Wednesday, March 10, 2004

Hayes shoots
Cutthroats to fifth

At state basketball

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The Community School went to its go-to guy during last week’s State 1A boys’ basketball tournament in Caldwell.

And senior team captain John Hayes responded with a career-best 32 points Thursday against the Genesee Bulldogs, helping put coach Mike Wade’s Cutthroats on the verge of making the championship game of the 16-team small-school meet.

Hayes (11-for-18 including 4-for-5 from 3-point range) lifted the Cutthroats to a 60-48 victory over Genesee (16-10) and into Friday’s semi-finals against the Council Lumberjacks.

Coach Wade said, "John had a great game. He was determined we were going to win and he really took charge in every aspect of the game."

Although Hayes (80 points in four games, 20.0 ppg) ended up as the tournament’s second-leading scorer behind Carey’s Ty Simmons, the Cutthroats lost their final two games, to Council 57-40 and to Troy 67-50 in Saturday’s third-place game.

The Cutthroats (a school record 21-7 overall, 2-2 state) ended up in fifth place. But the accomplishments of the team were many, Wade said. "Their legacy is remarkable in school history," the coach said.

He added, "What I’ll remember is the bond the seniors had, and the determination and the force of their willpower to make it to state. The kids took advantage of everything they had, paid the price and by hard work and willpower made it to the state tournament."

Hayes (17.7 ppg) completed a record-setting career with a flourish. The sweet-shooting southpaw finished with a school single-season record 496 points including 52 3-pointers. His final career totals, also a school high, were 901 points in 71 games (12.7), 96 3-pointers.

Jimmy Fairchild (12.8 ppg), also a senior, emerged as the second-leading all-time Community School scorer with 698 points in 67 games (10.4 ppg).

Wade credited Fairchild with some excellent defense against the player who almost single-handedly destroyed the championship game hopes of both Carey and The Community School. It was Council’s 6-6 senior post Nick McConnell.

McConnell, who had 8 blocked shots in Council’s 55-49 win over Carey Thursday, turned around and accounted for 16 points, 12 rebounds and 3 blocked shots in Council’s 17-point win over the Cutthroats.

"We scouted the Carey-Council game and saw that McConnell’s shot-blocking changed the shot of every kid on Carey’s team," said Wade. "So we tried to draw him out, and Fairchild did a great job on defense, but we didn’t end up getting a lot of inside points."

Also, Council shot 57% in the second half and won going away to spoil The Community School’s legitimate championship game hopes. "We came very close," said Wade. "The Council team was a little too much for us in all categories."

Council (23-6), seeking its first state championship, lost Saturday’s title game 50-39 to Cole Valley Christian of Boise (23-3). And Troy (21-6), a two-point loser to Cole Valley Christian in Friday’s semis, beat the Cutthroats 67-50 for third place behind 19 points by 6-7 junior post Aaron Smith.

"Jimmy actually did an excellent job defending their 6-7 guy, but Troy was a tall team, with two 6-5 substitutes, and they forced us away from our usual balanced inside-outside game," said Wade. Fairchild, on offense, finally tired out from the task and didn’t score.

CSchool 64-53 over Kootenai: John Hayes 16 points, Dylan McIlhenny 13, Jimmy Fairchild 10, Luc McCann 6, Connor Wade 6, Logan Koffler 5, Andrew Durtschi 4, A.J. Beesley 4. Rebounds (29)—Fairchild 9, Hayes 5, Durtschi 4, Koffler 4. Assists—Hayes 3, McCann 2. Steals—Koffler 2. 3-pointers—Hayes 2, McCann 2. FG—46%. FT—10-17. Opp FT—3-10.

CSchool 60-48 over Genesee: Hayes 32 points, Fairchild 12, McIlhenny 7, Durtschi 4, Wade 2, McCann 2, Koffler 1. Rebounds (37)—McCann 8, McIlhenny 7, Fairchild 6. Assists—McCann 2. 3-pointers—Hayes 4, McIlhenny 1. FG—47%. FT—15-25. Opp FT—11-15.

Council 57-40 over CSchool: Hayes 18 points, Fairchild 11, McIlhenny 7, Beesley 2, Brendan Nelson 2. Rebounds (26)—Koffler 5, Hayes 4. Steals—McIlhenny 4, Koffler 3. 3-pointers—Hayes 2. FG—41%. FT—4-9. Opp FT—5-10.

Troy 67-50 over CSchool: Hayes 14 points, McIlhenny 13, McCann 10, Koffler 9, Durtschi 4. Rebounds (28)—Koffler 6. Assists—McCann 3. 3-pointers—Hayes 3, McCann 2. FG—33%. FT—17-22. Opp FT—16-21.

CS season statistics (28 games—21-7 overall, 9-2 home, 12-5 road): Offense—1621 points for 59.7 ppg (school record). Defense—1385 for 49.5 ppg (school record). Free throws—CS 271-437 (62%) including 46-73 (63% state). Opposition—237-425 (56%) including 35-73 (48% state). Individual scorers—John Hayes 496 points for 17.7 ppg includeing 80 points (20.0 ppg) at state, Jimmy Fairchild 321 for 12.8, Dylan McIlhenny 305 for 10.9, Luc McCann 173 for 6.2, Andrew Durtschi 134 points, Logan Koffler 76, A.J. Beesley 60, Connor Wade 55, Hunter Smith 31, Finn Brown 6, Brendan Nelson 2. 3-pointers (106)—Hayes 52, McCann 28, McIlhenny 15, Fairchild 7, Wade 3 Brown 1.

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