The stage is set in Montgomery for a night of hardwood glory. The Alabama Sports Writers Association (ASWA) annual awards banquet is where the state's high school basketball season receives its grand finale. Tonight, the most prestigious individual honors—the 2025-26 Mr. and Ms. Basketball awards—will be presented, crowning the top male and female players in Alabama.

It's not just about the top two awards, however. The banquet celebrates excellence across the board. A total of 48 elite athletes, representing all seven AHSAA classifications and the AISA, are finalists for the Mr. and Ms. Basketball titles. Furthermore, three players from each classification, on both the boys' and girls' sides, are in contention for their respective Player of the Year awards.

The evening will also see the announcement of the boys' and girls' Super All-State teams, which will be headlined by the newly crowned Mr. and Ms. Basketball. These awards represent the pinnacle of a season's worth of dedication, skill, and unforgettable performances on the court.

All eyes will be on who succeeds last year's winners: Spring Garden's Ace Austin and Hoover's DeWayne Brown, who earned the 2025 honors. As the banquet unfolds at the Renaissance Hotel, the next generation of Alabama basketball royalty will be anointed, adding their names to a legendary list of past recipients. It's a celebration of the athletes who define the passion and future of the sport in the state.