Forward John Hayward-Mayhew of Eugene, Ore., is the third member of the 2008 Missouri State basketball recruit class for Bears’ new head coach Cuonzo Martin with Hayward-Mayhew’s commitment to attend MSU and play for the Bears’ as a freshman in the 2008-09 season.
Hayward-Mayhew joins St. Louis area prep guards Derron Hobbs and Cardell McFarland in Martin’s first recruit group
at Missouri State.
Hayward-Mayhew is a 6-foot-8, 210-pounder who was a three-year starter for coach Dave Hancock at South Eugene (Ore.) High. Hayward-Mayhew had increasing production throughout his prep days as he gained Southwest Conference 6A all-league first team selection as a senior after gaining all-league honorable mention as a sophomore and junior.
He was also honorable mention all-state pick as a junior, has been selected to play in this year’s Oregon all-state all-star game, and is a McDonald’s All-American nominee.
“We are very excited to have John join our basketball family,” says Martin. “He has the skill and ability to play inside and make the perimeter shot. He is a good athlete with a solid frame. John does a good job rebounding out of his area. He has the size and toughness to mix it up in the paint.”
South Eugene was a perfect 16-0 in league play when Hayward-Mayhew was a sophomore and reached the quarterfinals
of the state tournament in an overall 21-4 season. The Axeman were 13-13 and 12-14 the past two years and finished in the middle of their league but reached the state tourney both years, advancing to the round of 32 in 2007 and the final 16 in 2008.
Hayward-Mayhew averaged 8.6 points and 6.2 rebounds as a sophomore, 15.4 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.2 blocked shots his junior year and 19.6 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.4 blocks and 1.0 steals a game as a senior. He led his team in scoring, rebounding and blocked shots as a senior with a school season rebound record of 262. He had career highs of 37 points and 16 rebounds for South Eugene.
Hayward-Mayhew’s father, Stan Mayhew, played basketball at Weber State and is a member of that school’s Hall of Fame. Mayhew was drafted out of college by the Indiana Pacers and went on to a 15-year professional career in Europe.