East Hamilton's Madison Hayes (14), shown in a game from last week versus Houston, reached the 1,000 point plateau as a sophomore in a game against Walker Valley Tuesday evening at the Lady Mustangs' gymnasium. The Lady Canes bested Walker Valley by a score of 54-43 as Hayes hit for 17 points in the win to push her career total to 1,013.
photo by Dennis Norwood/File Photo
East Hamilton sophomore Madison Hayes scored 17 points in a 54-43 victory at Walker County in Cleveland on Tuesday night and pushed her career scoring past the 1,000-point mark in the process.
Hayes scored a team-high 19 points Friday in a 52-40 victory over Notre Dame in the East-West Classic, giving her 996 points in her career, including eighth-grade and freshman seasons at East Hamilton.
She reached 996 with two free throws with 6:35 remaining in Friday’s game.
Hayes surpassed the scoring milestone with seven first-quarter points and added a 3-pointer in the second period and seven points in the fourth to give her 1,013 career points.
“I wasn’t paying much attention to getting to a thousand,” Hayes said in a telephone interview after the game. “I was worried about beating Walker Valley and winning the game. I was glad when I got it and want to share it with my teammates and coaches, who helped me get there.”
With the win, East Hamilton remained unbeaten at 13-0 and perfect in District 5-3A action at 3-0. The Lady Canes have beaten Cleveland, Soddy-Daisy and Walker Valley, but face their stiffest test of the young season Monday when they host perennial title contender Bradley Central.
First, however, Hayes, coach Hunter Gremore and the rest of the squad can enjoy Friday’s victory and Hayes’ scoring accolades.
“I hope I can get to 2,000 over the rest of this year and next season (her junior season) and just go from there,” Hayes said.
Hayes had a chance to pad her scoring total with a Thursday home against against Baylor, but that contest has been canceled.
Gremore praised Hayes’ maturation from her freshman season to this year and credited that with increasing her offensive production.
“That was her biggest weakness last year,” Gremore said. “She was a 14-year-old freshman just growing up. A mistake used to get her down on herself. Then she would make another and pretty soon three turned into five or six. That would really get to Madison.
“Now, if she makes a mistake she’ll come back with two or three positive plays and that keeps her from lowering her head and getting frustrated.”
Hayes averaged about 12 points as an eighth-grader and 15 last season. After Tuesday’s game, Hayes is averaging about 19 points a game.
“It’s scary to think about what she’s going to do as a senior,” Gremore said. “I just want her to keep getting better and better. I think she’s going to be around 2,500 points when it’s all said and done.”
Against Walker Valley (3-4, 1-2), the Lady Canes raced to a 30-13 halftime lead, but lost 10 points off that margin when the Lady Mustangs caught fire in the third quarter as Lauren Lay scored eight of the team’s 15 points.
Along with Hayes’ seven fourth-period points, East Hamilton got eight from Maleah Moon and held on for the win.
Macey Clark finished with 11 points for Walker Valley.
Boxscore
East Hamilton 14 16 5 19 – 54
Walker Valley 5 8 15 15 – 43
East Hamilton (54) – Patton, Moon 8, Lacy 7, Suttles 6, Madison Hayes 17, C. Zeh 6, Johnson 2, Abernathy.
Walker Valley (43) – Nipper, Macey Clark 11, Kyle, Anderson 4, Lauren Lay 17, Baker 3, Jones 4, Fowler 2, Harris 2.
3-Point Goals – East Hamilton 5 (C. Zeh 2, Moon 1, Lacy 1, M. Hayes 1), Walker Valley 5 (Clark 3, Lay 1, Baker 1).
(Contact Larry Fleming at larryfleming44@gmail.com and on Twitter @larryfleming44)