Vanderbilt target Haylen Ayers wins third straight Miss Basketball award – The Tennessean

MURFREESBORO — As if the high school basketball spotlight couldn’t shine any brighter for University School of Jackson star Haylen Ayers.
Ayers, one of the nation’s top players in the 2027 class, could only squint out at the audience with the bright lights of Tucker Theater glaring in her eyes as she stood on stage to receive her third consecutive Division II-A Miss Basketball trophy during the 2026 TSSAA Mr. and Miss Basketball award ceremony on March 10 on the campus of MTSU.
Looking for her mother, Ashley Ayers, and father, USJ coach Joel Ayers, Haylen had that familiar smile. She was, again, the recipient of the highest individual high school basketball award.
“They only bring three people here (as finalists) so not a lot of people get the chance to be in the shoes that I’m in,” said Ayers, who guided USJ to a Division II-A state runner-up finish on March 7 in Clarksville. “Obviously you want to go home with a (Miss Basketball) plaque but I’m in a room with really, really good basketball players so you can never take that for granted.”
Ayers, who is the No. 1-ranked junior in Tennessee and No. 1 ranked shooting guard in the country according to 247Sports Composite, joins former Ensworth star and current Ohio State basketball standout Jaloni Cambridge as a three-time winner. She averaged 22 points, eight rebounds and three steals for USJ and could have a chance at an unprecedented fourth straight Miss Basketball trophy in 2027.
“Hopefully I’m back in the same spot (next year),” she said, “But that comes with hard work and surrounding yourself with the right people and my family and team have done a good job at pushing me and sending me down a path that allows me to be here.”
Washington actually had a list. Winning Mr. Basketball was one of several he noted in his phone prior to Providence Christian’s state championship run this season. The former Alabama commit’s DII-A win is a first for the Lions program after Washington led it to a second straight state title on March 7.
“I had it on my phone,” Washington said as he removed it from his pocket to read his list out loud. “I wanted to be Gatorade Player of the Year, Mr. Basketball and a McDonald’s All American. I may not get McDonald’s, but I got one … Mr. Basketball.”
Washington led PCA with 19.5 points and nine rebounds this season and could cross a second goal off that list when the state’s Gatorade Boys Player of the Year is announced on March 20.
Cobb captured the 2025 Mr. Basketball in Class 3A then his Bees won the 3A state title. He’s hoping history repeats itself after his second straight Mr. Basketball win on March 10.
“I’m looking forward to helping us get back there,” Cobb said about the TSSAA boys basketball state tournament that begins March 18. “To win this award a second time is crazy, but I know I want to be holding that gold ball again.
Green led Webb to its second straight DII-AA state title on March 7, sealing a 48-47 win over Lipscomb Academy with a steal and the go-ahead score with 8 seconds left. The Missouri signee caps her high school career with another DII-AA Miss Basketball honor.
Nicholas’ Class 1A Miss Basketball win was the first time a Pickett County player has won the award since 2018 when Courtney Pritchett took the honor. Nicholas and Pritchett are the only two from Pickett County to be honored.
“It’s been an honor to wear Pickett County across my chest,” Nicholas said. “And to be able to bring this back home to my county … it just means a lot. I couldn’t have done without my coaches and all my teammates.”
Here is the complete list of the 2026 TSSAA Mr. and Miss Basketball winners and finalists.
Winner: Haylen Ayers, University School of Jackson
Finalists: Kayte Madison Bjornstad, Providence Christian Academy; Jules Ferrell, Middle Tennessee Christian School.
Winner: Chris Washington, Providence Christian
Finalists: Lawson Lee, Battle Ground Academy; Segond Sompa, Grace Christian Academy of Knoxville.
Winner: Meeyah Green, Webb School of Knoxville
Finalists: Ava Jarrett, Lipscomb Academy; Ava Jones, Hutchison School.
Winner: Fred Smith Jr., Briarcrest Christian
Finalists: Cade Murphy, Knoxville Catholic; Trey Pearson, Pope John Paul II.
Winner: Zoey Nicholas, Pickett County
Finalists: Laila Downs-Darden, McEwen; Rayanna Fisher, Greenfield.
Winner: Will McCrary, Jackson County
Finalists: Camden Cole, Eagleville; Darion Taylor, Humboldt.
Winner: Maliyah Glasper, Gatlinburg-Pittman
Finalists: Wylie Kee, Huntingdon; Kaegan Young, Cascade.
Winner: Derrick Roberson, Chattanooga Prep
Finalists: Jayden Barton, Gatlinburg-Pittman; Jackson Simmons, Unicoi County.
Winner: Andrea Flores, Daniel Boone
Finalists: Chelby Jordan, Dyersburg; Sydney Wilhite, Cumberland County.
Winner: Ty Cobb, Upperman
Finalists: Nick Steen, Fulton; Markylon Terry, Fayette-Ware.
Winner: Kimora Fields, Bradley Central
Finalists: Cecilie Brandimore, Franklin; Natalya Hodge, Bearden.
Winner: DJ Okoth, Bartlett
Finalists: Justin Frison, Houston; Cutter Sisk, Beech
Reach The Tennessean’s high school sports editor, George Robinson, at georgerobinsontheleafchronicle.com and on the X platform (formerly Twitter) @Cville_Sports. 

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