UAB Signee SALIM LONDON AND HOOVER CLAIM THIRD STRAIGHT STATE TITLE AND FINISHING PERFECT 35-0
By Jesse Kelley
BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA - March 3, 2025
On Saturday evening inside Legacy Arena at the BJCC, the Hoover Buccaneers boy's basketball team did something that has never been done before in the history of AHSAA 7A basketball. The Bucs defeated the Florence Falcons, 66-56, to win its third-straight State Championship and finish the season with a perfect record of 35-0. Even though the first season of 7A was only 10 years ago, it is still a feat that none of the top 7A teams has accomplished over the past few years. Hoover is the first major school in Alabama to go undefeated since the 2002-03 John Carroll Cavaliers, who went unbeaten and won the 6A State Title at a perfect record of 36-0 under Coach Marty Smith. Another notable team is the 1968-69 Parker Thundering Herd, which went 30-1 and won the 4A State Championship under Coach Herman Williams. That team comprised prominent stars and in-state legends like Wendall Hudson and Alvin McGrew. Some consider this year's Hoover team one of the best high school basketball teams in state history, as it is believed to be one of only 12 basketball teams in state history to have ever gone undefeated in a single season.
As for the game, Florence held their own on Saturday, cutting the Hoover lead down to single digits several times during the game. However, the Bucs were too much and cruised to a ten-point win. Of Hoover's 35 wins this season, 33 were by 10 points or more. Furthermore, the Bucs will take a 45-game win streak into next season after winning the final 10 games of last season and winning all 35 played during this year. One of the key contributors to the Bucs' success this season was UAB signee Salim London. London finished the championship game with 18 points, six rebounds and four steals. London's classmates, Jarrett Fairley, Caleb Williams, Riley Frye, Seneca Robinson, Salim London, Austin Dudley and DeWayne Brown, have all been vast members of Hoover's success over the past four seasons.
Rewind to the ninth-grade season for this group; Hoover dropped an area tournament game to Thompson to conclude their 2021-22 season. That last loss was the Bucs' last postseason loss, an incredible streak that they will take with them next season. "I didn't think we'd go 45 [wins] in a row," said Hoover Buccaneers Head Coach Scott Ware. "Thinking back to that loss three years ago. "Now, did I think we were going to be very good? Absolutely. They performed very well as freshmen; we had a bad second half that night." Coach Ware mentioned later on in the press conference how thankful he was to be surrounded by such incredible players, faculty and staff at Hoover. "You're blessed to be around these guys, a great school and a great coaching staff. I wish those guys could be in here right now. It's not about just me or those [players]. My assistants are incredible at what they do. They deserve as much limelight as any of us."
London will join Andy Kennedy's Blazers this fall and be a freshman on the 2025-26 UAB men's basketball squad. London looks to provide a young and dominant presence from his shooting guard position. Highly regarded as one of the state's top two-way players, London brings many skills and a winning and dominant prep career that will make him a great piece to the Blazers' puzzle next season. "It means a lot to go undefeated," said London. "It's one thing to talk about it; many people have been talking about it all year, especially after the season we had last year and the year before that. We had to go out there and do it; we couldn't rely on people just saying it. It meant a lot that we went out and did it, and we, as a team, didn't think about it as much as the season went on. Coach Ware said that the next game was always the most important, which is the mentality we took to every game this year." London will join fellow three-star Lance Carr in Birmingham next season as the duo looks to continue the great history and success of UAB basketball.