Anastasia Hayes among Lady Vols' incoming freshmen ready to make big impact
During an interview following Tennessee's 75-64 loss to Louisville in the NCAA Tournament round of 32, Lady Vols coach Holly Warlick said next year's freshman class was "... going to play. They're going to play, and they're going to play a lot."
That statement was music to the ears of Tennessee signees Anastasia Hayes and Evina Westbrook.
It was also one that will bring a lot of early responsibility to the newcomers.
"I've seen people re-post what (Warlick) said," said Hayes, the Class AAA Miss Basketball who led Riverdale to its second consecutive state title and helped the Lady Warriors to the No. 1 spot in the USA Today and MaxPreps national polls. "It made me feel pretty good. When I come in, I can't think like a freshman. I have to keep getting better and practice hard and do the stuff outside of team practice, individually."
Hayes and Westbrook are among four McDonald's All-Americans who are part of Tennessee's 2017 signing class, bringing hope to fans of a program that went 20-12 and failed to reach the Sweet 16 for just the second time.
"I feel like we can come in and make an immediate impact," said Hayes. "That's why I signed."
Hayes will be joined by Westbrook (Salem, Ore.), Rennia Davis (Jacksonville, Fla.) and Kasiyahna Kushkituah (Alpharetta, Ga.) in next year's Lady Vols class that is ranked No. 1 by ESPN.
The 6-foot Westbrook is ranked No. 2 overall and the No. 1 guard (ESPNW HoopGurlz), Hayes is the No. 9 overall player (No. 5 guard), 6-foot-2 Davis is 12th overall (No. 4 wing) and the 6-foot-4 Kushkituah is No. 55 overall (No. 6 post).
"I think all four (incoming) freshmen are on board with what we need to do," said Westbrook, the Morgan Wootten player of the year winner. "The coaching staff and current players believe in us. We just have to work hard."
Hayes and Westbrook will enter Tennessee as point guards but are versatile enough to play other positions, particularly Westbrook with her size and ability to score.
The Lady Vols will graduate point guard Jordan Reynolds, opening the door for one or both to play a lot.
"It will be more of a reload," said Westbrook. "It's not like we're starting from the bottom, in regards of a rebuild."
Added Hayes, "I thought they were pretty good this year, but it was off and on."
All four incoming freshmen will be playing in Wednesday's McDonald's All-American game at United Center in Chicago (4 p.m.). Kushkituah and Davis will join Hayes on the East team while Westbrook will play on the West squad.
As well as graduating Reynolds and Schaquilla Nunn, Tennessee could lose juniors Diamond DeShields and Mercedes Russell to the WNBA.
Their successors hope to bring the Lady Vols back to the glory days of consistently competing for a national championship.
"I'm very confident that can happen," said Hayes, who was one of the five finalists for the Naismith High School Player of the Year award and was named Tennessee's Gatorade Player of the Year. "That's one thing about me. I hate to lose. I do anything I can to win a game."
Reach Cecil Joyce at cjoyce@dnj.com or 615-278-5168 and on Twitter @Cecil_Joyce.
Lady Vols' incoming freshmen
Rennia Davis: 26.3 ppg, 10.5 rpg
Anastasia Hayes: 22 ppg, 5 rpg, 5 apg
Kasiyahna Kushkituah: 12.5 ppg, 7.7 rpg
Evina Westbrook: 24.8 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 5.8 apg