With Barber often slowed down early, it was Hays that kept the Jaguars head above water. Along with his usual bruising drives and off the ball movement to the rim, he hit big shots in the midrange and from beyond the arc in the first three frames.

Westmoore is a very guard-heavy team but they do have one big in senior Zach Hays Zach Hays 6'3" | SF Westmoore | 2023 State OK and he does a great job within his role. Hays has the potential to be a double-double machine every time he steps on the floor for the Jaguars. An with Westmoore having several guards that can shoot the ball, it puts pressure on their opponents to defend out further and further away from the basket. That has opened the door for Hays to absolutely clean up on entry passes as well as dominating the offensive glass and getting second chance opportunities. While Hays does a great job of being a post presence for the Jaguars, he does have the ability and has shown the ability to step out and knock down shots outside the paint. Something that impressed us earlier this season was his ability to grab the rebound on defense and push a fast break by himself. His passing has also continued to improve and he has become a complete player and prospect.

Games Watched: Putnam City Invitational rnHays is another prospect who has been known for his great production off the bounce and in the midrange. And this season has continued to improve his offensive repertoire by adding more range to his game. He plays bigger than his listed size because of a strong frame and has become known for more than just his scoring and rebounding proficiency, with improved passing as a key part of one of the more efficient offenses in Class 6A.  Hays should find a collegiate home for up tempo programs that value position versatility and small ball aspects of modern basketball.

Westmoore made quite the statement on Tuesday night when they dominated rival Southmoore 72-53 in a game featuring two top ten teams in Class 6A. The Jaguars jumped into the top five of Class 6A and they backed up the hype with an outstanding performance on the road and their big man Zach Hays Zach Hays 6'3" | SF Westmoore | 2023 State OK led a very balanced attack on offense. Hays would finish with 21 points in the win but this was a complete performance from the Jaguars. They had several finish in double figures but Hays was the guy who would lead them in scoring on Tuesday night. They have several different players who can lead them in scoring on any given night. The Jaguars now shift their focus to the John Nobles tourney at Moore where they’ll face Ardmore. They could see rival Southmoore again on Friday.

The motor never turns off for Hays, who was at his best when pushing defensive rebounds and creating his own offense. He’s strong with deceptive speed for a physical wing. In the half court, he’s tenacious on the offensive glass while also capable of stopping and hitting in mid range. The hard working Hays is still at his best as an aggressive “bully”, finishing powerfully at the rim on putbacks, cuts and attacking open lanes on drives.