When visiting teams travel to Ignacio High School to play the Bobcats, there is one player’s name circled that keeps opposing coaches up at night.
Senior Wyatt Hayes is one of those all-around players that not only is dangerous on the offensive side, but a threat on the defensive side of the ball as well.
He’s a player that makes everyone else on the his team better because of his court vision and athleticism, a traditional facilitator with a dangerous jump shot.
“He’s the best facilitator I’ve ever seen,” said Ignacio head coach Chris Valdez. “He’s a playmaker and makes everyone around him better. His legacy here will be being an all-around player offensively and defensively. His greatest attribute is his facilitating.”
Those are lofty words coming from Valdez. The 11-year coach for the Bobcats has seen some serious talent play on the courts at Ignacio.
So far in the 2015/16 season, Hayes has led the Bobcats to a 5-0 record while averaging 14 points, 8.2 rebounds, 5.8 steals and 6.8 assists per game.
His latest work included 10 points, 10 rebounds, eight steals and seven assists in a 70-30 blowout victory over Dolores on December 17. The Bobcats are averaging 59 points a game while only giving up 45 points to opponents.
Hayes believes his greatest strength is his shooting and teams can’t help but notice his 3-point shooting when he’s making 48 percent of his jump shots from behind the arc. With his great shooting at hand, he admits that his best move is his tricky hesitation.
“I’m a pretty good shooter,” Hayes said, son of Cindy and Tim Hayes. “But I like penetrating and getting others involved.”
What Hayes has perfected was his ability to create plays for other players while being a serious threat himself. He is the top scorer on Ignacio’s roster, but ranks fourth in 2-point field goal attempts with a modest total of 15. Suffice it to say, his shooting percentage is an astronomical 80 percent from the 2-point range.
“Fifty percent of the time he won’t take the shot, he’ll find someone else to do it,” Valdez said. “Right now he attracts so much attention that he brings the defense in.”
Fellow senior guard Anthony Menzanares is averaging a career high 14.3 points per game while shooting 50 percent from the 3-point line, and much of Menzanares’ sharp shooting is because of Hayes’ play.
With personal statistics showing only one side of Hayes’ game, and his teammate’s statistics showing another side, there is one side of his game that is quiet much like the player himself.
“I like being a leader and being looked up to,” Hayes said who was originally born in Tooele, Utah.
According to Valdez, Hayes a different type of leader. He’s a leader on and off the court, but a leader by example versus a vocal leader–however when he does speak up, teammates are all ears.
Hayes, 18, has been a team captain since his sophomore year so his leadership has been polished. His off-the-court demeanor and his on-court presence has great influence on his peers.
“I have freshman kids always around me along with other seniors,” Hayes said. “It doesn’t seem like there’s an age difference. We’re just all together. Togetherness is what you need.”
Losing is one of the things the playmaker hates most and Hayes is especially determined to win this year.
After losing in the semifinal round of the Colorado High School Activities Association Class 2A boys basketball championship tournament two years in a row to Sanford, Hayes’ leadership will also feel like redemption as well.
Ignacio lost to Sanford, 47-37, in 2014, and again last year 65-54.
“That’s the worst feeling ever in your life,” Hayes said. “I hate losing especially on a big stage like (state).”
Hayes’ dream would be to rectify Ignacio’s back-to-back losses at state by hitting the game winning bucket off a midcourt shot in front of a packed arena.
“That would be the coolest way to win,” Hayes said.
Valdez agrees and said if there was a player he’d want with the ball with 10 seconds left to go, Hayes is his guy.
“He’s good at hitting a big shot when you need it,” Valdez said on the hypothetical situation. “He could also make the pass that you need to get a good shot off. He would get everyone involved.”
Despite how the rest of Ignacio’s season plays out, Hayes knows one things for sure. His next step will be playing basketball in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference when he signed a letter of intend in mid-November to play for Fort Lewis College.
In recent years, Ignacio and Fort Lewis College have developed a pipeline of players. From IHS and FCL alum Alex Herrera to current player Ryan Brooks, Hayes is next in line to carry on the tradition of Bobcats turned Skyhawks.
Skyhawks head coach Bob Pietrack first saw Hayes play when he was still in middle school playing at basketball camps held at the FLC campus.
“The first thing is that he’s a winner,” Pietrack said. “He plays a lot of basketball and plays for one of the best coaches in the state. The Ignacio program is one of the best in the state. He’s a competitive team player that wants to win, which is the most compelling thing about him. He’s one of those guys that will do anything for the win.”
What drew Hayes to FLC was not just proximity to home, but the relationship he built over time with Pietrack and the Skyhawks coaching staff.
One area of intrigue for Pietrack was not just his on-court ability, but his intelligence as well.
Hayes currently has a 4.1 grade point average, which has given Hayes CHSAA All-Academics status. Hayes even plans on taking college courses next semester in a fast-track program for incoming freshman.
“I’m looking forward to it,” Hayes said. “I’ll get a good feel for classes. But I’m looking forward to all the challenges and everything that Fort Lewis has to offer.”
Pietrack said it was easy signing Hayes because of his play, knowledge of basketball and his classroom production.
“He’s the complete player,” Pietrack said. “He’s a great student, he has a great family and he’s a great player. He fits our mold.”
Pietrack added that he tells his players to come in and compete, but will take things slow with Hayes in order to let the 5-foor-10 point guard blossom.
“Wyatt is a weapon offensively,” Pietrack said. “He has wonderful eyes. You can’t teach people to have great eyes. Wyatt is a very special player especially at the 2A level. He’d have success at any level and we expect him to develop into a very nice RMAC player.”
The Ignacio Bobcats return to action by taking on Montezuma-Cortez at 4:30 p.m. on January 9 in Cortez.
jmentzer@ durangoherald.com
BEHIND THE SCENES
Who do you think the greatest basketball player was/is? Michael Jordan
What’s your favorite sports movie? ‘Glory Road’
Can you name a song that’s stuck in your head? Hot Line Bling by Drake.
What’s your favorite video game of all time? NBA2K16
Do you have a favorite book? ‘Maze Runner’ or ‘Hunger Games’
What is your favorite outdoor hobby? Playing basketball outside.
Who is the toughest player you’ve played against? Miles Caldon from Sanford. He was player of the year last year.
What is your go-to move if you’re down by 2 points with 10 seconds left in the game? A little hesitation move to get by my defender and either go to the rim for a layup or dish it to a teammate for a layup.
Do you have any superstitions? If we lose I never wear the same socks again.
Do you have any nicknames? Wy-Man
Can you name a teacher who has had the greatest impact on you? Mr. Kimball, he’s a math teacher at IHS. He went to college for track and basketball. He’s a crazy athlete and just a cool person.
