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The Madras boys' basketball team saved its best performance of the season for its finale and senior-recognition game at home Feb. 25.
Senior C.J. Easterling was also honored prior to the contest for being named a McDonald's All-American nominee.
He followed that presentation with a game-high 28-point effort that included three dunks in helping Madras blow Hermiston out of the gym 86-61.
"I'm just happy and glad we played well in our last game," Easterling said. "It was our last game of our high school career, so I had to put it all out there."
Easterling had two crowd-pleasing dunks in the fourth quarter - one of which he hammered down an alley-oop pass.
"I just jumped as high as I could to get that pass," Easterling said. "Coach told us to have fun and leave it all out on the court and that's what we did."
The Intermountain Conference victory for Madras came nine days after Hermiston handled the White Buffalos on its home court 80-58.
"We played defense this time around," said senior captain Austin Say. "We got outrebounded bad at their place."
Madras challenged nearly every Hermiston shot and deflected nearly every pass by the Bulldogs and led by 38 points (78-40) late in the fourth quarter after Easterling's final two-handed slam dunk.
"That was the best game C.J. has ever played," Say said of Easterling, who also reeled in 11 rebounds. "He was incredible."
Madras evened its IMC record to 7-7 with the victory, but needed a Summit loss to earn a Class 5A playoff spot for the second consecutive season. The Storm did not give Madras reason to celebrate as they beat Bend 69-32 to earn the fourth and final playoff spot in the IMC.
"This is a team that I expected to play like this for most of the season," Madras head coach Allen Hair said. "This is a team that unfortunately turned it off and turned it on all season and we're not going to the playoffs."
Easterling scored 14 points, including a dunk in the first quarter, in the first half and Madras led 44-23 at the intermission.
"It was exciting to show everyone what we could do," said Madras senior Turner Gill, who also collected 11 rebounds.
Gill scored 15 of his 21 points in the first half and Madras led 22-8 after the first quarter.
"I expected Hermiston to give us a game, but when we play like that we're tough," Hair said. "We got up big and never let up."
Say finished with 10 points and Bobby Ahern added 11 points of his own for Madras.
"We played unselfishness basketball," Hair said. "It goes to show that when you have good athletes and play as a team, you can be pretty darn good."
Hermiston did lead at one point. The Bulldogs led 1-0 after a technical foul was called on Madras for a pregame issue. Hermiston, however, would get no closer.
MHS opened IMC play 1-5, but worked back to 7-7.
"I respect the kids for battling back to even our IMC record," Hair said. "They did not give up."
