After the high-profile disappearance of her niece Daphne Webb, basketball became an escape for Briana Hayles, a senior at Rodriguez High School in Fairfield.
Briana also lost her own father, well-respected basketball Coach Carl Hayles, to cancer.
With all this loss – in such a short period of time – Briana contemplated leaving the sport altogether. It was just too tough to dribble and shoot when two people so close to her vanished from her life. Should she play? Should she not?
Her family encouraged her to forge ahead.
And, eventually, Briana knew her relatives were right.
Briana now plays in honor of her father. She said in an interview: “My family is what motivates me to keep pushing through life.”
Drawn to the sport by her four older brothers, Briana is eager to take her talents to the next level. She aspires to play Division I basketball on an athletic scholarship.
Her brother and coach, Marcell Hayles said, “Her passion is what makes her special, as a baby she always had a ball in her hands.”
Despite the tragedy Briana and her family have endured since Daphne disappeared back on July 10, 2013 – and the suicide of Webb’s father in May of 2014 – Briana continues to pursue her academic and athletic goals.
She is a three-year starter on the Rodriguez Varsity Girls basketball program, an All-League selection, and she maintains a B average. She credits her success to God, family support, hard work and a balanced schedule.
Her goal is to attend Portland State University in Oregon, and one day be a sports reporter for ESPN and run youth basketball camps. But, in order to do so, she will need financial support from the community.
To support Briana, click here to support her travel to Oregon, Las Vegas and San Diego as part of the Solano Elite Hoops.
