Defending champs ready for another shot at title

JoVanka Ward has a challenge ahead of her, but it’s a challenge every coach would love to have.

The Class 6A defending champion Homewood Lady Patriots basketball team is eager and talented enough to do it again, but as hard as it is to get to the top, it may be harder to repeat.

“How do I keep these young ladies hungry?” Ward said. “We were very blessed and fortunate, and that’s what I’ve explained to them. This year we are not sneaking up on anybody. They have to be ready. They’re going to be under the spotlight.

“It’s about keeping them humble and yet keeping them very hungry.”

Hannah Barber, one of two Lady Patriots named most valuable players from the 2015 Class 6A Final Four, said unity is key. “I think that’s one of the things that will help us stay hungry and stay humble,” Barber said. “If we’re all together and focused on the things we can control, we’ll be fine.” 

The first poll won’t be out until December, but Homewood almost certainly will be ranked No. 1. Ward returns two juniors and 10 sophomores, but they were the heart and soul of last year’s state championship team, which beat Blount 69-60 in the final.

Three seniors have departed, but Final Four co-MVPs Barber and Ajah Wayne are back. Tori Webb, who also made the all-tournament team, is another returning sophomore. The two juniors are Shelby Hardy and Venice Sanders, a very athletic newcomer who starred in volleyball.

Ward has put together a difficult schedule, and included is a meeting with Lauderdale County in the Steel City Invitational in late December, the only girls matchup in the event. Lauderdale County has won 84 straight games, the longest streak in Alabama girls basketball history. 

“They have accomplished something most people can only dream of,” Ward said. “I’m looking forward to it. I’m very honored just to have the opportunity to play before a large crowd in such an event. To be the first girls team invited to this tournament is huge.”

Barber said it will be a great test and opportunity. “Just the fact that they’re another top team in the state, just to get a different look from a really good team will be exciting for us.”

The Lady Patriots have a lot of weapons, but it really starts with Barber, who is one of the top players in the state already and is drawing interest from Alabama as well as many other schools. 

“Hannah is a gift,” Ward said. “She is one of those special kids. I would love to take the credit for her, but she is a gym rat; she’s always working on getting better. She has such strong leadership skills. Hannah’s special because the girls look to her to do a lot of things, but she keeps a level head. Another thing that’s special about her is she celebrates every single person 1 through 15. That’s the thing that makes her special well beyond just her skills.”

She’s a scoring point guard who distributes. She said one thing she’s worked on is coming off screens faster to get her shot off, and off the court she said building relationships with her teammates, relating back to her comments about “staying together” as a team.

Barber, Ward reminds, is just one piece of the puzzle. There is plenty of talent around her, Ward said.

“I have other young ladies who can step up, so I don’t worry about having Hannah do too much,” Ward said. “Ajah Wayne—she gets going, she’s hard to stop. Shelby Hardy—she does those things that may not show up all the time in the stats. Kalia Cunningham has a great motor; Tori Webb is a great post player for us. I think our depth again is going to be our strength.”