If you see Kaitlyn Gipson, ask her if there is any friendly competition between the girls’ and boys’ basketball teams at Hoover High School in Hoover, Alabama. The boys’ team has won back-to-back state championships, while the girls have won four in a row.
“Yeah, we’re way ahead of them,” Kaitlyn laughs.
A senior point guard for the Lady Bucs, Kaitlyn serves as head coach Krystle Johnson’s general on the basketball floor and averages 13.2 points, 3.1 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and an incredible 2.8 steals per game. She was selected to the All-Region team and was named second team All-State by the Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA) last year and is leading the Bucs to a 17-2 overall record in 2024-25. On November 29, she reached a milestone by scoring her 1,500th career point.
Kaitlyn admits that practices under Johnson can get a little heated at times, but in the end that’s what brings the team closer. “I’d say we are competitive with each other, but there’s love to it. I think we try to go hard at each other during practice because it’s what we’re use to. There are times we argue and stuff, but that’s normal and we always come back. It’s like a sisterhood,” Kaitlyn says.
The daughter of David and Shenne Gipson, Kaitlyn shines in the classroom as well, carrying a 4.0 grade point average overall. She is a consistent presence on the school’s honor roll and a member of the National Honor Society. Kaitlyn says her favorite subject at HHS is psychology, but she wants to major in physical therapy in college.
It’s no surprise with her combined athletic and academic ability that Kaitlyn has already picked up numerous scholarship offers, including offers from Shelton State, Georgia Southwestern State, and Alabama A&M. She is currently undecided on her college choice and will continue to weigh her options as they arrive this winter and spring.
Outside of school and basketball, Kaitlyn’s hobbies are drawing and fishing. Two athletes she’d like to meet are Las Vegas Aces point guard Chelsea Gray and Golden State Warriors legend Steph Curry. Her preferred weekend activities are relaxing and going to the gym, and her favorite restaurant is Buffalo Wild Wings.
This season, you can bet both the Hoover girls and boys will be in the mix for yet another state title run, and though the players may not come out and say it, neither team wants to be the first to flinch.
“I think the boys are starting to pick it up and be like ‘Maybe the girls are trying to beat us,’” Kaitlyn smiles. “You don’t want to be the first one to lose.” TG
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Photos by Al Blanton.
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