Hoover's Reniya Kelly returns to Birmingham with North Carolina in Sweet 16
VIDEO ABOVE: Excerpts from an interview with Hoover head girls basketball coach Krystle Johnson and Reniya's mom Keri Mitchell.
It was a special day at Legacy Arena.
Birmingham was treated not just to a pair of Sweet 16 NCAA tournament games, but a homecoming for Hoover's own Reniya Kelly.
Kelly, a sophomore at North Carolina, led the Tar Heels against Duke. UNC fell 47-38. Kelly had six points, but for her family and friends, it was bigger than basketball.
"It's surreal, you know, all the hard work she's put in, just to be back home where she's won four championships and just to bring the energy back," Keri Mitchell, Reniya's mom, said.
Not long ago, Kelly won four state titles at Legacy Arena. Now, she's a starter at North Carolina.
"Just to see the hard work paying off, the fruits of her labor. You know being able to showcase that in front of her family, her friends. Everybody doesn't know the journey, how hard she worked, how many hours she was in the gym, you know, fighting through injuries," Mitchell said.
In just her second year at Chapel Hill, Kelly was named All-ACC Second team. Her success is no surprise for her former head coach, Krystle Johnson.
"For years and years, she's just a hard worker, so it's very special to see her get here and lead her team here on such a big stage. She deserves it," Johnson said.
What's led to all that success is not just her skill on the floor, but who she is off it.
"The humbleness, the gratefulness like she's just such an amazing kid. She always puts God first," Mitchell said.
While the Tar Heels season came to a close, this journey is just beginning.
"We're proud of her no matter the outcome. She's come so far, and this team and this season, she's had such a great season," Mitchell said.