Moeller alums Jaxson Hayes, Miles McBride set to meet in NBA action, Knicks v. Pelicans

KENWOOD – From Moeller High School at 9001 Montgomery Road to 4 Pennsylvania Plaza in New York City, it's roughly 629 miles. Those miles won't stop a contingent of alumni from descending on Madison Thursday, two former Crusaders will meet in NBA action at Madison Square Garden with a contingent of alumni on hand for the moment.

New York's Knicks host the Pelicans of New Orleans. Former Moeller and West Virginia point guard Miles "Deuce" McBride, 21, appropriately wears No. 2 for New York. The second-round pick is in his rookie season.

Wearing No. 10 for the Pelicans is 21-year-old, 6-foot-11-inch center Jaxson Hayes in his third year in the NBA after becoming a first-round pick out of Texas in 2019.

Both played on Moeller's 2018 Division I state championship team and their state runner-up squad the year before. In 2019, McBride led Moeller to a 29-0 record and another state crown before heading to West Virginia's Mountaineers and Bob Huggins.

"In 30-plus years, we really never had a guy that was that close to the NBA," Moeller coach Carl Kremer said. "All of a sudden, we had two. I know they'll have some fun with this Thursday night. It's pretty neat we have people going there to see it."

Kremer and staff can't go as the Crusaders are at La Salle Friday and host Turpin Saturday.

Moeller Alumni Director Barrett Cohen will be part of a 25-30 person group watching the contest in the Big Apple, then doing a meet and greet with McBride at a downtown hotel.

"Jaxson has to leave to fly to wherever his next game is," Cohen said.

The Moeller group will converge on Manhattan Wednesday night. A Crusader party went to Indianapolis in the past to take in a Pelicans game with Hayes, but this is the first time they've seen the two play oppose one another.

The Knicks and Pelicans actually met last Oct. 30 in New Orleans with New York winning 123-117. McBride was only in for a few seconds, while Hayes had six points and five rebounds with two blocks in 15 minutes on the floor.

McBride has since split time with the NBA G-League's Westchester Knicks where he recently had a 39-point, eight-rebound, seven assist game. He's now back with the big club where coming into Tuesday he had two starts in 18 games. In one of those he had 15 points and nine assists in a 116-103 win at Houston Dec. 16.

"It’s always been a dream to play in the NBA and getting to play against one of my best friends and former teammates is even better," McBride said. "We have accomplished great things individually and together and I’m proud to see how far we have come since Moeller."

Hayes has appeared in 32 games for the Pelicans averaging 6.8 points and 3.5 rebounds while shooting 57.8% from the field. On New Year's Day, he had a 23 point, seven-rebound outing in a loss to Milwaukee.

"When you're a high school kid you just dream that you'll be able to put in the work that will allow you to play this game at the highest level in the NBA," Hayes said. It's incredible that dream has become a reality for me and even more incredible it's become a reality for both of us."

In his senior season at Moeller, Hayes and current Cincinnati Bearcat Jeremiah Davenport led the squad while McBride recuperating from a leg injury as Moeller's quarterback in the fall of 2017. Amazingly, he returned when the Crusaders made the state semifinals in Columbus. In the championship game, he was able to contribute 14 points off the bench.

Before taking over Morgantown, he had a stellar senior season at Moeller. While not offered by UC or Xavier, he flourished as a Mountaineer. Mcaveraged 9.5 points as a freshman, then 15.9 last year before declaring for the NBA Draft. He was selected by the Oklahoma City Thunder then traded to the Knicks on draft day.

"Miles was an amazing teammate and we remain close friends off the court," Hayes said. "But, we both know when we step on the court Thursday, we're each going to be looking to beat the other and really get those bragging rights."

Kremer remembers being at the NBA Draft in New York when Hayes was selected and hopes to see both of his former players later in the spring once Moeller's hardwood campaign is over. While the are has provided NBA players in the past like Princeton's Darius Bazley and Franklin's Luke Kennard, it's rare to have two from the same school.

"I think both guys have bright futures, " Kremer said. "They're not near their peaks. I pinch myself and say I'm the luckiest high school basketball coach in America."

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: New York Knicks vs. Pelicans: Cincinnati players square off in NBA