Riverdale's Aislynn Hayes trying for a first in Tennessee Class AAA girls basketball

Cecil Joyce
Murfreesboro Daily News Journal

Riverdale has graduated an All-American and numerous Division I basketball players since its run of three consecutive Class AAA girls state basketball championships began.

The Lady Warriors even lost a coach during that stretch.

Then there's Aislynn Hayes.

The senior and MTSU signee is trying to accomplish what very few have done — and no one in Class AAA has done — play extensively on four consecutive state champions.

As Riverdale tries to win its fourth consecutive Class AAA state title, Hayes has played an integral role each season. 

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The Lady Warriors got one step closer to that goal with Wednesday's 67-50 win over Arlington in the state quarterfinals at MTSU's Murphy Center. Riverdale plays Houston (a 65-58 winner over Mt. Juliet) in Friday's semifinal at 1:15 p.m. It will be a rematch of last year's state championship game.

"I actually thought about that this morning," said Riverdale first-year coach Amy Josephson, on what Hayes could accomplish. "Shelbyville (won it) four straight years, but was it the same core group?"

MTSU women's coach Rick Insell, who coached Shelbyville when the Golden Eaglettes won four in a row from 1989-92, said only two players — Michelle Johnson and Myriah Lonergan — were on the team all four years. The two received minimal time on the varsity as freshmen.

Hayes didn't start but was one of the top players off the bench and received considerable playing time as a freshman during Riverdale's 2016 state title run. She has started each of the past three seasons.

"I'm not really worried about all of that ... I just want to win," said Hayes, who scored a game-high 22 points (17 in the second half) Wednesday. "It is exciting to think that I would be able to accomplish that."

Hayes and Jalyn Holcomb are the lone senior starters on the squad and both have been part of the previous three state titles.

While those past championships were led by such standouts as Anastasia Hayes, Brinae Alexander and current MTSU freshmen Alexis and Amanda Whittington, the duo is taking ownership of this year's state run.

"My freshman year I played with (Anastasia) and a lot of older girls," said Aislynn Hayes, who was MVP of last year's Class AAA state tournament. "I looked up to everybody and learned a lot that year."

Added Josephson, "Definitely those two ... and (junior) Alasia (Hayes) is right there, too. When those three play well, it's beautiful how they can play together."

The two seniors' experience was also helpful for Josephson in her first state tournament with the Lady Warriors.

"She was good ... she was poised," said Holcomb, who finished with 11 points, on their first-year coach. "That helped a lot. It made us more comfortable."

Riverdale's Aislynn Hayes (11) shoots the ball during the quarterfinal round of the TSSAA Div. 1 Class AAA Girls State Tournament against Arlington, on Wednesday, March 6, 2019, at Murphy Center in Murfreesboro, Tenn.

Alasia Hayes added 21 points for Riverdale, which led just 29-27 at halftime and after trailing on a few occasions early. 

Riverdale (31-1) outscored Arlington (27-8) 19-9 in the decisive third quarter. The closest the Lady Tigers got in the final period was nine.

Reach Cecil Joyce at cjoyce@dnj.com or 615-278-5168 and on Twitter @Cecil_Joyce.

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