year removed from knee surgery

Ajah Wayne said her stomach dropped when she was announced as the Alabama Sports Writers Association Class 6A girls basketball player of the year at the end-of-season awards banquet in Montgomery April 4.

“It was good. It was shocking,” Wayne said. “I didn’t think to go up there and say anything [like an acceptance speech] when they called my name.”

Wayne was a first-team all-state selection, making her eligible to be a player-of-the-year candidate. Joining her as one of the three finalists was teammate Hannah Barber, as the duo is part of a core that has been to the Class 6A state final each of the last three years, with a pair of state championships to show for it.

“We understand each other,” Wayne said of her teammates. “They’re good athletes, and we push each other to be better.”

Wayne’s story is one of hard work and resilience. In the 2016 state final, Wayne suffered a knee injury in the first half, as LeFlore took down the Lady Patriots. 

There were long days and late nights during her rehabilitation, but Wayne was cleared to play by the time this past season started, and she felt more comfortable as the year wore on.

“Coming back from the injury, I was really slow coming back,” she said. “I didn’t think that I would [win the award], but I had hope.”

Wayne filled up the stat sheet on a regular basis, averaging 14.5 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.5 steals per game.

“The hard work, it really paid off,” she said. “It’s a true statement.”

Wayne, Barber and the rest of the Lady Patriots will work with their third coach in as many years, as Jazmine Powers takes over for Kevin Tubbs, who coached this season after assisting former coach JoVanka Ward the two years prior.

“She seems like she’s going to help prepare us for next year. I just want to learn,” Wayne said.