At 6-foot-9 and 195 pounds, Chad Haysbert is a presence on the floor when he plays for the Center High Cougars of the Pioneer Valley League. Last year, this inside/outside forward threat helped the Cougars to a 28-4 record that ended in a 72-48 loss to Sacramento High in the NorCal regional semifinals. He averaged 12.1 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game as a junior.
During the summers, Haysbert has been playing for his club team, E-Time Hoops to help improve his outside shot and his strength. He now can bench press 215 pounds and squat 400 pounds. This Cougar has the quickness to be a slasher to the rim. In addition, he has the finesse and height to take advantage of smaller and slower players in the post as well. As a result, his body type, ball control skills, and much improved perimeter game would remind some of former Texas star, Kevin Durant. E-Time Hoops Coach Ernest Taubodo says, "Chad's most valuable asset as an athlete is his versatility. In my 8 years of coaching, Chad has played all 5 positions on the court at a given time."
Nicknamed "C and H Pure Cane Sugar" because it is derived from his initials and of his sweet, smooth play, Haysbert has been playing organized basketball since 4th grade. This past summer was the first time that he did not team up with his older brother, Connor Haysbert, who is now playing for Dominican University. As a result, the younger Haysbert knows that he will have to step up and be a leader for his senior season. His individual goal is to average a double-double and be MVP of the league while leading the Cougars to league and section titles.
At some of the summer tournaments including the inaugural Nor Cal Tip Off at City College of San Francisco and at the Best of Summer tournament in Anaheim, college coaches were able to witness Haysbert's versatility and his quick feet for someone as tall as him. Haysbert considers the pick and roll play to best use his versatility because he has the footwork to take the ball to the rim and he has a solid mid-range jumper if he decides to pop out for the shot.
As a result of his summer performance, Columbia (Coach Smith), University of Denver (Coach Kuhle), Fairfield (Coach Snyder), CSU Northridge (Coach Lowe), Penn (Coach Martin), Princeton (Coach Newsome), and San Jose State (Coach Williams) have been warming up to him. He has not received any offers yet and does not have any favorites. This Cougar plans to make a visit to Chico State, Cal Berkeley, and UC Santa Barbara. Coach Taubodo says, "Chad has a very good chance to compete at the NCAA Division 1 level if he so desires. He possesses a lot of the qualities that collegiate coaches look for during their evaluation process."
Haysbert wants to attend a Division I program that is not located in cold weather and has solid academics. Academically, he carries a 3.50 GPA with a 1580 SAT score. He would like to major in Business/Marketing as his favorite subject is History.
Off the court, this Cougar is laid back and relaxed in nature. Coach Taubodo says, "Chad is an absolute pleasure to coach. He brings great value to his team and has the ability to make everyone better." If Center High wants to make another deep run in the CIF playoffs, they just need to add some "C and H Pure Cane Sugar" to their season's formula.
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