GDW Analysis:
MONTGOMERY: Good Hope Lady Raider basketball has made a statement with the best 4A player for the past two seasons.
In 2024, Ivey Maddox earned the award in a staller senior year that ended with a state championship for the first time in Good Hope history.
A year later, Ava McSwain capped off her fine prep career, winning the 4A award Wednesday in the state basketball awards banquet.
McSwain showed good leadership in directing a Good Hope squad that had to replace four starters off the state title unit.
The shooting guard kept her scoring stroke in consistency all season. But her asset of being a total team player took flight with a new starting lineup blending in and Good Hope with a sensational journey to reach the state title game once more.
McSwain was selected the Bill Shelton Award winner from the Cullman County tournament and moved past the 2,000 point scoring mark in her career early in the past season.
Gameday Weekly ranked McSwain the No. 1 shooting guard on its all performance team. She was named the player of the year by GDW.
A pair of outstanding games by McSwain in front of GDW and WKUL FM occurred at the start of January following the New Years holiday.
McSwain ripped the cords for 25 in Good Hope's 83 to 22 rout of Dora January 2 at Wallace State.
The following night, McSwain broke out with 28 points, 18 in the 2nd half to help the Lady Raiders avoid an upset against Arab, winning 52 to 46.
McSwain delivered 22 in a rematch with Dora at the Northwest Regional February 12, a Good Hope 68 to 53 triumph.
Playing at Wallace State one last time, McSwain displayed team contribution as she scored 15 with her teammates getting 55 and the Lady Raiders defeated 4A power Deshler 70 to 50 in the regional final.
Spring Garden standout Ace Austin was selected Miss Basketball.
McSwain has signed to play with Allen Sharpe and the University of Alabama Huntsville next year.
She will be reunited with Maddox who just finished her freshman season with UAH getting 25 wins in Sharpe's debut with the Lady Chargers and 2nd in the Gulf South Conference tournament.
Photo of Good Hope's Ava McSwain, the state sports reporters 4A player of the year.
Photo courtesy of Good Hope Lady Raider basketball.
