Look Out, Rims! Michael Hayes Is On The Rise At Las Positas

By Mike Wood

Special to Las Positas athletics

Michael Hayes’ all-out style of play has brought a shattering new element to the Las Positas College men's basketball program.

Backboards and rims, beware!

Hayes, who starred at West High in Tracy before starting at Las Positas this fall, is all energy and action. That was demonstrated in a glass-breaking effort in his high school career that became a YouTube hit. Hayes' monster slam during a tournament at American High in Fremont in December 2017 took out the rim and broke the glass backboard. It's earned over 40,000 YouTube views.

"That was crazy," Hayes recalled of the dunk. "The night before, I had a wide-open bucket and missed it right off. That next game, I got the steal. Surely, I was not about to miss. I got the rim in my eyes, went into straight destructo mode."
The video shows Hayes standing in disbelief as pieces of glass crumbled to the floor. The Tracy community was kind of awestruck in the aftermath.
"The whole school and town was talking … every store I went, they were saying congrats, you broke a backboard," Hayes recalled. "I just said I appreciate all the love."
Now Hayes has taken that impressive rim-rattling intensity to the Hawks program. He won MVP honors at the Tony Costello Memorial Tip-Off Classic, making a big community college debut on his new home court.

Off to a flying start, Las Positas (4-0) is ranked No. 2 in the Signal The Light Northern California Rankings. The Hawks will return to action against Merced on Thursday in the James Clark Classic in Sacramento, after an unexpected 19-day layoff due to poor air quality from the Camp Fire.

The addition of Hayes makes the Hawks that much more dangerous in nearly every facet of the game. He leads the team in points per game (18.5), steals (3.8) and rebounds (10.5).

"Michael is very talented very versatile; he can play virtually any position on the floor," said James Giacomazzi, in his fourth season as Hawks head coach. "He came in fairly touted from the Chuck Hayes Basketball organization, so we knew he was good. He still has things to work on, wants to get better. When you have a guy who puts in around 20 points, 11 rebounds, four assists, four steals and wants to get better, that is a great situation to be in."

Las Positas sophomore guard John Ketchel said he hasn't seen the dunk-and-shatter move by Hayes, but that story doesn't surprise him.

"Every time he dunks, he's angry at the ball, treats rim as his enemy and dunks as hard as he can," Ketchel, a former Freedom High star, said. “Mike is a high-energy guy, somebody I love playing with. He brings energy and has a blast doing it and has a fun time out on the court."

Like all the Hawks, Hayes seeks a chance to move on to a Division I program. That well could happen, Giacomazzi said.

"He will certainly reap the rewards when he gets on to a four-year program," the coach said. "There is a lot of buzz about him already in the West Coast because he's been playing so well.
So far Hayes and the Hawks are a smash hit on the courts, though rims have remained intact. For now.
"We told him do what you do, we can take of the work and fundraising if you break the rim," Giacomazzi joked.
With Hayes and contributions from fellow freshmen like Decaurey Brown from Newark Memorial, who is averaging 8.3 points a game, it has allowed experienced players like Ketchel to soar as leaders. Ketchel leads the Hawks with 4.3 assists per game, while contributing 10.0 points a game.
"Ketchel can really run a team, he's really sound, controlling the tempo, a very cerebral player, Giacomazzi said. "He's the one who can control the pace and flow of your team."
Ketchel said it's the patience of Giacomazzi as to why the Hawks keep improving.
"There was a situation where I missed a free throw, and thought I would be screamed at, and my coach just calmly told told me to make next one," Ketchel said. "He is very patient with us and has put faith in our players."
Added Hayes: "Coach James is really fun. Love that coach; he always has a high motor."
The Hawks will need to keep the motor running when Coast Conference-North play begins Jan. 9 at Foothill. It's expected to be one of the top conferences in the state.

Last season, Las Positas was one of five Coast-North teams to make the CCCAA NorCal playoffs, along with Canada, Foothill, Ohlone and eventual state champ City College of San Francisco. The Hawks made the regionals last year, as a No. 13 seed, but bowed out with an 81-58 loss to No. 4 Santa Rosa.
"I think last year was a good year for us, but I do think we slightly underachieved," Ketchel said.
Hayes gets to play now with former high-school rivals, including sophomores Marc Sterling of Tracy High and Elan Spencer of Lincoln-Stockton.

Embarking on his college career, Hayes has received good advice from the veterans. He recalled getting called for a double dribble, and then Ketchel and Spencer got him to settle down.

"John and Elan, they said 'Just relax and feel it out,'" Hayes said. "That taught me a lot about playing at this level."
Demanding schedule (as always at Las Positas) or not, the Hawks are setting the limits sky-high.
"We are not taking nothing less ... we are going to state and do it," Hayes said. "I want all my boys signing off to college. We got some work to do. We got some jelling to do. But we are going to do it."