University School of Jackson freshman basketball player Haylen Ayers’ trophy case and list of accolades is already one of the largest in the history of West Tennessee sports for any one athlete.
The basketball phenom led the Lady Bruins to their first-ever state championship on March 2.
She added to that trophy case on Tuesday when she was named TSSAA’s Miss Basketball for Division II-A.
Ayers was named a finalist for the award in February after being nominated with a stat line that included an average of 20 points per game, seven rebounds, 2.3 assists, a 50% shooting percentage from the field and 39% in 3-pointers.
Her 3-point shooting was a big help for the offense as her capabilities on some days to seemingly hit a shot from 30 feet away was about as sharp as shooting a lay-up, and that forced a lot of opposing defenses to play her closer in that range than they typically play.
That stat line was put together in February. She continued to lead the Lady Bruins in winning their final 18 games of the season, including a performance in the triple-overtime 70-58 victory over Goodpasture in which she had 30 points, 12 rebounds, six assists and four steals.
She has more than two dozen scholarship offers already to play in college, including national powerhouses LSU and South Carolina and the Tennessee Lady Vols.
Jackson Christian graduating senior Ayden Shaw was a finalist for the Division II-A Mr. Basketball award, but Kavien Jones from Battle Ground Academy was selected as the winner for that award.
Brandon Shields, brandon@jacksonpost.news
