East Hamilton's Madison Hayes, far right, joins other members of the USA men's and women's FIBA U18 3x3 teams in celebrating Gold Medal wins in the World Cup Friday in Mongolia. Hayes will be a senior for the Lady Hurricanes next season.
photo by FIBA Contributed
East Hamilton High School’s Madison Hayes scored five points and played solid defense Friday, helping the USA 3x3 women’s team defeat New Zealand, 19-13, and capture the 2019 FIBA World Cup championship in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
The Americans stormed through the entire five-day tournament without losing a game. They went into Friday’s quarterfinals with a 4-0 record and quickly knocked off Indonesia, 16-10.
USA defeated France, 21-11, in the semifinals and that sent the Americans into the Gold Medal game against New Zealand. USA beat New Zealand, 20-11, in Group B pool play on Tuesday.
“I’m now a Gold Medalist and that’s a really good feeling,” Hayes said in a telephone interview from Mongolia. “I couldn’t ask for a better coach and teammates and I really am honored to have had this opportunity.
“The people over here come up to us and want to take pictures, they give us things, one person gave me a book and we don’t even know them. I don’t think there is a better way to feel about this overall experience. It has been crazy. I am honored to have represented America on this trip.”
In the title game, streamed live by YouTube, New Zealand scored the first point but a Hayes free throw triggered America’s 5-0 run and she capped it with a free throw.
With the U18 Americans leading 6-4, Hayes dropped in a layup with 4:54 left in the game and inside power player Olivia Cochran, out of Carver High School in Columbus, Georgia, drained a bucket and added two free throws to push the lead to a 10-4.
New Zealand pulled to within 13-10 but Hailey Van Lith, a sparkplug guard from Cashmere High School in Wenatchee, Washington, who was named the women’s MVP, connected on two free throws, Hayes dropped in a put-back, Van Lith scored again and Hayes added another put-back as time expired.
One thing about the on-court competition will stick with Hayes.
“The play was really physical,” she said. “New Zealand showed a lot of physicality in both games. France wasn’t as physical as some of the other teams but they were a good team. This was really hard. You play a team and they don’t know you and you don’t know them and it’s a battle for 10 minutes.
“I think playing over here will help me in my last year at East Hamilton. Other teams are going think because I’m bigger than most girls they can do this or do that to me. But I have good teammates and I don’t have to score all the time. I can get my teammates involved. But if the other team comes with physical play, I can handle it.”
It was the fourth world title for the American women since the competition began in 2012. The Americans also won gold in 2012, 2013 and 2017.
In a game following the women’s title showdown, the men’s U18 team knocked off Turkey, 16-12, to make a Gold Medal sweep for the Americans.
It was the first time any country has won the women’s and men’s titles in the same year.
The USA teams spent their final day in Ulaanbaatar on Friday and their schedule had them leaving the hotel around 3 a.m. and heading for the airport. They were to fly from Mongolia to Beijing, China, to Chicago and then back home to Chattanooga.
(Contact Larry Fleming at larryfleming44@gmail.com and on Twitter @larryfleming44)