By Erik Harris, sports editor
TRUSSVILLE — It’s been quite a ride for Amiya Payne.
The 6-foot senior finished up her Hewitt-Trussville career with four all-state selections, two state championship game runs, 2,420 points, 744 rebounds, 217 steals, 203 blocked shots and, as of Saturday morning, a Class 7A Player of the Year award.
Player of the Year recipients were announced for all seven classifications on Saturday morning, and were selected by the Alabama Sports Writers Association prep committee. Joining Payne as POY winners are Class 6A Sara Puckett of Muscle Shoals, Class 5A Randrea Wright of Carver-Birmingham, Class 4A Allasha Dudley of Anniston, Class 3A Ella Jane Connell of Prattville Christian, Class 2A Karoline Striplin of Geneva County, Class 1A Gracie Stucky of Skyline and AISA Augusta Arnold of Southern Academy.
One of them will be crowned Miss Basketball on April 10. Hewitt has never had a winner.
Payne played a massive role for the 7A runner-up Huskies, averaging 24.1 points and 7.4 boards per game. She was a force in the 2021 state Final Four, as she put up a total of 43 points in two outings at Bartow Arena. Hewitt-Trussville tore past No. 7 Theodore 73-39 in the semifinals before falling to top-ranked Hoover 61-37 in the state championship game.
The Middle Tennessee State signee also knocked down a buzzer-beater to advance Hewitt-Trussville past No. 2 Vestavia Hills in the Northeast Regional finals.
Her and the Huskies finished at No. 3 in the final ASWA poll with a record of 29-5.
Alabama Sports Writers Association Name Amiya Payne – 7A Player of The Year.https://t.co/Qe97EWBgWQ pic.twitter.com/WYPVRY6273
— HT Girls Basketball (@HT_GIRLS) April 3, 2021