Bound by basketball: NCAA Tournament opener means more for Madison Hayes, Wes Moore

Don’t ask any City of Chattanooga employees or public officials who they’re pulling for this weekend. They’re conflicted.

No. 14 seed Chattanooga (28-4) faces No. 3 seed N.C. State (27-6) on Saturday, and the Mocs will see two familiar faces on the opposite bench.

Wolfpack guard Madison Hayes grew up in Chattanooga and performs community outreach when she’s home. Meanwhile, head coach Wes Moore led the Mocs to six NCAA Tournament appearances and a school-record 358 wins.

How are they supposed to choose between the local university and two people who have brought joy, success and pride to the city? It’s a tough choice.

“Every meeting I have been in this week — I usually don’t bring it up — Everybody’s like, ‘OK, what’s going on this week? Who are we cheering for? Tell us how we’re feeling about this week,’” said Greta Hayes, Madison’s mother and Chattanooga recreation director. “There’s a lot of excitement in the city, obviously for UTC and then to support Madison and Wes. It’s a really cool thing to have them play on each other.”

‘Every kid’s dream’

Madison turned around in her seat. She met Moore’s eyes during the Wolfpack’s NCAA Selection Show party, a smile growing across her face.

He already knew it was coming. And, Moore expected the selection committee to place the Vols in their opening round, alluding to Kellie Harper’s connection with the program.

“I knew, based on the numbers, they were gonna do that,” Moore said Friday in a news conference. “They love doing this stuff. Then, before they revealed the other half of our little bracket here, I said, ‘Get ready because Tennessee’s fixing to pop up, too.’ Sure enough, there it came.”

Madison grew up attending men’s and women’s basketball games at UTC. She played against several Mocs players in high school, including the team’s leading scorer, Jada Guinn.

The senior represented her city well, too. Madison earned 2020 McDonald’s All-America honors and won the U18 2019 FIBA 3-on-3 World Cup. That was in addition to 3,055 points — No. 3 in the state of Tennessee — 1,583 rebounds and 459 assists and 457 steals at East Hamilton.

Moore coached Chattanooga for 15 years. He’s originally from Texas, but there’s a case to be made that he’s a “Chattanooga guy,” too. There are nine people staying at his home, including a former Mocs player — he’s glad to be in the team hotel — for the weekend.

“That’s every kid’s dream,” Mimi Collins said. “Everybody wants to play in front of their hometown or against their hometown. It is kind of exciting that Coach Moore gets to play his old school. It’s just an opportunity for us to go out there and win for him and for Madison.”

‘I want to be the best’

One night nine years ago, Madison faced her parents in their bedroom. She told them, in no uncertain terms, exactly what she wanted to achieve.

“I want to be the best player in our state.” No. Back up. “I want to be the best player in the United States,” Greta Hayes recalled her eldest daughter saying.

Her parents, both former basketball players, laughed. It wasn’t that they lacked belief. Instead they laughed at her delivery. Of course their ultra-competitive daughter would set a goal to be the best player in the state and immediately make that dream bigger.

They agreed to do whatever it took for her to improve, receive the best coaching and earn top-level opportunities. In return, Madison needed to make sacrifices. Sometimes she had to say no to dates and spending time with friends.

It paid off years later. She ranks among the top players in the country, previously earning recognition from the U.S. Basketball Writers Association, and gets to show off those skills on the biggest stage this weekend.

Madison leveled up her game this season, contributing 11.1 points and 7.1 rebounds per game, through increased assertiveness. Part of that was out of necessity, but part of it was carving out a more defined role this time.

There were times in the past, notably on offense, where she’d pass up a good shot in favor of passing. She looks more confident in her decision making and increased her scoring average by four points from last season.

“Sometimes you can be so unselfish that you hurt your team,” Greta Hayes said. “I think she’s taken on that leadership role and understands you can really help them go to that next level by scoring more.”

It’s one of her many talents: adaptability. She can adapt her play to a team’s overall needs while also making specific adjustments during play.

“I consider Madison kind of a glue player. She does so many things for us; rebounding, shooting the 3, and just the effort,” Moore said before the ACC Tournament. “She’s gonna give you all she’s got. She’s going to try to do what you’re asking. It’s always good to have players like that around and be leaders by example.”

A family affair

Freshman Zoe Brooks smiles softly, while Madison cheers boisterously to celebrate the rookie’s basket. A sisterly bond. Brooks had just hit a basket to give N.C. State a five-point lead in the ACC Tournament quarterfinals against Duke. The Wolfpack went on to win the game, 54-51.

Madison originally committed to play for Mississippi State, becoming Nikki McCray-Penson’s first recruit for the Bulldogs. Though the senior holds love for the late coach, the program ended up not being the right fit.

She approached the transfer differently than some others. She didn’t redo the entire recruiting process but instead focused on schools to which she originally had been drawn.

N.C. State landed in her top three choices out of high school. It also had an opening.

Madison didn’t seek more playing time, though, and sat on the bench most of her sophomore year. She just wanted to be happy, be around family (her mother’s side is from North Carolina) and get tough coaching.

Through that — and the program’s run to the Elite Eight — she grew as a person and player.

Greta Hayes credits Moore for creating a culture based on authenticity, honesty and genuine love. It’s not perfect, she doesn’t want to sell that, and sometimes there are disagreements. But, and it’s a big one, the Hayes family feels comfortable knowing their daughter is being watched by people who have no ill intent and care for her in a unique way. Everyone on staff and her teammates feel like family.

“He always has her best interests at heart. We entrusted her to him,” Greta Hayes said. “When you, as a parent, can walk away and say, ‘OK, I know my child has come in here and if she’s sick or she’s injured, I can put my head down at night and know this coach and his staff are going to take care of her just like we would,’ I’m OK with that. They’ve done that every step of the way. His entire team has done that.”

Pride in the Pack

Nearly 250 children received new backpacks and school supplies at the Chris Ramsey Community Center in Chattanooga, Tennessee, last summer. Hayes used money from her Name, Image and Likeness deals to help families in need. She plans to do it again.

She wants to make a positive impact on her hometown.

“I’ve always said, I don’t know at her age that I knew who I was,” Greta Hayes said. “She is just really really grounded. I was still trying to figure that out at that age. And she’s just a really, really good kid.”

Moore also did his part. He developed players who read to local children and gladly volunteered with basketball clinics. He revitalized a basketball program.

This weekend, the duo can make Chattanooga proud again but in a different way.

“I’m excited for Chattanooga. I’m excited for NC State,” Greta Hayes said. “But, I hate, honestly, the fact that one of us has to lose.”