Las Vegas started the playoffs with a bang as they took down Seattle with a 78-67 win. But this victory did not come easy as they had to put up a defensive front to limit the Storm from scoring. A’ja Wilson brought her MVP style to the fore as she scored 21 points, with Chelsea Gray and Jackie Young adding 16 and 12 points respectively. However, it was Tiffany Hayes who came off the bench and stole the show. This fueled A’ja Wilson to make a demand for her mother, Dorothy.

She made 8 of 12 field goals, 2 of 3 from beyond the 3-point line. Plus, she made 2 free throws. In the postgame interview, Wilson expressed her joy that Hayes’ mother saw her daughter in action, saying, “I remember her saying that her mom had never flown before and she was just trying to figure out when she could come here. I’m so glad she was able to come here and really see her daughter shine under these bright lights, because that’s what it’s really all about.”

Wilson went on to describe the boost in confidence they get when their family is in the audience watching them play. It’s the main reason they play, to make them proud, and called it a “big moment” for Hayes that her mother had flown in to see her play.

So she made the encouraging demand to Dorothy and said during the post-match interview: “I mean she has to come and sit in our dressing room every day.” This came after Hayes’ remarkable 20-point showing in the game. Her play was truly an example of how it’s one thing to win, but doing it for your family makes it 100 times better.

Tiffany Hayes is proving to be a good fit for the Aces. Let’s see how.

Tiffany Hayes is set to be an eye-catcher for the Aces

Now that she has a good relationship with the Aces, Tiffany Hayes can easily reel in her teammates and get them going. Her lively energy creates pace and has been named, as Wilson puts it, “the X factor” for the team. “If we need anything, whether it’s a stopover, or energy, or a bucket, we turn to Tiff and she understands that,” Wilson reasoned.

Tiffany Hayes has been in the league for over a decade and brings a wealth of experience to the Aces. While they have several veterans on their roster, including Alysha Clark, Sydney Colson, Chelsea Gray and Kiah Stokes, Hayes has added a significant amount of depth to their team in their corner.

She is the Aces’ second-leading scorer behind Wilson. She is the best in 3-point and field goal percentage and makes 100% of her free throws.