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Austin Say of Madras was recently named the Intermountain Conference Player of the Year.
The award passed him up last season and could have been handed to Madras' Austin Say last year.
The then junior point guard had a tremendous season, but the Intermountain Conference Player of the Year was awarded to a deserving Brady Brent of Mountain View, who led the Cougars to an IMC regular-season championship.
"I was disappointed because I felt that I had earned it," Say said. "Brady Brent is a fantastic player, but we went from the No. 1 team in the IMC to the No. 3 team (after a late season slump) and I think coaches were unable to overlook that."
Say, however, was named to the IMC first team and backed up his junior campaign with a steady senior season this year and it earned him IMC Player of the Year honors.
"I was speechless when I heard the news," Say said of being named the IMC Player of the Year. "I was thinking first team maybe, but to be the Player of the Year is pretty special."
Madras head coach Allen Hair said coaches looked at Say's overall steady play and that it stood above the other Player of the Year candidates.
"He was the most consistent player in the IMC this season," Hair said of Say. "I was worried he would not get the award because of where we finished -- but coaches recognized his consistency."
Madras finished fifth in the IMC and did not qualify for the playoffs, but Say's play spoke for itself and coaches did not overlook his presence on the court.
"He is a fierce competitor who our players always respected and enjoyed competing against," Mountain View head coach Craig Reid said of Say. "We wish him well as he takes his game to the next level."
Say averaged just under 20 points per game in IMC play, up from last season's 16.6 per game, and he flourished down the stretch after Madras opened just 1-5 in conference play.
"I was surprised to for the award, but when I really started to look at the other players' numbers, mine looked pretty good," Say said.
During the White Buffalos' final six games, Say averaged 22 points per game and scored a career high 36 points at The Dalles-Wahtonka.
Say's lowest scoring output during IMC play came against Hermiston in a blow-out victory for Madras. He scored 10 points, but the senior scored in double figures in all 14 IMC games.
"He was one of a few players who scored in double figures every game," Hair said. "Austin was able to score when we needed to, but he was able to recognize the defense and pass when we needed him to."
Say booked 98 assists this season (4.3 per game) and led all MHS players since 1993 with 271 career assists. Jason Cordes is second with 218 and Brian Miller and Chasan Walker each had 217 career assists, while with Madras High School.
"Austin was part of our run-and-gun-offense and has been a four-year varsity player," Hair said. "It does not surprise me that he is atop the assists list."
Madras coach Evan Brown began tracking basketball stats in 1993 and Say is among leaders in several categories. He is tied for first with nine assists in one game, fourth in career points, tied for most points in a game with 36, third in steals in a season at 156 and fifth in assists in one season with 95.
"Austin has been a big part of our program and the one thing he has done over his time here is that he makes the other players around him better," Hair said. "He has the athleticism and he emerged as a leader of our program. He will be missed."
