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Known more for his assists than his shooting, Maryland's Eric Hayes can still provide points when the Terps need it. |
GREENSBORO, N.C.--
During yesterday's open workout before the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament, Maryland's players and coaches gathered at either end of the Greensboro Coliseum court for a free-throw shooting contest.In the miss-and-you're-out competition, James Padgett and Adrian Bowie kept sinking their attempts, only to be topped each time by Eric Hayes, whose shots never even touched the rim. Finally, after nearly a dozen makes apiece, first Padgett, then Bowie misfired.
Hayes did not.
It was a fitting example of Hayes' career at Maryland: steady, dependable and successful, without being spectacular.
"I've got a lot of respect for him," said Greivis Vasquez, Hayes' former roommate and backcourt running mate. "He just brings that kind of confidence. He's so quiet. He's a silent assassin."
No one will ever accuse Vasquez of being silent. But the flamboyant Venezuelan and the modest kid from Dumfries have formed a pretty effective tandem in their four years in College Park.
Together, they've accounted for 88 victories and, come Sunday evening, three NCAA tournament appearances. They've helped resuscitate a program that had dipped after winning the 2002 national title.
And Hayes has been the calming yin to Vasquez's sometimes amok yang, evening out the Terps' chi.
"They're funny," coach Gary Williams said. "You hear stories about the odd couple. Well, that's them. Eric is quiet and unassuming; Greivis has got to be creative. They've been really interesting to watch and to coach for four years. It's been a lot of fun. On the court, they really know each other."
Vasquez is the Terrapins' unquestioned star, the ACC player of the year and a potential first-team All-American. Hayes, a prolific scorer at Potomac High School, adopted a supporting role almost from the time he joined the team he began rooting for at age 2.
"That's the way we are," Hayes said. "He's the flashier guy; I'm the level-headed guy. That's our game. We make each other better players."
Or, as Hayes' father Kendall puts it: "Not to say Greivis couldn't have done what he did without Eric, but he made it a lot easier for [Vasquez] to do what he did. He's a nice buffer to the game Greivis has."
As a coach's son, Eric Hayes has always been a team-first player, even when he was leading Potomac to the 2006 Group AAA state title. But it's not like he's sacrificed his personal statistics for collective success.
With two assists in tomorrow night's ACC quarterfinal game, he'll join Vasquez, John Lucas, Steve Blake and Keith Gatlin as the only Terps with 1,000 career points and 500 assists. His .867 career free-throw percentage is the best in school history, and he has a 2.4-to-2 assist-to-turnover ratio this season, second-best in the ACC. He's fourth in school history in 3-point percentage (.403) and 3-pointers made (189), and sixth in assists.
"He was a really big scorer in high school," Williams said. "What he is in college is a great percentage shooter. And he gives us another point guard on the court. Eric is willing to give up the ball.
"Sometimes you'd like to tell him to shoot more. But with Greivis, Eric and Shawn [Mosley], we've got three guys who can pass the ball really well. We're tough to cover because of that."
Of all the assists Hayes has made at Maryland, the most important might have been accepting a reserve role late last season, when the Terps were struggling. Williams wanted more scoring from his reserves, so he gave Hayes' starting spot to Mosley.
"It's always difficult, when you haven't come off the bench basically your whole life," Hayes said. "But I decided to take it as it is and make the best of it."
He did exactly that, scoring 21 points in the Terps' first-round ACC tournament win over N.C. State. Said his father: "he handled it with dignity."
Hayes was chosen to compete in the 3-point shootout at the Final Four--assuming the Terps (23-7) don't get that far. ("We're hoping he's unavailable," Kendall Hayes said.) Then he hopes to play professionally--if not immediately in the NBA, then perhaps overseas.
But first, Hayes has his sights set on winning Maryland's first ACC tournament title in six years--and playing a few more games with Vasquez, his alter ego. They arrived in College Park four years ago with only a shared love for the game, but have bonded in countless other ways as well.
"We've got a lot in common," Vasquez said. "We have two different personalities, but we both love the game. He just shows it in a different way than I do. We're just so good together."
Steve DeShazo: 540/374-5443
Email: sdeshazo@freelancestar.com
